Ecoprofit environmental certification as a public good: SWOT analysis of a relationship network

The present work aims at carrying out an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Ecoprofit certification through an institutionalist framework capable of incorporating the role of enterprises, institutions and relationship networks. Through the analysis of case studies on cooperation and on the food farming industry it is possible to subdivide the possible markets into 4 stages of maturity, according to the different degree of interaction among the agents, and to investigate the present and future role of environmental certifications seen as social capital increase vectors, thanks to their capability of recognizing and producing a culture of quality and, therefore, of sustainable development.