The mediating effect of green self-efficacy in the impact of green inclusive leadership on green organizational citizenship behavior

Purpose This study investigates how green inclusive leadership (GIL) influences hotel employees’ green organizational citizenship behavior (GOCB) through the mediating role of green self-efficacy (GSE) and the moderating effects of demographic variables. Drawing upon social exchange theory (SET) and social cognitive theory (SCT), the study conceptualizes GIL as a leadership style that integrates environmental goals with inclusive, participative practices to empower employees in sustainability efforts. Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 324 frontline hotel employees in Northern Cyprus. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings The findings reveal that while the direct relationship between GIL and GOCB is non-significant, GSE fully mediates the relationship between GIL and GOCB. Furthermore, moderation analysis indicates that age moderates this relationship, with younger employees showing a stronger positive response to GIL regarding GOCB, while gender and education showed no significant moderating effects. Practical/theoretical implication The study offers valuable recommendations for hotel managers aiming to cultivate a sustainability-oriented organizational culture. Managers are encouraged to adopt inclusive environmental leadership practices and develop initiatives that strengthen employees’ green confidence to promote voluntary, extra-role pro-environmental actions. The study contributes to the literature by establishing GSE as a way green inclusive leaders influence discretionary environmental behavior. It extends research on green leadership to an underexplored, tourism-dependent region. Originality This study advances the understanding of green leadership by introducing GSE as a psychological mechanism through which GIL influences voluntary pro-environmental behavior. Second, it integrates social cognitive theory (SCT) and social exchange theory (SET) to enhance conceptual clarity about how leadership style impacts sustainability-oriented discretionary behavior. Furthermore, it expands the knowledge base by applying these constructs within an underexplored, tourism-dependent context, offering valuable localized contributions often absent in mainstream sustainability literature. The study provides hotel managers with empirically grounded strategies to promote voluntary green behaviors through inclusive leadership and psychological empowerment.