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The purpose of this paper is to design and test a user satisfaction model to evaluate the contribution of biodiesel production and consumption to the sustainability of a semi-urban community in the Cowichan Valley in British Columbia Canada. This case study is part of a larger research study whose purpose is to create a model for an index of sustainable community production and consumption.

The theoretical approach selected was the national indices of consumer satisfaction models. The methodology was qualitative and quantitative, in-depth interviews were used to learn the opinion of active and non-active consumers of biodiesel. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed with specialized software for qualitative studies. A structural equation model, whose innovation is the inclusion of the sustainability variables, was designed and analyzed with statistical technique partial least squares.

The designed model and methodology were useful to identify the principal cause variables of consumer satisfaction of biodiesel in two types of users: active users and non-active users. The determination coefficient R2 of the latent variables satisfaction and loyalty for the prediction of biodiesel active users model is 0.82 and 0.72, respectively, while the result for the non-active users model is 0.90 for satisfaction and 0.73 for loyalty. Sustainable consumption at community level is statistically significant as a direct cause of the variable sustainability of the community for both models, and in turn the sustainability of the community variable has a significant impact on loyalty for the active users model.

This case study is part of a larger research study whose purpose is to create a model for an index of sustainable community production and consumption which will be measured longitudinally to detect changes in the sustainable consumption of the community members.

The trend toward the indiscriminate use of natural resources and social decay has widened the gap between social classes, rich and poor, leaving the poorest unprotected. This situation, with the current financial crisis has also led to the creation of social organizations by the people in the highest levels of marginalization, through which they sell products manufactured by themselves and support enhance the economy and enhance a better quality of life for themselves. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

A major development for growth of these organizations is the existence of responsible consumerism. Thanks to the technological advancements and the mass distribution of information, and the supply chain, the world population is beginning to get aware and becoming concerned by the effects of the hyper-consumption culture currently prevailing.

The existing models of national indices based on consumer opinion and satisfaction merely include the characteristics of the products and services offered, but do not include variables that aid in determining their impact on a social enterprise. This research aims to fill that gap.

The paper shares the results of a qualitative and quantitative survey performed during the first half of 2014 using a model of structural equations developed to test new hypotheses that include a variable which has been called “social responsibility.”