Determinants of green behaviour in the finance sector: moderating role of environmentally-specific servant leadership

Purpose This study examines the moderating role of Environmentally-Specific Servant Leadership (ESSL) on factors influencing green behaviour among internal stakeholders in the finance sector. The factors considered are attitude, concern, and knowledge about the environment, and perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design/methodology/approach Two independent studies, involving students (n = 256) and employees (n = 233) in the financial sector, were conducted. Structural Equation Modelling was employed to test the hypothesised relationships, and a multi-group analysis was performed to compare results across the two samples. Findings The antecedents had a significant positive impact on green behaviour in both groups. ESSL was found to positively moderate the relationship between some of the antecedents and green behaviour, specifically, environmental attitude for students and perceived CSR for employees, amplifying their effect on green behaviour. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to two specific stakeholder groups within the finance sector, which may limit the generalisability of the findings to other sectors or stakeholder categories. Future research could extend this model to other industries and stakeholder groups to test the robustness of the moderating role of ESSL. Practical implications The findings have implications for policy formulation, curriculum development, and human resource strategies aimed at strengthening pro-environmental conduct among employees and future finance professionals. Originality/value The study extends the concept of respect in the finance sector beyond ethical conduct and fiduciary responsibility to environmental stewardship. By comparing the moderating effect of ESSL across two distinct internal stakeholder groups, it offers insight into how leadership shapes pro-environmental behaviour.