This study examines the impact of environmental leadership on psychological empowerment and its subsequent influence on Organizational Citizenship Behavior for the Environment (OCBE) in academic settings. Specifically, it investigates how environmental leadership enhances key aspects of psychological empowerment, including work meaning, autonomy, and self-efficacy. These factors, in turn, contribute to work impact and drive OCBE among faculty members. Data were collected from 410 faculty members at higher vocational institutes and universities in Guangdong Province, China, using a purposive sampling technique. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings indicate that environmental leadership significantly strengthens psychological empowerment by positively influencing work meaning, autonomy, and self-efficacy. These factors, in turn, enhance work impact and significantly promote OCBE. The study highlights the vital role of environmental leadership in cultivating a culture of sustainability within academic institutions. It advances theoretical understanding by illustrating how environmental leadership and psychological empowerment interact to drive OCBE. It provides a robust model for examining OCBE’s antecedents and offers new insights into the mechanisms through which leadership fosters sustainability in higher education. The study highlights the need for academic institutions to adopt environmental leadership practices to cultivate a sustainability-oriented culture. It urges leaders to create meaningful work environments, grant autonomy, and enhance self-efficacy among faculty and staff. Future research should explore effective strategies for developing environmental leadership, such as training programs and mentorship opportunities, to cultivate leaders capable of driving impactful sustainability initiatives.
Jing et al. (Thu,) studied this question.