Green entrepreneurial leadership as a catalyst for environmental performance in hospitality SMEs: the role of green commitment and innovation

Purpose This study investigates the role of green entrepreneurial leadership in relation to environmental performance within tourism and hospitality SMEs, with a specific focus on the mediating mechanisms of green commitment and green innovation. Grounded in stakeholder theory and the resource-based view (RBV), the research seeks to explain how leadership-driven behaviors are associated with ecological outcomes in a sector highly exposed to environmental pressures and stakeholder scrutiny. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via a structured questionnaire distributed to managerial and professional employees working in SMEs in the hospitality industry in Greater Cairo, Egypt. Using PLS-SEM, the study rigorously tested measurement and structural models to examine the hypothesized relationships and mediating effects. Findings The results indicate that green entrepreneurial leadership affects positively environmental performance, green commitment, and green innovation. Furthermore, both green commitment and green innovation were found to be positively affected environmental performance. Most importantly, the analysis revealed that green commitment and green innovation mediate the relationship between green entrepreneurial leadership and environmental performance. Social implications The findings suggest that promoting green entrepreneurial leadership in hospitality SMEs can foster environmentally responsible organizational practices by strengthening employees' green commitment and facilitating green innovation. These outcomes may contribute to improved environmental sustainability within the tourism sector and support broader sustainable development objectives. Originality/value This study advances Stakeholder Theory by showing that SMEs can proactively respond to stakeholder pressures through ecological value creation. It extends the growing literature on green entrepreneurial leadership within tourism and hospitality SMEs and demonstrates the dual mediating roles of green commitment and green innovation. Additionally, the study contributes to the RBV by conceptualizing leadership, commitment, and innovation as strategic internal capabilities associated with stronger environmental performance and the effective response to external stakeholder expectations.