International E-publication: Publish Projects, Dissertation, Theses, Books, Souvenir, Conference Proceeding with ISBN. 

An Exploratory Study of Green Psychological Climate and Pro-Environmental Behavior in a Small Indian Organisation: Gaps between Managerial Intent and Employee Perception

    ,

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Social Work, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
  • 2Department of Social Work, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Int. Res. J. Social Sci., Volume 15, Issue (4), Pages 1-7, October,14 (2026)

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the relationships among management-reported green initiatives, employee-perceived Green Psychological Climate (GPC), and employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB) within a single organization comprising 12 employees and one management representative. Drawing upon Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), a comprehensive survey instrument was administered to assess these constructs. The analysis revealed a generally positive GPC among employees (M = 4.25, SD = 0.41); however, a notable perceptual discrepancy emerged between management and employees regarding the value of green pay and reward (GPR) initiatives (Management M = 2.67 vs. Employee GPC M = 4.25). Pearson correlation analysis indicated a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between GPC and Self-transcendence (r = 0.62, p = 0.032), suggesting that employees who perceive a strong green climate tend to prioritize broader environmental and social well-being. Similarly, a statistically significant moderate positive correlation was observed between Self-transcendence and Self-interest (r = 0.619, p = 0.032), indicating that these value orientations may coexist within the same individual. Contrary to theoretical predictions, the direct correlation between GPC and PEB was very weak and non-significant (r = 0.038, p = 0.906), implying that a positive green organizational climate does not automatically translate into pro-environmental action. Furthermore, associations between leadership behaviour and support with both GPC and PEB did not attain statistical significance, suggesting the absence of a strong linear relationship in this sample. These preliminary findings, constrained by a small sample and limited generalizability, reveal a nuanced interplay in which perceived green climate does not automatically predict pro-environmental behaviour. The study underscores the importance of aligning green initiatives with employee values and perceptions, particularly addressing the misalignment in green pay and reward effectiveness. Implications for theory and organizational practice are discussed, and directions for future research with larger, more diverse samples are recommended.

References

  1. Meerab. (2023)., Addressing the global environmental crisis: A comprehensive review of current strategies and challenges., International Research Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 11(3).
  2. Wahyuni, W., Syamsidar, S., Indasari, F., & Bualemo, L. E. G. (2024)., Corporate environmental accountability: A qualitative study of stakeholder expectations and corporate practices., Advances: Jurnal Ekonomi & Bisnis, 2(6), 323–336.
  3. Chen, S., Song, Y., & Gao, P. (2023)., Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and financial outcomes: Analyzing the impact of ESG on financial performance., Journal of Environmental Management, 345, 118829.
  4. Zacher, H., Rudolph, C. W., & Katz, I. M. (2023)., Employee green behavior as the core of environmentally sustainable organizations., Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 465–494.
  5. Loeser, F., Recker, J., vom Brocke, J., Molla, A., & Zarnekow, R. (2017)., How IT executives create organizational benefits by translating environmental strategies into Green IS initiatives., Information Systems Journal, 27(4), 467–512.
  6. Mugoni, E., Kanyepe, J., & Tukuta, M. (2023)., Sustainable supply chain management practices and environmental performance: A systematic review., Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship, 3(1), 100050.
  7. Gulakdeniz, E., & Karadas, G. (2024)., The impact of employees, Heliyon, 10(20).
  8. Yılmaz, V., & HamadAmeen, S. (2022)., Employees, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 7, 131–147.
  9. Khan, M. A. S., Jianguo, D., Ali, M., Saleem, S., & Usman, M. (2019)., Interrelations between ethical leadership, green psychological climate, and organizational environmental citizenship behaviour: A moderated mediation model., Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1977.
  10. Norton, T. A., Zacher, H., & Ashkanasy, N. M. (2014)., Organisational sustainability policies and employee green behaviour: The mediating role of work climate perceptions., Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 49–54.
  11. Kelder, S. H., Hoelscher D. M., Shegog, R (2015)., Social cognitive theory applied to health and risk messaging., Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication.
  12. Ajzen, I. (1991)., The theory of planned behaviour., Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211.
  13. Saeed, B. B., Afsar, B., Hafeez, S., Khan, I., Tahir, M., & Afridi, M. A. (2019)., Promoting employees, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(2), 424–438.
  14. Jabbour, C. J. C., Santos, F. C. A., Fonseca, S. A., & Nagano, M. S. (2012)., Green teams: Understanding their roles in the environmental management of companies located in Brazil., Journal of Cleaner Production, 46, 58–66.
  15. Molina-Azorin, J. F., López-Gamero, M. D., Tarí, J. J., Pereira-Moliner, J., & Pertusa-Ortega, E. M. (2021)., Environmental management, human resource management and green human resource management: A literature review., Administrative Sciences, 11(2), 48.
  16. Naz, S., Jamshed, S., Nisar, Q. A., & Nasir, N. (2023)., Green HRM, psychological green climate and pro-environmental behaviours: An efficacious drive towards environmental performance in China., Current Psychology, 42(2), 1346–1361.
  17. Stern, P. C. (2000)., New environmental theories: Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behaviour., Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424.
  18. Blok, V., Wesselink, R., Studynka, O. & Kemp, R. (2015)., Encouraging sustainability in the workplace: A survey on the pro-environmental behaviour of university employees., Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 55–67.
  19. Kim, Y. J., Kim, W. G., Choi, H. M., & Phetvaroon, K. (2019)., The effect of green human resource management on hotel employees, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 76, 83–93.