Notes on Sustainability Policies in Italian Michelin-Starred Restaurants

Research investigates sustainability in Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy.
Focuses on how external sustainability drivers and customer demands influence internal sustainability policies and associated costs.
Survey data from over 70 Italian Michelin-starred restaurants analyzed.
35% of variance in internal sustainability policies adoption is explained by external drives related to sustainability and customers' demands.
Italian food service is considered iconic, making results relevant worldwide.

Food is economically and culturally significant in Italy.
Restaurants are vital gathering places and economic assets.
The Italian restaurant market is the second largest in Europe.
Sustainability is increasingly important in the food sector, exemplified by the Michelin Green Star.
Michelin Green Star recognizes restaurants with high ethical and environmental standards.

Sustainability, defined by the Brundtland Commission, involves meeting present needs without compromising future generations.
Sustainability ensures people can survive, satisfy needs, and prosper.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for sustainable development.
Social sustainability includes practices that create healthy, fair, and inclusive communities.
There is a need for more data on the long-term impacts and challenges of sustainable practices in restaurants and customer perceptions.

H1: External sustainability drivers positively influence customer demands for sustainability.
H2: External sustainability drivers positively influence the adoption of internal sustainability policies.
H3: Customer demands for sustainability positively influence the adoption of internal sustainability policies.
H4: The adoption of internal sustainability policies positively influences costs derived from sustainability policies.

Quantitative research based on 18-item questionnaires distributed to restaurant managers and chefs from Michelin-recognized Italian restaurants.
71 respondents completed the survey.
Data analyzed using structural equation modeling based on partial least squares (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0.
Model includes constructs for external drivers, customer demands, internal policies, and associated costs.

External drivers positively influence customer demands (H1 supported).
External drivers positively influence internal sustainability policies (H2 supported).
Customer demands positively influence internal sustainability policies (H3 supported).
Internal sustainability policies positively influence costs (H4 supported).

Customer interest and response to sustainability imperatives at a societal scale influence stakeholders' expectations and explicit demands regarding sustainability practices.
Michelin-starred restaurants acknowledge the need to approach sustainability as essential for strategic development and competitiveness.
Adopting sustainability policies leads to higher internal company costs and potentially higher final costs for customers.

35% of the variance in Internal Sustainability Policies adoption is explained by external drives related to sustainability and customers' demands.

Food service industry cannot ignore sustainability pressures.
Michelin-starred restaurants should invest in sustainability-focused policies for long-term performance.
Implementation of social sustainability practices can positively influence employee well-being.
Supporting local economies and communities is crucial.

Relies on a convenience sample of 71 key informants from Italian Michelin-starred restaurants.
The conceptual model leaves aside general or specific factors.
Relies on self-reported measures, implying a high level of subjectivity.

The inverse square root method by Kock and Hadaya (2018): used to appraise the sample size adequacy
inverse square root method: Suitable to detect path coefficients between $0.21$ and $0.30$ with a significance level of $5\%$ and statistical power of $80\%$ .