The relationship between perceived corporate environmental responsibility and employees' pro‐environmental behavior: A moderated serial mediation model

Abstract

In order to achieve corporate sustainable development, it is an effective way to emphasize the development of employees' pro‐environmental behavior at the microlevel. This study examined the relationship between perceived corporate environmental responsibility (CER) and employees' PEB and its mechanisms based on the cognitive‐affective processing system (CAPS) theory. Data were collected from 300 employees in the manufacturing and logistics industries in two stages in this study, with a whole‐group sampling method. The results showed that (1) perceived CER is positively correlated with employees' PEB; (2) environmental internal motivation and harmonious environmental passion play a serial mediating role between perceived CER and employees' PEB; (3) person–organization fit moderates the serial mediating path through which perceived CER influences employees' PEB via environmental internal motivation and harmonious environmental passion, by enhancing the positive influence of perceived CER on environmental internal motivation, such that the higher the level of person–organization fit, the stronger the positive serial mediating effect. This study provides a valuable interpretation for understanding the relationship between perceived CER and employees' PEB from both cognitive and affective perspectives, and provides new ideas for intervening in employees' PEB to achieve corporate sustainable development.

Exploring How and When Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Impacts Employees’ Green Innovative Work Behavior: The Mediating Role of Creative Self-Efficacy and Environmental Commitment

“…Organizations usually shape employees' behaviors at work by P-O fit [84,85]. In turn, employees assess the P-O fit to determine their involvement in organizational activities, which subsequently impacts their inner states and responses [29]. Therefore, we argue that the P-O fit moderates the impact of ECSR on employees' GIWB via creative self-efficacy and environmental commitment in different ways.…”

“…For example, at the organizational level, ECSR demonstrates positive correlations with firm performance [44,45,51], innovativeness [52], stock performance [46], and community environmental well-being [53]. At the individual level, ECSR shows a significant association with employees' organizational identification [54], green performance [55], pro-environmental behavior [29,[56][57][58], environmental citizenship behavior [22], social responsibility behavior [20], and GIWB [17].…”

“…Proenvironmental behavior, environmental citizenship behavior, social responsibility behavior, and GIWB are all voluntary and non-coercive discretionary actions exhibited by employees within an organization. Pro-environmental behavior and environmental citizenship behavior encompass a range of positive and spontaneous actions aimed at organizational and societal well-being, such as recycling, taking the stairs, double-sided printing, and more [29,56]. Social responsibility behavior, including green and societal behavior, signifies employees fulfilling their responsibilities in an environmentally friendly manner and actively supporting the well-being of the broader community beyond the workplace [20].…”

“…Similarly, within the realm of sustainable development, P-O fit may serve as a potential motivator for employee commitment to environmental causes. Employees with a high level of P-O fit are capable of spontaneously generating a strong sense of responsibility and passion to participate in environmentally friendly initiatives at work [29]. In such instances, the external stimulus of ECSR on environmental commitment may take a back seat, as employees are intrinsically driven by their commitment to environmental sustainability.…”

“…Additionally, building on the person-organization (P-O) fit theory, the organizational work environment synergistically interacts with employees' values, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors [27,28]. Previous research has emphasized that P-O fit can moderate the impact of ECSR on employees' psychological and behavioral responses [29]. Therefore, we anticipate that different levels of P-O fit may either strengthen or weaken the impact of ECSR on employees' GIWB via creative self-efficacy and environmental commitment.…”