Investigating the impact of green leadership on brand reputation in the hotel sector: The mediating effects of stakeholder engagement and sustainable practices

In the context of increasing global concern for environmental responsibility, the hospitality industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable leadership practices. Green leadership has emerged as a critical factor in shaping how organizations are perceived, particularly in service-intensive sectors like hotels where brand reputation is closely linked to stakeholder perception. This study aims to examine the impact of green leadership on brand reputation in the hotel sector, with a focus on the mediating roles of stakeholder engagement and sustainable practices. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire distributed to employees in five-star hotels across Egypt. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed using stratified random sampling, and 390 valid responses were collected. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0 to assess both direct and mediating effects. The findings indicate that green leadership has a significant direct and indirect impact on brand reputation. Sustainable practices demonstrated a stronger mediating effect than stakeholder engagement. These results highlight the importance of operational sustainability and inclusive stakeholder strategies in reinforcing brand equity.The implications of the study are twofold: first, it provides empirical support for integrating green leadership in strategic brand management within hospitality; second, it offers a novel empirical model that advances the understanding of mediating mechanisms between leadership behavior and brand outcomes in emerging market contexts.