HOSPITALITY GOES GREEN: THE ROLE OF EMPLOYEE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GREEN CSR AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

Due to the urgency of sustainable initiatives, the hospitality sector is wedged amid its unstoppable desires for growth and a rising need for genuine, effective environmental engagement. The inherent tension between expansion and sustainability has prompted scholars and practitioners alike to investigate strategic pathways through which environmental concerns can be harmonized with business objectives. This research explores the direct impact of Green cor porate social responsibility (GCSR) on environmental performance (ENVP) in the Saudi Arabian hotel industry, as well as the mediating role of employee environmental engagement (EMEE) on the relationship between GCSR and ENVP. The study responds to the increasing call for empirical evidence linking green initiatives with organizational outcomes in the hospitality context, particularly within emerging economies. Data were collected from 400 Saudi Arabian hotel employees and analyzed using descriptive statistics in Excel v.15-2013 and SPSS v.29-2022 to understand participant demographics. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM v.4.1.0.9.2024) was utilized to examine the direct and indirect relationships of the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that GCSR positively and significantly influences both ENVP and EMEE, while EMEE partially mediates the relationship between GCSR and ENVP. These results underscore the importance of integrating green CSR practices into core business strategies and fostering employee engagement to achieve superior environmental performance. Therefore, hotels can leverage internal capabilities to generate meaningful and measurable environmental outcomes. Practical implications suggest that organizations in the hospitality sector can enhance their sustainability by aligning CSR initiatives with employee-driven environmental goals and implementing tailored training and awareness programs. This approach not only strengthens pro-environmental behaviors among employees but also supports long-term ecological and economic sustainability in the industry. The study provides a theoretically grounded, empirically supported model that offers actionable insights for policy-makers, hotel managers, and stakeholders.