Sustainability Pressures Unveiled: Navigating the Role of Organizational Sustainable Culture in Promoting Sustainability Performance

In today’s dynamic world, environmental issues are increasing alarmingly. Consequently, improving sustainability performance has become a critical priority. This study fills a significant research gap by examining the relationships between external environmental factors, organizational sustainable culture, and sustainable performance. Importantly, this study investigates the mediating role of organizational culture between external environmental factors (customer pressure, regulatory pressure, government support, environmental uncertainty) and green performance. Questionnaire data from 214 personnel from manufacturing organizations in China were collected, and Smart PLS 4.0 was used for analysis. The results reveal that all external environmental factors significantly influence organizational culture. In addition, the organizational culture significantly mediates the relationships between external environmental factors and green performance. This study contributes to understanding how external factors shape organizational culture, subsequently influencing sustainable performance. This study offers a new perspective on the indirect role corporate culture plays in environmental outcomes. Policymakers and managers should foster a sustainable work culture to address external demands for green performance.