Unveiling the path to green entrepreneurial behavior in Saudi Arabia: the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, environmental awareness, green consumption commitment and green mindfulness

Introduction Green entrepreneurship has emerged as an important pathway for advancing sustainable development, particularly among younger generations. However, limited empirical research has examined the psychological and environmental factors underlying green entrepreneurial intention (GEI) in the Saudi Arabian context. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationships between entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), environmental awareness (EA), green consumption commitment (GCC), green mindfulness (GM), and GEI among Saudi university students. The study further contextualizes green entrepreneurial intention within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its emphasis on sustainability, economic diversification, and youth entrepreneurship. Methods A quantitative research design was adopted using an online questionnaire administered to 226 university students in Saudi Arabia. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) was employed to assess construct reliability and validity and to test the hypothesized structural relationships among ESE, EA, GCC, GM, and GEI. Results The findings indicate that entrepreneurial self-efficacy, environmental awareness, green consumption commitment, and green mindfulness are significantly and positively associated with green entrepreneurial intention. These results suggest that both individual psychological characteristics and environmentally oriented attitudes and commitments are relevant to understanding students’ intentions to engage in green entrepreneurship. Discussion The study contributes to the green entrepreneurship literature by situating GEI within Saudi Arabia’s distinctive sociocultural and institutional context and by linking individual-level psychological and environmental factors with the sustainability-oriented objectives of Vision 2030. The findings provide practical implications for government institutions, universities, environmental agencies, social organizations, and higher education authorities seeking to foster green entrepreneurial mindsets and sustainable entrepreneurship among young people. Policies and educational initiatives that strengthen entrepreneurial self-efficacy, environmental awareness, green consumption commitment, and mindfulness may help create a more supportive environment for the development of future green entrepreneurs.