Building a resilient economy: green initiatives and green entrepreneurship for women’s empowerment

Purpose Women empowerment (WEN) and green entrepreneurship (GEP) are two essential concepts for societal development. This paper aims to examine the effect of green entrepreneurial skills (GESS), green opportunities (GOS) and green incentives (GIS) on WEN and GEP in a developing economy. Design/methodology/approach The study was based on quantitative cross-sectional data collected from women green entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. It used 314 valid cases to obtain results. Findings Using the structural equation model, the results demonstrate that GESS has a positive effect on WEN but a negative effect on GEP. GOS has a positive effect on both WEN and GEP. GIS’s impact on WEN is negative and positive on GEP. Moreover, GEP has a positive effect on WEN. Finally, GEP does not support the development of an association between GESS, GOSS and WEN, but it contributes to creating a positive connection between GIS and WEN. Practical implications The study’s outcomes assist policymakers and planners in designing strategies for equipping women with GEP skills to bring their empowerment. Moreover, policymakers grasp the need for interventions that address women-specific barriers, promote equitable access to GOS and identify how incentive structures support rather than hinder women’s participation in the green economy. Originality/value The study offers an integrated framework that integrates GESS, GOS, GIS, GEP and WEN in a single framework, along with direct and indirect paths in the Saudi Arabian women entrepreneurs’ context.