SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY: HUMAN RIGHTS AND SUPPLY CHAIN DUE DILIGENCE

In the global transition toward sustainable food systems, the “Social” pillar of ESG has shifted from a voluntary ethical choice to a core regulatory requirement. A defining trend is the emergence of mandatory human rights due diligence, requiring all actors in the agri-food chain to ensure their operations are free from exploitation. This shift is accompanied by a growing focus on food security and accessibility, where the goal is to bridge agri-food innovation with universal access, dismantling the barriers that prevent vulnerable populations from reaching safe and nutritious food.

For international consortia, the challenge is to develop solutions where food ethics, food security and fair labor practices are integrated as fundamental pillars. This integration ensures that project outcomes are “policy-ready” and that the move toward a green and digital economy is built on ethical grounds. By embedding these social dimensions into the project’s technical-legal architecture, consortia can ensure their innovations align with the future of EU social policy and the protection of fundamental human rights across the agri-food supply chain.

OUR FOCUS: TECHNICAL-LEGAL FRAMEWORKS FOR SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Our focus is directed toward the legal verification of supply chain integrity, where we prioritize the integration of human rights and food ethics into the agri-food value chain. We focus on identifying the specific regulatory benchmarks required to ensure that production processes align with international standards and European social mandates. By mapping these legal obligations early in the project lifecycle, we help consortia build robust transparency frameworks that mitigate the risks associated with non-compliant or unethical supply chains.

A central pillar of this focus is the regulatory assessment of food security and accessibility. We examine the legal mechanisms required to ensure that innovations—from alternative proteins to circular resource recovery—remain affordable and reachable for diverse social strata. This focus ensures that a project’s social impact is not merely an aspiration but is supported by a technical-legal structure that addresses the fundamental right to safe and nutritious food.

Finally, we place a high priority on defending ethical standards within the agri-food narrative. Our focus extends to the development of guidelines that align industrial operations with international human rights and social regulations. By providing a grounded, professional perspective on equity, we help consortia navigate the intersection of economic efficiency and social responsibility, ensuring that the transition toward sustainable food systems is built on a foundation of human dignity and institutional recognition.

PROVEN IMPACT: FROM REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS TO SOCIAL INCLUSION

Our contribution to flagship European projects demonstrates our focus on applying technical-legal frameworks to social sustainability through specific operational benchmarks:

Facilitating Market Access for Smallholders

In the CAMELMILK project, we examined the regulatory requirements for Mediterranean smallholders (Algeria, Turkey) to enter the EU market. By bridging the legal gap for traditional food products, we helped establish the framework necessary to support sustainable livelihoods and social stability for rural communities.

Securing Legal Recognition for Cultural Dietary Patterns

We focus on the regulatory recognition of traditional “superfoods” and dietary patterns that respect cultural and religious convictions. This ensures that the European protein transition remains inclusive and respectful of global diversity while meeting safety and labeling standards.

Evaluating the Social Value of Circular Value Chains

Within various circular economy initiatives, such as the EcoeFISHent consortium, we focus on the technical-legal requirements for territorial partnerships. Our work examines how upcycling side-streams can be structured to foster local employment and strengthen community resilience within regional industrial clusters.