Short answer

Focus initial water footprint management efforts on implementing robust supply chain measurement systems to maximize positive impacts on brand perception and stakeholder trust.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Sustainability (2025)
Method: Best-Worst Method (BWM) analysis
Evidence: Strong effect

Strategic implementation of water footprint management practices, particularly those focusing on supply chain measurement, significantly enhances an agri-food firm's reputation and perceived legitimacy. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Sustainability. Using Best-worst method (bwm) analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus initial water footprint management efforts on implementing robust supply chain measurement systems to maximize positive impacts on brand perception and stakeholder trust.

Study

Innovation & MarketsNew This WeekStrong effect

Prioritizing Water Footprint Management Boosts Agri-Food Firm Reputation and Legitimacy

Sustainability · 2025

Key Findings

01Promoting water footprint measurement across the supply chain is the most vital practice for enhancing reputation and legitimacy.
02Establishing water auditing and control systems is the least impactful practice.
03Lack of financial resources is the primary barrier to implementing water footprint management practices.

Application

Design takeaway

Focus initial water footprint management efforts on implementing robust supply chain measurement systems to maximize positive impacts on brand perception and stakeholder trust.

How to apply

Agri-food businesses can use these findings to allocate limited resources towards water footprint management practices that are most likely to enhance their market standing and social license to operate.

Project actions

01When researching sustainable practices, consider how different actions might affect how customers and the public perceive a company.
02If you have limited resources for a design project, identify which features or functions will provide the most significant perceived benefit to users or stakeholders.

Method & Evidence

AimWhat is the relative priority of different water footprint management practices, and how do these practices individually influence the reputation and legitimacy of agri-food firms?

MethodBest-Worst Method (BWM) analysis

ProcedureExpert professionals in the field of water resource management were surveyed using the Best-Worst Method to determine the relative importance of seven water footprint management practices and their impact on firm reputation and legitimacy. Financial resource constraints were also identified as a barrier.

ContextAgri-food industry, water resource management, corporate reputation, business legitimacy

Variables

IVWater footprint management practices

DVFirm reputation, Firm legitimacy

CVExpert opinion, Financial resource availability

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes a robust decision-making method (BWM) for prioritization.
+Addresses a critical and timely issue in the agri-food sector.

Limitations

Expert opinions can be subjective. The study focused on a specific region (Chile), so findings might differ elsewhere. It doesn't measure actual reputation changes, only perceived importance.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the BWM depends on the consistency of expert judgments. Validity is enhanced by using experts in the specific field, but generalizability to all agri-food firms may be limited.

Think critically

How might the perceived importance of water footprint management practices differ between companies operating in water-scarce regions versus those in water-abundant regions, and how could this influence their design and marketing strategies?

Design Principles

"Prioritize sustainability initiatives with demonstrable and measurable impacts on core business objectives like reputation and legitimacy, especially when faced with resource limitations."

In an era of increasing environmental scrutiny, understanding which sustainability initiatives yield the greatest reputational benefits is crucial for market positioning. This research provides a data-driven approach to prioritizing resource management efforts for maximum impact on stakeholder perception and business legitimacy.

What This Means for Your Design

For food companies, showing how they measure water use all the way from farm to store is the best way to look good and be trusted. Other water-saving actions are less important for their image, and not having enough money is the main problem.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the strategic importance of environmental management practices and their link to market perception in your design project's background research or justification.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that for agri-food firms, prioritizing water footprint management practices that emphasize supply chain measurement significantly enhances both corporate reputation and legitimacy. This strategic focus is particularly valuable when financial resources are constrained, suggesting that visibility and transparency in water usage across the value chain should be a primary consideration for design and implementation efforts aimed at improving market standing.

Source

Sustainability

Prioritization of Water Footprint Management Practices and Their Effect on Agri-Food Firms’ Reputation and Legitimacy: A Best–Worst Method Approach

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about prioritizing water footprint management boosts agri-food firm reputation and legitimacy?: Focus initial water footprint management efforts on implementing robust supply chain measurement systems to maximize positive impacts on brand perception and stakeholder trust. Evidence: Sustainability (2025).
Why does "Prioritizing Water Footprint Management Boosts Agri-Food Firm Reputation and Legitimacy" matter for design?: In an era of increasing environmental scrutiny, understanding which sustainability initiatives yield the greatest reputational benefits is crucial for market positioning. This research provides a data-driven approach to prioritizing resource management efforts for maximum impact on stakeholder perception and business legitimacy.
How can designers apply this research?: Focus initial water footprint management efforts on implementing robust supply chain measurement systems to maximize positive impacts on brand perception and stakeholder trust.
What were the main findings?: Promoting water footprint measurement across the supply chain is the most vital practice for enhancing reputation and legitimacy.. Establishing water auditing and control systems is the least impactful practice.. Lack of financial resources is the primary barrier to implementing water footprint management practices.
What research method was used?: Best-Worst Method (BWM) analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Sustainability.
What should I do differently in my next project?: Agri-food businesses can use these findings to allocate limited resources towards water footprint management practices that are most likely to enhance their market standing and social license to operate.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are based on expert opinion from Chilean professionals, which may not be universally generalizable. The direct causal link between specific practices and reputation/legitimacy is inferred through expert prioritization rather than direct empirical measurement.