Translating Sustainability Orientation Into Innovation: The Role of Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Sharing in the <scp>UAE</scp> Waste Management Sector

ABSTRACT This study examined how sustainability orientation and stakeholder engagement influence innovative behavior in the UAE waste management sector and whether knowledge sharing links these factors. Sustainability orientation and stakeholder engagement were conceptualized as strategic and relational resources that promote innovation through organizational knowledge processes. Data from a structured survey of UAE waste management practitioners were analyzed using variance‐based structural equation modeling. Sustainability orientation and stakeholder engagement positively correlated with individual innovative behavior, with knowledge sharing partially mediating these relationships. Organizations with sustainability integrated into strategy and culture, diverse stakeholder engagement, and knowledge exchange support generated more employee‐driven innovations, including improved recycling, waste‐to‐energy initiatives, and digital monitoring solutions. These findings link macro‐level sustainability agendas with micro‐level innovation processes through knowledge exchange, contribute micro‐level evidence from the UAE, and highlight stakeholder engagement as a driver of individual innovation. Future studies should further explore leadership style and organizational climate in longitudinal, multi‐source research.