Embedding Sustainability in Organisations Through Climate, Culture, and Leadership

Successfully integrating sustainability principles into organisational policies and practices requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. Acknowledging the growing importance of sustainability, researchers such as Grafton [1] and Mishra et al. [2] emphasise the complexity of integrating sustainability into organisational performance and the critical need for well-defined and effective sustainability strategies.

To understand this complex integration, defining the organisational entity itself is critical. An organisation can be conceptualised as a coordinated collective entity that includes both formal and informal dimensions. Within this framework, interactions occur between individual and collective actors, characterised by some degree of coordination and mutual expectations. These actors, assuming diverse roles, endeavour to achieve internal and external objectives, which may not always be perfectly aligned and congruent, while influencing and being influenced by the environment. This dynamic interplay results in the unique and evolving characteristics of the organisation.

Successfully integrating sustainability principles has become paramount for the long-term viability and success of any organisation, irrespective of its sector or purpose. However, achieving this integration poses significant challenges in the context of an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment. This inherent complexity requires a comprehensive approach that addresses three critical elements, organisational climate (perception of the environment in the organisation), organisational culture (the shared way of being, thinking, and acting in a coordinated people with reciprocal expectations), and leadership (effective management of organisations), which is pivotal to guiding and directing organisational activities towards sustainability goals [3].

The topic “Embedding sustainability in organisations through climate, culture, and leadership” arose from recognition of the increasing relevance of sustainability in organisational practice. A call for papers was issued to journals including Administrative Sciences, Education Sciences, Societies, and Sustainability. We express our sincere gratitude to the authors, reviewers, and the dedicated editorial team involved in this topic for their valuable contributions and collaborative spirit. This collective effort was crucial to the successful completion of this project. Of the eighty-five manuscripts submitted, seven were selected for publication (six research articles and one review) following a rigorous double-blind peer review process. The authors of the published papers were affiliated with institutions in various countries, including Hungary, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, India, China, and Japan.

The following section provides a chronological overview of the seven articles published, sorted by their publication date.

In Contribution 1, Gelencsér et al. (2023) explore the factors affecting employee well-being and retention. The authors found a strong correlation between organisational commitment and turnover intentions. While financial benefits had minimal influence, opportunities for career progression, effective communication, a positive work environment, and strong colleague relationships significantly impacted employees’ commitment and their intention to remain in the organisation.

In Contribution 2, Lasthuizen and Badar (2023) analyse gender and age differences in employees’ ethical reasoning across 12 countries. Their findings consistently indicated that women and older employees demonstrated stronger ethical reasoning compared to their male and younger counterparts. These differences were observed across all surveyed countries and included both employees and managers. The results of this study stress the significant impact of individual traits, particularly gender and age, on ethical decision-making within organisations.

In Contribution 3, Jaafari et al. (2023) develop and validate the Organisational Health Behaviour Index (OHBI), a novel, multi-dimensional tool that measures eight key determinants of organisational health: awareness, esteem, relationships, engagement, internal communication, employee persona, organisational culture, and employee voice. By identifying and addressing factors critical to a healthy work environment, the OHBI enables organisations to increase productivity, engagement, and retention, ultimately contributing to long-term success and improved employee well-being.

In Contribution 4, Shaya et al. (2024) investigate the detrimental impact of unreasonable tasks on teachers’ organisational citizenship behaviour in private schools. The study indicates that experiencing unreasonable tasks increases teachers’ negative emotions, subsequently diminishing their willingness to engage in extra-role behaviours. Moreover, passive leadership significantly exacerbates this negative influence. These findings highlight the critical need for school management to prioritise strategies that mitigate this situation and, consequently, to create a more positive and productive work environment, leading to improved employee well-being and reduced turnover rates.

In Contribution 5, Bai et al. (2024) examine the interplay between internal factors (R&D (Research and Development) and personnel characteristics such as gender and education) and external factors (government investment) on companies’ innovation capabilities in China. The study authors identified two key configurations associated with high innovation: (1) a combination of female and highly educated R&D personnel and (2) highly educated R&D personnel coupled with substantial government investment. Notably, the effect of government investment varies with the companies’ existing level of innovation, diminishing for highly innovative companies while remaining crucial for less innovative firms. These findings emphasise the need for a nuanced approach to fostering innovation, suggesting that firms should prioritise diversifying their R&D talent pool and that government support should be tailored to the specific needs and capabilities of individual companies.

In Contribution 6, AlKetbi and Rice (2024) explore the relationship between green human resource management (G-HRM) practices and various sustainability outcomes, focusing on their impact on employee and customer attitudes, employee behaviour, and organisational environmental performance. A comprehensive literature review revealed a positive relationship between G-HRM practices and employee green attitudes, satisfaction (both employee and customer), green behaviour, and overall organisational environmental performance. While the study results highlight the importance of G-HRM in fostering a sustainable organisational culture, the authors also identify a gap in the current literature regarding the impact of G-HRM on employee and customer satisfaction. Future research should delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying these positive relationships and explore factors that may influence them.

Lastly, in Contribution 7, Sakai and Kimura (2024) analyse the development of trust and the management of uncertainties within a newly established Japanese AI (Artificial Intelligence) consortium. The authors demonstrate that trustworthy leadership, open communication, and collaborative problem-solving are essential for overcoming role conflicts, fostering a collaborative attitude, and building successful inter-organisational relationships amidst emerging technological challenges. Additionally, the findings showed that the uncertainty caused by AI’s technological specificity led to insecurity, creating role ambiguity and conflicts, which leaders and members overcame to form interdependent relationships among individuals.

Establishing and maintaining trust within organisations is central to promoting sustainability [4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. Considering, for example, the findings of Ferraz et al. [12], cultivating a positive organisational climate through meaningful work experiences that foster mutual trust within the psychological contract is paramount. This trust-based environment creates a motivational climate in the perception of organisational environment and culture, characterised by a strong sense of belonging and shared purpose, ultimately enhancing employee performance and contributing to long-term organisational sustainability. This synergistic relationship enhances employee performance and contributes to organisational sustainability through a dynamic process of continuous (re)construction. Effective leadership plays a key role in this process, as Toseef et al. [9] advocate: “A foremost association of trust and collaboration was found within an organisation. Since breaching trust breeds distrust, keeping up the trust requires cautious consideration from management” (p. 4). By cultivating trust, demonstrating trustworthiness, and carefully considering the unique features of the organisational environment, leaders can significantly enhance employee engagement, improve overall performance, and ultimately contribute to long-term organisational sustainability. In conclusion, organisational commitment to sustainability through the interplay of climate, culture, and leadership represents a critical area for further research and development.