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  • December 2022 (Revised January 2023)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Marfrig's Quest for Greener Beef

By: Jose B. Alvarez, Pedro Levindo and Ruth Costas
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:52
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Abstract

Marfrig, one of the world’s leading meatpackers, strived to comply with its commitment to have a deforestation-free value chain in Brazil by 2030. The company also pledged to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases in accordance with the guidelines set by the Science-Based Targets Imitative (SBTi). Controlling shareholder and chairman Marcos Molina, and Director of Sustainability and Communications for South America Paulo Painez, must figure how to achieve these goals while dealing with increased pressures from NGOs, customers, and foreign governments. The pair believed that a solution to the company’s—and the sector’s—challenges would only be achieved by working together with other stakeholders of the Brazilian beef industry: cattle ranchers, NGOs, the government, and civil society at large. Aligning the interests of the different players, while keeping Brazil’s lead as the world’s top beef exporter, was especially challenging given the country’s fraught political environment and its tarnished image abroad.

Keywords

Agribusiness; Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Acquisition; Family Business; Communication Strategy; Environmental Management; Climate Change; Environmental Regulation; Environmental Sustainability; Bonds; Food; Global Strategy; Goods and Commodities; Government and Politics; Political Elections; Leading Change; Marketing; Product Marketing; Product Positioning; Supply Chain; Supply Chain Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Government Relations; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Partners and Partnerships; Strategy; Adaptation; Business Strategy; Commercialization; Competitive Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Diversification; Expansion; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Brazil; Latin America; Argentina; Uruguay; North America; United States; Europe; Asia; China

Citation

Alvarez, Jose B., Pedro Levindo, and Ruth Costas. "Marfrig's Quest for Greener Beef." Harvard Business School Case 523-073, December 2022. (Revised January 2023.)
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About The Author

Jose B. Alvarez

Marketing
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Related Work

    • December 2022 (Revised January 2023)
    • Faculty Research

    Marfrig's Quest for Greener Beef

    By: Jose B. Alvarez, Pedro Levindo and Ruth Costas
Related Work
  • Marfrig's Quest for Greener Beef By: Jose B. Alvarez, Pedro Levindo and Ruth Costas
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