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Article

A Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from a Chinese Energy Company

by
Xiaotian Liu
1,
Ziying Li
2,*,
Mei Xie
1 and
Marino Bonaiuto
1,3
1
Department of Psychology of Development and Socialization Processes, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
2
International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8572, Japan
3
Inter-University Research Centre in Environmental Psychology (CIRPA), Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8422; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168422
Submission received: 9 July 2026 / Revised: 7 August 2026 / Accepted: 12 August 2026 / Published: 17 August 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Management)
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Abstract

The increasing emphasis on sustainability in the energy sector has highlighted the importance of understanding the factors that promote employees’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Although green training (GT) is widely regarded as an effective organizational practice for encouraging PEB, the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on Social Learning Theory, this study proposes a dual-pathway framework through which GT is associated with employees’ PEB via perceived corporate environmental responsibility (CER) and environmental self-identity (ESI). Using purposively sampled, cross-sectional survey data from 1028 employees of a large Chinese energy company, the proposed framework was tested through structural equation modeling and bootstrap mediation analysis. The results indicate that perceived CER alone does not independently mediate the relationship between GT and PEB. However, perceived CER plays an important role by serving as a bridge through which employees internalize organizational environmental values into their ESI. Furthermore, ESI emerged as an independent and robust mediator, highlighting the central role of the identity-based pathway. This study contributes context-specific evidence from a large Chinese energy company, providing a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms linking GT and PEB and offering practical implications for organizations seeking to foster sustainability-oriented behaviors among employees.

1. Introduction

Environmental challenges, such as climate change, global warming, pollution, ozone depletion, and growing concerns over energy security, have placed unprecedented pressure on the energy sector [1,2]. As an important bottom-up approach to addressing environmental challenges, employees’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB) has attracted considerable attention in organizational and management research [3]. In recent years, organizations have increasingly sought to promote employees’ PEB through Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices [4,5]. Among various GHRM practices, green training (GT) is regarded as a key method for fostering PEB among employees. Nevertheless, the influence of GT on employees’ PEB remains insufficiently understood. Although previous studies have demonstrated that GT can enhance employees’ environmental performance across a variety of industries [6,7,8,9,10], they have primarily focused on behavioral outcomes while paying limited attention to the underlying psychological mechanisms. From the perspective of employees, an important research gap remains in understanding the psychological mechanisms through which GT links PEB. Merely knowing a positive relationship between GT and PEB is insufficient, because it provides little understanding of how employees psychologically interpret and internalize such training programs to motivate their PEB. To fill this gap, we draw on Social Learning Theory to conceptualize GT as a process of social learning and propose a dual-pathway framework to explain how GT is associated with employees’ PEB. Specifically, the framework comprises a organizational pathway, which is mediated by perceived corporate environmental responsibility (CER), and an identity-based pathway, which is mediated by employees’ environmental self-identity (ESI). Using survey data collected from employees of a Chinese energy company, this study empirically evaluates this dual-pathway framework through structural equation modeling and mediation analysis.
The present study offers two primary theoretical contributions. Firstly, it introduced a new perspective by conceptualizing GT as a process of social learning. This perspective shifts attention from GT as an organizational management practice to GT as a social learning process interpreted and experienced by employees, which provides a theoretical foundation for investigating how GT is related to employees’ state and behavior. Secondly, grounded on social learning theory, this study proposes and empirically evaluates a dual-pathway framework demonstrating that GT is associated with employees’ PEB through complementary organizational and identity-based mechanisms. The findings suggest that the association between GT and PEB is not only attributed to instruction and compliance, but it is also attributed to the internalization of organizational environmental values into employees’ ESI. By integrating these complementary mechanisms within a unified theoretical framework, this study extends current understanding of how GT associates with employees’ PEB. From a practical perspective, this study extends GHRM research by offering context-specific evidence and practical insights from a large Chinese energy company, an underexplored organizational setting within an industry central to addressing contemporary environmental challenges.

