The Knowledge Pipeline: How Supply Chain Information Integration Fuels Green Absorptive Capacity, Employee Creativity, and Innovation Performance

Background: With increasing environmental concerns, achieving sustainability in supply chains (SCs) requires strong cooperation among partners. This raises the question of how supply chain information integration (SCII) fosters green supply chain innovation performance (GSCIP). Thus, this study examines the role of SCII in driving GSCIP through the sequential mediation of green absorptive capacity (GACAP) and employees’ green creativity (EGC). Building on the knowledge and resource-based views, this study highlights the importance of SCII, GACAP, and EGC as strategic priorities in sustainable innovation. Methods: Data were obtained from 162 SC managers in the Saudi manufacturing industry, and the proposed framework was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), complemented by importance–performance map analysis (IPMA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). Results: SCII has a significant impact on GACAP, which in turn increases EGC, thereby enhancing GSCIP. The hypothesised sequential impact is validated, illustrating the crucial roles of GACAP and EGC in enabling firms to transform SCII into green innovation outcomes. IPMA identifies SCII as a high-impact driver of GSCIP, and NCA confirms that SCII is a necessary prerequisite for achieving GSCIP. This study contributes to the literature on green supply chains by demonstrating the practical and vital role of SCII in achieving sustainable competitive advantages and performance.