Contingent Factors and Sustainable Practices in the Amazon: An Analysis of Riverside Restaurants on Ilha do Combu/PA

Introduction

The growing concern for environmental sustainability has become paramount within the business landscape. Both developed and underdeveloped nations have faced criticism for their involvement in environmental degradation, leading to economic, social, and environmental challenges (Windolph et al., 2014). This criticism is further underscored by Motta et al. (2019), who asserts that sustainability remains an evolving theme in the business world, emphasizing that companies must articulate and internalize sustainable principles. These authors contend that adopting sustainable practices can contribute significantly to environmental preservation by reducing the consumption of raw materials, electricity, and water.

As society becomes increasingly attuned to social and environmental issues, organizations are increasingly pressured to embrace sustainable development practices (Treptow et al., 2019). Consequently, companies are now factoring environmental considerations into their decision-making processes (Latif et al., 2020). This heightened corporate interest in environmental matters is primarily instigated by external stakeholders, such as government bodies, communities, and customers, who exert substantial pressure on companies to adopt a sustainable stance (Feitosa et al., 2014). This sustainable orientation is driven by external forces such as government policies, environmental regulations, market competition, and economic dynamics. It is further compounded by warnings from scientists, multilateral organizations, civil society, and environmental activists about the perils of environmental degradation and global warming, which have direct implications for businesses (Cecato & Marines, 2015).

Within the literature, numerous perspectives exist concerning the influence of internal factors on companies. Research by Robin et al. (2019) highlights how specific regions' cultures can substantially impact environmental practices. Deliberal et al. (2016) assert that an environmental strategy can confer a competitive advantage upon companies, as it emanates from administrative routines intertwined with organizational culture. This combination is complex for competitors to replicate. While somewhat underrepresented in research, leadership also plays a pivotal role in shaping an organization's mission, vision, and collective efforts towards including sustainable practices (Dallabona et al., 2019).

Considering this, applying Contingency Theory to sustainability can unveil numerous factors that influence the implementation and configuration of sustainable practices. This theory operates on the premise that there is no one-size-fits-all model for managing companies, as they are influenced by their unique contingency factors, including structure, strategy, technology, size, and environment (Picchiai & Ferreira, 2019).

Pryshlakivsky and Searcy (2015) leveraged Contingency Theory to develop a heuristic model for assessing trade-offs in corporate sustainability performance measurement systems, underlining the importance of incorporating contingency factors in addressing sustainability issues. However, Maletic et al. (2017) noted that empirical research on the interplay between contingency theory, corporate sustainability, and its performance implications is still evolving. To address this research gap, the current study poses the following question: What contingency factors influence sustainable practices in gastronomic enterprises operating on Combu Island in Pará, Brazil?