Leading responsibly, performing sustainably: examining strategic pathways to corporate environmental performance

Purpose Amid growing global demands for environmental sustainability, understanding how responsible leadership enhances corporate environmental performance has become increasingly important. However, prior research has rarely integrated environmental strategy (ES), green work climate and green innovativeness into a single framework. The purpose of this research is to address this gap by developing and empirically testing an integrated model that examines the mediating roles of ES, green work climate and green innovativeness in the relationship between responsible leadership and corporate environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from stakeholder theory, the resource-based view and institutional theory, the study uses a quantitative research design with a large sample of 1,514 professionals across diverse organizations and industries in the United States. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The findings show that responsible leadership significantly strengthens ES and the green work climate, thereby promoting green innovativeness. These factors collectively contribute to improved corporate environmental performance. The results highlight that the influence of responsible leadership primarily operates through indirect pathways, with strong mediating effects from strategic, cultural and innovative mechanisms. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, which may restrict causal inference and introduce perceptual bias. In addition, the sample is confined to the United States, limiting generalizability across national contexts. Future research should employ longitudinal and cross-cultural designs and incorporate objective environmental performance indicators to enhance robustness. Practical implications The findings suggest that organizations should embed responsible leadership into executive development and sustainability initiatives. Firms are encouraged to align environmental strategies with organizational values, foster a supportive green work climate and invest in innovation systems that enable employees to contribute to environmental solutions. These practices can strengthen sustainability outcomes and competitive advantage. Social implications By demonstrating how leadership influences environmentally responsible practices, this study highlights organizations’ role in advancing broader societal sustainability goals. Strengthening responsible leadership can reduce environmental harm and improve collective well-being. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by offering an integrated, empirically validated framework that connects responsible leadership with corporate environmental performance through strategic, cultural and innovation-based pathways. It advances responsible leadership research by demonstrating how leadership responsibility translates into measurable sustainability outcomes, providing value to both scholars and practitioners.