Does Ethical Leadership Foster Employee Green Behaviour? The Mediating Role of Psychological Ownership.

This article investigates how ethical leadership (EL) and green human resource management (GHRM) influence employee green behaviour (EGB) through psychological ownership towards the environment (POE) within Indian private sector organisations. Using data from 343 employees and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the study finds that EL and GHRM significantly shape the psychological green climate (PGC), which in turn positively affects EGB. Psychological ownership partially mediates the relationship between PGC and EGB, indicating that employees’ sense of ownership enhances their pro-environmental actions. The findings highlight the importance of integrating ethical leadership and green HRM practices to foster a supportive organisational climate and empower employees in sustainability efforts, offering practical implications for managers, policymakers, and future research on organisational environmental management.