2. Theoretical Framework and Hypotheses Development

2.1. Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior

PEB refers to employees’ actions that contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing negative environmental impacts and promoting environmentally responsible practices both within and beyond the workplace [11]. As a fundamental component of GHRM, GT plays a pivotal role in fostering employee’s PEB. GT can be defined as a process of on-the-job training and continued education intended to achieve corporate environmental management targets and purposes [4]. Such training initiatives typically provide employees with environmental knowledge, skills, and competencies while promoting awareness of environmental issues and environmentally responsible workplace practices.
Previous research has consistently reported a positive association between GT and employees’ PEB across a variety of organizational contexts [6,10,12]. Although these studies have primarily focused on establishing the effectiveness of GT, a comprehensive theory-driven framework explaining how GT is positively associated with employees’ PEB remains lacking. To address this gap, it is necessary to shift perspective from GT as an organizational practice to employees as active recipients who experience, interpret, and internalize the meanings conveyed through GT. Drawing on Social Learning Theory, the present study conceptualizes GT as a process of social learning. As Reed et al. (2010) [13] define it, social learning is “a change in understanding that goes beyond the individual to become situated within wider social units or communities of practice through social interactions between actors within social networks.” In organizational settings, GT provides employees with opportunities to develop shared understandings of environmental issues and appropriate environmental behaviors through structured learning interactions [12]. Through the lens of social learning theory, two meaningful pathways linking GT and PEB can be anticipated.
The first pathway is an organizational pathway, mediated by CER. This pathway represents an organization-oriented mechanism through which employees interpret and respond to the environmental values communicated by their organization. Within the social learning process, individuals acquire not only knowledge but also interpretations of the values and expectations underlying the shared knowledge [14]. When environmental values and appropriate environmental practices are repeatedly communicated through GT, employees may infer that their organization places importance on environmental responsibility. This interpretation may link to employees’ perception of CER. Furthermore, perceived CER functions as an injunctive norm by communicating organizational expectations regarding environmentally responsible behaviors, which could encourage employees to engage in PEB. Therefore, GT may be associated with employees’ PEB through the formation of perceived CER.
The second pathway is an identity-based pathway mediated by ESI. This pathway represents a self-oriented mechanism through which employees internalize environmental values and regard environmental responsibility as part of who they are. Social learning processes often involve role models, and individuals may internalize characteristics of role models when those characteristics are socially valued and positively reinforced [15]. Therefore, when GT introduces environmental role models, employees may begin to perceive environmental ideas as part of their own identity, thereby linking to higher ESI. Once ESI is established, individuals are motivated to behave in ways that are consistent with their self-identity, including PEB. Therefore, GT may also be associated with employees’ PEB through the development of ESI.
Taken together, this study proposes a dual-pathway framework that provides an integrated explanation of how GT is associated with employees’ PEB. Specifically, the framework suggests that GT operates through both organizational and identity-based mechanisms. Detailed theoretical arguments and hypotheses for each pathway are developed in the following sections.

2.2. The Organizational Pathway Through Perceived Corporate Environmental Responsibility

Perceived CER refers to employees’ perceptions of their organization’s commitment to environmental sustainability as reflected in its policies, practices, and organizational values [16]. Social Learning Theory proposes that individuals acquire new behaviors, attitudes, and values by observing others [14]. As an important GHRM practice, GT serves as a key channel through which organizations communicate their environmental commitments and sustainability objectives to employees [4,17,18]. By observing trainers in GT, employees are more likely to infer environmental sustainability as an important organizational value and recognize their organization as environmentally responsible [19]. In this relationship, GT functions as an antecedent that represents the learning opportunities provided by the organization, whereas perceived CER represents employees’ perceptions of the environmental values and responsibilities communicated through such a learning process. Based on previous evidence, employees who receive more extensive GT are expected to perceive higher levels of CER.
H1. 
GT is positively associated with perceived CER.
Empirical evidence indicates that employees tend to exhibit higher levels of PEB when they view their organization as environmentally responsible. For example, Wang et al. (2023) [20] found that employees who believe their organization is committed to environmental protection are more likely to perform PEB. Similarly, Lu et al. (2020) [21] reported that organizational environmental initiatives and employees’ perceptions of environmental responsibility can motivate employees to pursue sustainability-related objectives.
Social Norm Theory provides an additional theoretical perspective for understanding the association between perceived CER and employees’ PEB. According to this perspective, organizational values and practices shape employees’ perceptions of appropriate and expected behaviors within the workplace. When employees believe their organization to be actively fulfilling environmental responsibilities, they become more likely to view environmental protection as an important organizational value and a shared responsibility among organizational members [20]. Such perceptions contribute to the formation of injunctive norms, whereby employees believe that environmentally responsible behaviors are required and expected within the workplace [22]. Consequently, employees tend to adjust their behaviors in accordance with these organizational norms and adopt environmentally responsible practices. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H2. 
CER is positively associated with PEB.

