The moderating role of organizational attachment in enhancing low carbon consumption behaviors in the workplace

• Organizational attachment moderates the relationship between attitude and intention. • When organizational attachment is high, attitude strongly affects intention. • The study shows a significant effect of climate change concerns on intention. • A positive effect of organizational attachment on intention was revealed. • PLS-SEM was used to effectively analyze the data of staff and faculty. The growing importance of environmental sustainability for organizations has increased the need to examine the psychological factors that influence consumption behaviors. However, there has been limited research conducted on the factors that drive low-carbon consumption behaviors in workplace settings in developing countries. A conceptual research model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling. Data were collected from 291 valid survey responses from university staff and faculty in Iran. The results showed that low-carbon consumption behaviors were at a relatively positive level. Intention was most strongly associated with low-carbon consumption behaviors; furthermore, the study indicates that organizational attachment significantly moderates the association between low-carbon consumption attitudes and intentions. The findings of this study demonstrated that the elements participating in the conceptual model explained 80 % and 53 % of the variance in low-carbon consumption intentions and behaviors, respectively. These findings provide theoretical insights by expanding the conceptual framework to incorporate organizational dynamics and emphasize the significance of organizational attachment as a catalyst for sustainable workplace actions. From a practical standpoint, managers and policymakers can create more impactful interventions by boosting employees' sense of belonging, integrating sustainability objectives into the organizational culture, and addressing climate concerns to promote long-term low-carbon behaviors in academic and other professional settings.