Green organizational levers and faculty sustainable behavior in higher education: The mediating role of sustainable attitude

Abstract

Environmental degradation and the imperative to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have intensified pressure on higher education institutions (HEIs) to move beyond symbolic sustainability commitments and embed sustainable practices within their organizational systems. Yet the mechanisms through which green organizational inputs translate into faculty sustainable behavior (ESB) remain inadequately understood, particularly in developing country contexts. Drawing on Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) theory and Social Information Processing (SIP) theory, this study develops and tests a theoretically integrated model in which green human resource management (GHRM) and green organizational culture (GOC) influence ESB among university faculty, with sustainable attitude (SA) proposed as the mediating psychological mechanism. Survey data from 380 faculty members across public and private universities in Punjab, Pakistan, were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that both GHRM and GOC positively and significantly predict ESB. SA mediates both relationships, with the indirect effect being substantially stronger for GHRM than for GOC, consistent with theoretical expectations regarding the distinct pathways through which structured HR practices and cultural norms shape employee attitudes. The model accounts for 52.9% of the variance in ESB and demonstrates strong out-of-sample predictive relevance. These findings extend understanding of sustainability behavior in professional, autonomy-driven academic environments and offer actionable guidance for university administrators and policymakers seeking to institutionalize faculty engagement with sustainability beyond compliance.