Climate change risk perception and pro-environmental behavior: the moderating role of environmental values and psychological contract breach
ISSN: 1747-1117
Article publication date: 15 August 2023
Issue publication date: 22 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Debates regarding climate change risk perception (CCRP), particularly its scale and impact on social and environmental sustainability, have continued for decades. CCRP is experiencing a renaissance with an increased focus on environmentally relevant behaviors to mitigate the effects of climate change. However, CCRP lacks investigation from the employee perspective. Supported by the social exchange and value–belief–norm theories, this study aims to address the impact of employees’ CCRP on their proenvironmental behavior (PEB) via the moderating roles of environmental values and psychological contract breach.
Design/methodology/approach
The nonprobability convenience sampling technique was used to collect survey data from a sample of 299 employees across 138 manufacturing firms in Pakistan.
Findings
The results show that employees’ CCRP positively impacts their PEB and that this relationship is moderated by their environmental values and psychological contract breach. Specifically, environmental values strengthen the CCRP–PEB relationship, while psychological contract breach weakens it.
Practical implications
The findings of the study emphasize useful guidance for managers and practitioners as a future avenue to restructure the climate change framework by emphasizing the conditions (i.e. environmental values and psychological contract breach). In doing so, the study is beneficial for managers and practitioners in helping to increase employees’ PEB through the development of climate change action plans.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first investigations into CCRP–employees’ PEB nexus in the developing country context. The study incorporates social exchange and value–belief–norm theory, which serve as the CCRP’s theoretical underpinnings. The findings advance the new knowledge about a firm’s social responsibility to achieve the sustainable development goals outlined in the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Since acceptance of this article, the following author has updated their affiliation: Robert Sroufe is at the School of Sustainability and the Environment, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Since acceptance of this article, the following author has updated their affiliations: Arshian Sharif is at the Sunway University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia; Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon and University of Economics and Human Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Citation
Latif, B., Gaskin, J., Gunarathne, N., Sroufe, R., Sharif, A. and Hanan, A. (2024), "Climate change risk perception and pro-environmental behavior: the moderating role of environmental values and psychological contract breach", Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 538-567. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-02-2023-0084
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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