A Multilevel Framework of Employee Environmental Initiatives: The Role of Departmental Climate, Departmental Management's Green Leadership, and Corporate Environmental Responsibility

ABSTRACT

This study develops a multilevel framework to examine how employees' discretionary environmental initiatives are shaped by organizational and departmental contexts. Using survey data from 150 employees across 25 organizations, we integrate organizational climate and leadership theories to investigate the effects of Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER), departmental environmental initiative climate, and green leadership on pro‐environmental behaviour. Multilevel analyses reveal that environmental initiatives vary systematically across individuals, departments, and organizations. CER, departmental climate, and green leadership each have significant positive effects on initiative‐taking. However, we identify a substitution effect whereby the influence of departmental climate diminishes under strong CER. Additionally, work experience emerges as a key individual‐level predictor. These findings underscore the value of a multilevel approach and advance understanding of how corporate strategy, localized climate, and leadership interact to shape individual sustainability efforts. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.