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The increased interest of the industrial sector in sustainable concepts and leadership has lagged behind conceptual advancement. Leaders are increasingly being pushed to encourage sustainable performance. In order to examine the relationship between responsible leadership and sustainable performance, this research creates a model based on the logic of RL performance, with the concurrent mediation of epistemic motivation and moderating role of sustainable climate.

The current research analyzed a sample of 520 respondents from employees recruited from public sector organizations in Pakistan who were full-time employees in Punjab province in three waves with an interval of two weeks in each wave. To collect data, the scales are adapted from past studies that were relevant to this study. The data received from the survey questionnaire are analyzed using SEM.

The study's findings demonstrate a significant as well as positive association between RL and SP with β = 0.298 and p < 0.001. Further, a significant mediating impact of epistemic motivation on the relationship between RL and sustainable performance with β = 0.238 and p < 0.001 is also evident. Epistemic motivation is an important mediator because transparency in knowledge held massive importance to get sustainable outcomes and is predominant factor to exert his/her efforts.

The research shows some theoretical and practical implications. To achieve the aims of sustainable development, organizations should first encourage responsible leadership behaviors. By establishing a shared vision and goals, top management can encourage responsible leadership techniques within their jurisdiction. In order to encourage responsible leadership behaviors, organizations should seek to create capacity at both organizational and social levels. It will change employee attitudes and provide the knowledge needed to achieve sustainable development objectives.

This is one of the initial studies to examine the relationship between responsible leadership and sustainable performance. Further, the concept of social exchange theory is used to understand sustainable performance from a comprehensive standpoint.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are engines of economic growth. Research indicates that the adoption of green procurement practices (GPPs) significantly influences the sustainable growth of SMEs. However, there is a lack of understanding of factors that link the adoption of GPPs with enhanced competitiveness. The purpose of this study is two-fold: first, to identify factors that affect the competitiveness of SMEs caused by adopting GPPs, and second, to test those factors whether they serve as necessary conditions in achieving that competitiveness.

A quantitative approach was used to survey 188 manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan. Cross-sectional data was collected through online questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA).

Results indicate a less pronounced direct association between the adoption of GPPs and firm competitiveness. However, this association becomes strongly positive with the mediating roles of SSB and GI. On the other hand, NCA results reveal that the adoption of GPPs, SSB and GI acts as necessary conditions for achieving firm competitiveness.

This research highlights the fact that simply adopting GPPs is not sufficient to guarantee true competitiveness; a multifaceted approach is required. Moreover, it offers practical insights into effective planning of green investments leading to sustainable development.

Various practical measures can be adopted to manage the social outcomes of investment in the adoption of GPPs by SMEs.

This study relates and contributes to the natural resource-based view (NRBV) theory, the stakeholder theory and the necessity theory by developing a novel analytical framework.