Humble communication of sustainability: sloppiness or strategy of the SMEs in the food industry?

Purpose. The objective of this research was to explore if and how companies are shaping their corporate identity around sustainability concepts, and if and how they promote their sustainability processes and initiatives. In particular, this study explored sustainability communications strategies and efforts of Italian SMEs in the dairy industry, from one geographic region and primarily producing a typical local cheese variety. Methodology. Seven case studies, known to be sensitivity to sustainability, were selected in collaboration with a board of experts. For each case study, the data collection included multiple research methods: in-depth interviews with company leaders, on-site observations, content review of marketing materials, and an evaluation of their digital communication (web crawling). Qualitative analyses were based on Nvivo-tracked open coding, on several concepts related to Sustainability. The case study results were interpreted through the theoretical lens of Corporate Identity Congruence. Main findings. Case study interpretations revealed that: the concepts Nature and Sustainability have merged; Sustainability is a complex concept to communicate; Social Sustainability communication has multiple facets; and humility in communication could be by design or sloppiness. Originality. Humble sustainability communication is a novel theoretical concept and it is introduced in this paper.