Green knowledge sharing as the backbone of sustainable performance: evidence from the Spanish wine industry

Purpose This research aims to analyze the impact of the green knowledge sharing (GKS) on the sustainable performance (SP) of Spanish wineries, as well as the antecedent role of the top management environmental awareness (TMEA) and environmental proactivity (EP) on the said variables. In addition, the variables age, size and membership in a protected designation of origin are included to increase the accuracy of the cause–effect relationships examined. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the research objective pursued, this study proposes a conceptual model based on previous studies, which is tested using structural equations with data collected from 196 Spanish wineries between September 2022 and January 2023. Findings The research results reveal the existence of a positive and significant relationship between the development of GKS and SP in Spanish wineries, as well as the partial mediation of GKS in the TMEA–SP and EP–SP linkages. Originality/value The originality of this study derives from its pioneering nature, as the research enters unexplored terrain by investigating the role of TMAE and EP as antecedent variables of GKS and SP, there being no previous research, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, that has ventured in this direction.