Bridging the gap: integrating food security project management with corporate food waste reduction toward supply chain sustainability

This study examines how food supply chain capabilities influence corporate waste reduction performance in Malaysia, with Food Security Project Management Practices (FSPMP) serving as a mediating mechanism. This study proposes a model that positions environmental capabilities as strategic resources grounded in the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV). The data from 169 Malaysian food and beverage firms were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. The results indicate that food safety, transportation systems, stakeholder engagement, and technological innovation significantly affect corporate performance in reducing waste. The findings reveal that FSPMP partially mediates the effects of food safety, stakeholder engagement, and technological innovation; however, it exerts a suppressive effect on transportation systems. Traceability systems demonstrate direct effects but no significant mediation, implying that they offer autonomous operational benefits independent of project management coordination. The findings position project management as a dynamic capability that converts supply chain capabilities into measurable sustainability outcomes.