SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE: A MODERATED MEDIATION EFFECT OF PROACTIVE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES AND INSTITUTIONAL PRESSURE

Environmental performance is increasingly central to business strategies, attracting attention from researchers, organizations, policymakers, and society. This study examines how sustainable leadership affects environmental performance through proactive sustainability strategies, moderated by institutional pressures. Data from 254 transport and logistics firms in Ghana over two time periods reveal that sustainable leadership significantly enhances environmental performance. Proactive sustainability strategies mediate this relationship, with a conditional indirect effect influenced by varying levels of institutional pressure. Interestingly, this effect is stronger under lower institutional pressures, highlighting the nuanced role of contextual factors. Grounded in upper echelon and institutional theories, the findings emphasize the interplay between leadership, strategy, and institutional context in achieving environmental outcomes. The study offers actionable insights for organizations seeking to optimize sustainable practices within varying institutional frameworks, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable leadership and environmental performance