Farm structure affects, and is affected, by public policy and the economy. It describes important developments in the farm sector and specific commodities, its impacts on productivity, financial performance, prices, and environmental outcomes.

Speaking at a business breakfast at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business during Fairtrade Week, Ralph Hamann, an associate professor at the school, said that the growth of Fairtrade and other initiatives such as Woolworths’ Farming for the Future drive are indicative of a growing realisation that social and environmental threats to business won't go away unless business itself does something about them.

At the Rio+20 Conference in Brazil last year, it was agreed that it was necessary to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are meant to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond their 2015 target date.

Society’s distrust for business to do what 'is right' has created a host of demands on companies to prioritise their business ethics. The King III Commission, closely followed by Unisa, defined business ethics as the ethical values determining the interaction between a company and its shareholders.

In the current challenging economic environment, owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs need to do what they can in order to keep their heads above water. According to Christo Botes of Business Partners, co-sponsor of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year competition, a sure method to ensure a business survives tough periods is to increase sales or services, which will result in a direct increase in profit.