Sustainability Certification Adoption in Small and Medium Enterprises' Food Supply Chains: Using a Complexity Approach to Build up Foundations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Adopting certifications in food supply chains (FSCs) is a common practice for sustainable management, including among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study investigates how SMEs in FSCs navigate the complexities of certification adoption for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). An interpretive case study methodology was used to capture the experiences of seven SMEs in Italy. Results reveal the foundational elements of certification adoption, highlighting the influence of varied complexity principles across decision‐making layers. The study provides a fresh perspective on SSCM by revealing strategies that enable SMEs to navigate those complexities and embrace certification as part of their sustainable trajectory. Unlike previous studies that acknowledge certifications as being complex without elaborating on that, this study applies complexity theory to disentangle this concept and uncover how SMEs can manage certification adoption. Differentiating between SMEs, the findings present practical initiatives to facilitate smoother certification adoption processes.