Impact of green knowledge management and green technology innovation on circular economy practices with social psychology driven sustainability metrics as a mediating factor

India envisions 2047 as a sustainable, inclusive, and technologically advanced nation, it is crucial to implement circular economy practices. With a population of over 1.4 billion, focusing on circular economy practices can help to enhance resource efficiency, economic growth, and cost savings, while promoting innovation, sustainability, and resilience. For an economically viable future, now is the right time to think innovatively and develop new strategies to enhance circular economy practices. Considering the current scenario, this study investigates the impact of green knowledge management (GKM) and green technology innovation (GTI) on circular economic practices (CEP) and also examines the mediating effect of social psychology-driven sustainability metrics (SPSM) between these factors. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 313 Indian manufacturers, and the collected data were tested using SPSS and AMOS software. The statistical analysis shows that two elements, green knowledge and technology, have a significant impact on circular economy practices and that social psychology-driven sustainability metrics partially and fully mediate between these factors. This study is one of the pioneering studies on the concept of circular economy practices, and this research adds value by demonstrating how green knowledge and technology help manufacturing firms develop more efficient processes, make clear decisions, and analyze how sustainability metrics provide a quantifiable assessment and growth.