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The influence of environmental knowledge, awareness, and concern on corporate sustainability performance by the mediating variable of ecological behavior—A case study of airlines in Korea

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  • Jungyoon Jang
  • Jin-Woo Park
  • Sukhoon Chung

Abstract

Recent research seeks to investigate the influence of employees’ understanding of sustainability on sustainable corporate performance, utilizing independent variables such as environmental knowledge, awareness, and concern, along with dependent variables including environmental, financial and social performance. The total sample for this study is 230, collected from current employees of the airline industry in Korea. CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) and SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) were employed for statistical analysis. The findings reveal that employees’ environmental concern positively influences ecological behavior, which in turn contributes to corporate sustainability performance across environmental, financial, and social dimensions. By contrast, environmental awareness has a negative effect on ecological behavior, and environmental knowledge shows no significant impact. The results offer meaningful insights and contribute to the understanding of corporate sustainability within the airline industry.Author summary: The author’s academic and professional trajectory reflects a sustained engagement with business strategy, organizational behavior, and the global aviation industry. The author developed a strong analytical foundation for examining organizational dynamics, strategic decision-making, and sustainable management practices. This academic preparation is complemented by professional experience with international airlines, including British Airways and Alitalia, where the author contributed to passenger transport and logistics. These roles provided first-hand insight into the operational, financial, and strategic challenges faced by one of the world’s most complex industries. Building on this combined background, the author’s research interests focus on sustainability in business and organizational behavior, with particular attention to the aviation sector as a critical domain for global connectivity, economic development, and environmental responsibility. By integrating empirical analysis with professional experience, the author seeks to generate insights that advance scholarly understanding while also supporting practical approaches to sustainable growth and responsible management in complex organizational contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Jungyoon Jang & Jin-Woo Park & Sukhoon Chung, 2025. "The influence of environmental knowledge, awareness, and concern on corporate sustainability performance by the mediating variable of ecological behavior—A case study of airlines in Korea," PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(10), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pstr00:0000204
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pstr.0000204
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