Advancing the resolution of environmental issues affecting humanity constitutes one of the most pressing challenges for contemporary society. Environmentally conscious companies and consumers are implementing practices aimed at reducing the consumption of resources and energy, improving the efficiency of their use, promoting recycling and reuse (), and minimizing waste, emissions, and discharges. As such, both businesses and consumers can play a pivotal role in mitigating the environmental degradation of our planet.
In this context, the development of pro-environmental behaviors becomes particularly significant. Generally, pro-environmental behaviors can be defined as “actions that contribute to the conservation of the environment, as well as human activities aimed at protecting natural resources or reducing environmental degradation” (). These behaviors may be voluntary or mandatory and can occur within both organizational and personal spheres ().
In the organizational realm, previous literature (e.g., ; ; ; ) has emphasized the role of employees’ pro-environmental behaviors, underscoring that without employee cooperation and willingness, the impact of organizational practices remains limited. These behaviors are not only restricted to actions directly controlled by employees but also encompass a range of activities derived from formal organizational practices as well as informal initiatives undertaken by both employees and managers ().
On the other hand, factors such as rapid population growth coupled with global economic expansion in recent decades, economic globalization, and the promotion of consumption patterns that involve environmentally harmful practices have given rise to a consumption model that significantly contributes to environmental degradation ().
Understanding consumer motivations toward pro-environmental behaviors is essential for the development of practices and policies that encourage actions capable of reducing the environmental impact of consumption.
This special issue comprises a total of seven articles from diverse origins and authorship, including contributions from Colombia, Ukraine, India, Costa Rica, and Spain. Despite the heterogeneity of their origins and topics, all articles converge in emphasizing the relevance of pro-environmental behaviors in mitigating the environmental impact of both corporate and consumer activities.
The article by Willian Sierra Barón and Alba L. Meneses Báez, “Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behavior at Work in Organizations in Southern Colombia”, examines the factors influencing pro-environmental behaviors at the workplace in the Latin American context. Specifically, the authors propose and validate the influence of internal factors (social and personal norms, need for information, environmental awareness, environmental values, and attitudes toward the environment) and external factors (leader support and role modeling) on such behaviors.
Also focusing on employees, Natalia Ivanova’s article, “Peculiarities of Implementing Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Ukrainian Companies During the War”, investigates employee pro-environmental behavior in the context of armed conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing that workers are perceived not only as executors but also as co-creators of environmental strategies.
From the consumer perspective, the article “Consumer Identities and Clothing Style Confidence: Obstacles to Frugal Fashion and Sustainable Clothing Consumption”, authored by Domingo Gil-Giménez, Gladys Rollo-González, and Ernesto Suárez, addresses a highly topical issue: sustainability in the fashion industry. In addition to proposing and validating a measurement tool for clothing consumption, the study's results indicate that a consumerist or wasteful identity and confidence in personal style influence clothing consumption, highlighting that strong style confidence may hinder sustainable fashion practices.
Also exploring consumer pro-environmental behaviors, the study by Guadalupe Vila Vázquez, Belén Bande, and Mohammad Faraz Naim, entitled “Generation Z and Green Hospitality: Insights into Eco-Conscious Decision-Making”, identifies variables that influence the willingness to pay a premium for eco-friendly hotel accommodations among Generation Z individuals. The findings underscore the significance of the awareness of consequences → adscription of responsibility → personal-norms sequence in shaping willingness to pay, while also highlighting the mediating role of attitudes toward green hotels in the relationship between environmental awareness and personal norms.
In a similar vein, the article “Green Purchase Intention: Understanding the Role of Environmental Beliefs, Health Consciousness and Perceived Behavioural Control” by Suman Datta Sriramaneni, Venkata Varaha Devi Prasad Kotni, Garikiparthi Naga Phani Veerabhadra Babu, and Chudamani Sriramneni, explores the impact of knowledge about eco-friendly products and packaging on environmental beliefs, health consciousness, perceived behavioral control, and purchase intentions among consumers in India. Their findings highlight the crucial role of psychological and informational factors in fostering environmentally responsible consumption behavior.
Two additional articles conclude this special issue. The study by Beatriz Rosas-Rodríguez and Enrique Kato-Vidal, “Environmental disclosure: Mitigation and adaptation using ESG statistics from Latin American public companies”, analyzes changes in CO2 emissions intensity and water consumption, as well as the impact of corporate actions related to environmental mitigation and adaptation. Focusing on several Latin American countries between 2017 and 2023, the study finds that mitigation efforts were effective in reducing firms’ CO2 intensity.
Lastly, Jorge A. Valenciano-Salazar, Francisco J. André, and Mario Soliño, in their study “Pro-Environmental Behavior in Costa Rica: A Case Study on Price Premiums for Coffee Certification”, examine Costa Rican consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for environmentally certified coffee. Employing a discrete choice model, the study demonstrates that consumers are willing to pay significantly higher prices for products bearing any of the three environmental certifications considered.
We trust that the contributions included in this special issue will provide valuable insights for the advancement of pro-environmental behaviors, thereby helping to alleviate human pressures on the environment.
