Environmental Strategy and Green Innovative Behaviors in Tourism and Hospitality: Indirect Associations Through Green Organizational Learning Capability and Environmental Awareness

ABSTRACT This study examines the associations between environmental strategy and green innovative behaviors among employees in the tourism and hospitality sector, including the specific indirect associations through green organizational learning capability and environmental awareness. Drawing on the Natural Resource‐Based View and Organizational Learning Theory, the study distinguishes an organizational capability‐related pathway from an individual cognitive pathway within the environmental strategy–green innovative behavior relationship. Cross‐sectional survey data were collected from 519 full‐time employees working in five‐star hotels in Saudi Arabia and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). The results indicate that perceived environmental strategy was positively associated with green innovative behaviors ( β = 0.481), while green organizational learning capability ( β = 0.387) and environmental awareness ( β = 0.333) were also positively associated with green innovative behaviors. Significant indirect associations were identified through green organizational learning capability ( β = 0.125) and environmental awareness ( β = 0.135), and the model explained 55.3% of the variance in green innovative behaviors ( R 2 = 0.553). The study contributes to the literature by distinguishing organizational capability‐related and individual cognitive pathways within the association between environmental strategy and sustainability‐oriented employee innovation, while offering practical insights for tourism and hospitality organizations seeking to strengthen their environmental and innovation practices.