Encouraging employee-resident pro-environmental behavior: Exploring the impact of a state’s green image and message

As living and working in tourism destinations, residents are important stakeholders in the process of sustainable tourism development. Thus, identifying the factors leading to employee-residents’ pro-environmental behavior is an important step in encouraging such behavior and promoting sustainable development. Drawing on signaling theory and taking the US State of Hawaii as an example, this study proposes that a destination’s green image and the effectiveness of its green message at a state level can translate into employees-residents’ pro-environmental behavior (N=187) both at and outside of work. The PLS-SEM results show that a state’s green image, enhanced by green message effectiveness, positively affects employee-residents’ pro-environmental behavior at work and in everyday life. The findings emphasize the role of both a state’s green messaging and organizations’ green practices in encouraging pro-environmental behavior.