Mediating Role of Engagement in pro-environmental Creative Activities within the Relationship of Green Motivation and Green Creative Performance: Moderating Role of Organizational Green Culture

Purpose —Given the growing ecological degradation, largely driven by the manufacturing sector and the insufficient measures adopted to address it, this study investigates whether workers' motivation to safeguard nature enhances their pro-environmental green creative performance (GCP). It further examines the mediating role of employees' engagement in pro-environmental creative activities (EPCA) in the relationship between green motivation (GM) and GCP, while proposing organizational green culture (OGC) as a moderating factor between GM and EPCA. Design/methodology/approach—Data were collected from 311 usable responses of managerial and non-managerial employees in manufacturing companies through non-probability sampling. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze the data and evaluate the proposed theoretical framework. All model fitness indicators confirmed satisfactory model fit. Findings —The results demonstrate that employees’ GCP is significantly enhanced by their GM. EPCA partially mediates the relationship between GM and GCP, while OGC moderates the link between GM and EPCA. Implications —Aligned with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, the study suggests that organizations can strengthen employee EPCA by fostering GM and cultivating a green culture. The findings provide manufacturing firms with actionable insights into how employee GCP can be promoted to address urgent environmental challenges through EPCA. Originality/value —This study is among the first to highlight the critical role of workers’ pro-environmental intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in encouraging their participation in EPCA, ultimately supporting the achievement of sustainability objectives through enhanced GCP.