Keywords: sustainable performance; institutions; organizations; coffee production; competitiveness

 Current competitive scenario, characterized extremely dynamic environments, emphasize flexible strategies, global perspective, competitive intelligence and innovation (HOSKISSON et al, 2007). Considering eco-innovation, environmental subject have been highlighted to competitiveness.

In this sense, it turns important to consider competitiveness as the ability of “[…] fac(ing) up to market competitions whilst at the same time ensuring environmental, social and cultural sustainability based on the dual approach of networking and inter-territorial relationships” (FARRELL; LUKESCH; THIRION, 2000, p. 05) .

Network concepts are useful do understand agribusiness systems, its configuration and strategies (FARINA; ZYLBERSTAJN, 2005). Mollenkopf et al (2010), for instance, emphasize the importance of actions along supply chains to mitigate negative environmental impacts, explaining the importance of green supply chain strategies. From agro systems perspective, the importance of institutional and organizational environments on chain coordination has been highlighted in many studies (ZYLBERSTAIN, 1995; FARINA, 1999; LAZZARINI; CHADDAD; COOK, 2001; BATALHA; SILVA, 2007). Institutional and organizational environments, as well as collective actions and inter-agents relationships, are essential for sustainable performance. Furthermore, Watanabe and Zylberstajn (2009) points out to importance of governance and the influences of institutional and organizational when considering social and environmental issues in agro-systems.

The aim of this study is to analyze interactions in agro system for sustainability. It seeks to comprehend relationships among agents, through partnerships and collective actions, and their links to organizational and institutional environments towards to sustainable performance, specifically involving a coffee cooperative organization.

The present qualitative descriptive research has been developed through a case study, involving a coffee cooperative organization and linked agents, such as coffee producers and organizations (such as associations, certification agencies and research institutions). Methodological procedures included literature review on sustainable performance and agro-system coordination, and primary data were collected via in loco interviews with those responsible for sustainability area in the cooperative. Also, primary information was complemented with secondary information obtained in reports, press release and other institutional materials. Finally, data were analyzed through content analysis.

The study permitted to identify a set of sustainable practices internally and externally developed by the organization. Agro-system coordination in that case is complex, comprising plural forms of governance. Different aspects related to sustainability could be found according do product and market concerned: for commodity coffee, specially sold in internal market, environmental stage follows legal conformity, focusing the importance of public institutions. On the other hand, transactions involving special coffee, generally directed to North-American and European markets, are designed in accordance to external market requirements, creating specific institutions through associations and groups connected to sustainable development.  Besides, the achievement of sustainable performance is deeply linked to partnership and joint actions with associations and rural producers. Regarding institutional environment, cooperative is influenced by public and private institutions, although the latter are more important to direct recent sustainable practices. Thus, organizational environment is essential for sustainability along the chain, not only by directing coordination, but specially by designing institutions to regulated sustainable market.