Green Behavioural Intention and Behaviour of Hotel Employees: Mediation Roles of Customers, Coworkers, Supervisors, and Corporate Attitudes

Vanessa Guerra-Lombardi, Desiderio Gutiérrez-Taño, Raúl Hernández-Martín () and Noemi Padrón-Fumero
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Vanessa Guerra-Lombardi: Departamento de Economía Aplicada y Métodos Cuantitativos, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Desiderio Gutiérrez-Taño: Departamento de Dirección de Empresas e Historia Económica, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Raúl Hernández-Martín: Departamento de Economía Aplicada y Métodos Cuantitativos, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Noemi Padrón-Fumero: Departamento de Economía Aplicada y Métodos Cuantitativos, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-26

Abstract: This study investigates the mechanisms through which employees’ green behavioural intention (GBI) translates into employee in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR) in the hospitality sector. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Value-Belief Norm (VBN) theory, we propose an extended model that incorporates four contextual mediators —customers’ environmental attitudes (CEAs), coworkers’ green work climate (CGWC), supervisors’ commitment to the environment (SCE), and environmental organisational policy (EOP)—to explain how the relationship between intentions and behaviours is mediated by these social and organisational factors. Data were collected through a self-administered survey of 497 employees from hotels located in the Canary Islands, a recognised coastal tourism destination facing relevant environmental challenges. The proposed relationships were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results confirm that GBI significantly predicts in-role green behaviour (EGB-IR), and all four contextual factors partially mediate this relationship. Among them, EOP and CGWC emerged as the most influential mediators. These findings underscore the importance of aligning individual motivation with supportive workplace environments to foster consistent sustainable practices in hospitality organisations. This research contributes to the growing literature on green behaviours in hospitality by empirically validating a multilevel TPB-VBN-theory-based framework and highlighting key points for hotel managers aiming to strengthen their environmental commitment through employee engagement.

Keywords: green behavioural intention; in-role green behaviour; green work climate; environmental organisational policy; hospitality employees; TPB–VBN integration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5928-:d:1689078

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