2.3. The Identity-Based Pathway Through Environmental Self-Identity

By introducing role models, GT may also contribute to shaping employees’ self-identities toward a stronger environmental orientation, which is related to ESI. ESI is defined as the extent to which one sees oneself as a type of person whose actions are environmentally friendly [23]. Previous research suggests that GT can play an important role in fostering such an identity. For example, Pinzone et al. (2019) [12] found that structured learning activities and participatory sustainability programs help employees understand how their work contributes to environmental objectives, thereby facilitating the incorporation of sustainability into their self-concept. Similarly, by promoting biospheric values and linking organizational sustainability initiatives to employees’ daily behaviors, GT may strengthen employees’ perceptions of themselves as environmentally responsible individuals [24].
The positive relationship between GT and ESI can be explained through the lens of social learning theory. Hu et al. (2024) [15] suggested that individuals may internalize elements of role models during the social learning process. When individuals observe that a role model receives positive feedback for demonstrating certain behaviors or attributes, they tend to incorporate these valued characteristics into their own self-concept. Green training repeatedly communicates the positive role model of environmental behavior, which reinforces the notion that being environmentally friendly is a favorable and despaired [25]. During this process, employees become more likely to internalize them and regard environmental responsibility as an important aspect of who they are [26]. Thus, GT is expected to link with higher ESI. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H3. 
GT is positively associated with ESI.
Previous research has consistently demonstrated that ESI is a strong predictor of PEB. Individuals with a stronger ESI tend to adopt environmentally responsible behaviors, such as conserving energy, reducing waste, recycling, and purchasing sustainable products [27,28]. This positive association can also be understood from the perspective of Self-Identity Theory. According to this theory, people are motivated to act in ways that are consistent with their self-concept [29]. When people perceive environmental responsibility as an important part of who they are, they tend to adopt behaviors that reflect and strengthen this identity. van der Werff et al. (2013) [30] further argued that ESI promotes PEB through an obligation-based intrinsic motivation, whereby individuals feel a personal responsibility to act in environmentally responsible ways. Conversely, identity inconsistency may generate psychological discomfort, such as feelings of guilt, when individuals fail to behave in accordance with their environmental self-identity [31,32]. Consequently, individuals with stronger ESI tend to adopt PEB to maintain consistency between their self-concept and their actions. Accordingly, we propose the following hypothesis:
H4. 
ESI is positively associated with PEB.

2.4. Perceived Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Environmental Self-Identity

In addition to the two primary pathways described above, the present study also proposes a sequential pathway in which GT is positively associated with perceived CER, perceived CER is positively associated with ESI, and ESI is subsequently associated with employees’ PEB. Within this sequential pathway, the association between perceived CER and ESI requires further explanation.
Employees who perceive their organization as being strongly committed to environmental responsibility may experience inconsistency if their own environmental identities are comparatively weak. As individuals generally seek consistency between their personal identities and those of the organizations to which they belong, they may be motivated to reduce this inconsistency by adjusting their self-identity [33]. It turns out, employees may gradually align their self-identity with an organization’s environmental values, which present a stronger ESI [34,35]. Supporting this argument, van der Werff et al. (2021) [16] reported that individuals who perceive their organization as making greater efforts to minimize its environmental impact tend to regard themselves as environmentally responsible individuals. Therefore, employees perceiving higher CER are expected to develop stronger ESI.
Importantly, this association between CER and ESI is distinct from the direct association between GT and ESI, given they are both related to change in self-identity. The GT–ESI association reflects the internalization of environmental ideas through role-model imitation, whereas the CER–ESI pathway reflects motivation to close inconsistency between their self-identity and environmental values of their organization. Accordingly, these two paths are expected to coexist and jointly contribute to the formation of employees’ ESI. Accordingly, we propose the following hypothesis:
H5. 
CER is positively related to ESI.

3. Method

3.1. Participants and Data Collection

Data were obtained in November 2025 from employees of a subsidiary of a Fortune Global 500 energy company headquartered in Shandong, China. Although the parent company operates subsidiaries across China and is involved in several business areas, including coal, chemicals, electricity, new energy, and modern logistics, all participants in the present study were recruited from a single subsidiary located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that operates within the energy business segment. All participants had previously received green training as part of the company’s environmental management and employee development practices.
This study adhered to the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and complied with applicable institutional and national guidelines involving research with human participants. A formal ethical exemption was granted by the company responsible for questionnaire distribution and data collection. The company’s ethics and compliance office reviewed the study protocol and determined that the research posed no harm, discomfort, or disadvantage to participants and therefore did not require formal institutional ethical review. The study involved only anonymous self-report survey data concerning organizational training and workplace attitudes, without requesting any sensitive personal or health-related information.
All participants were at least 16 years of age and gave informed consent before completing the questionnaire. Before participating, they received information about the objectives of the study, the voluntary nature of participation, the anonymous handling of their responses, and their right to discontinue participation at any stage without any adverse consequences. Participation was entirely voluntary, with no incentives or pressure to take part. The data were used exclusively for research purposes, and participant confidentiality was protected throughout the study.
Questionnaires were distributed by the Human Resources Department of the subsidiary. A total of 1078 employees were invited to participate, of whom 50 declined to participate. Ultimately, 1028 valid responses were obtained. Participants had a mean age of 38.74 years (SD = 8.76). The sample included 809 men, 200 women, 4 non-binary/third-gender individuals, and 15 participants who chose not to report their gender. Their average organizational tenure was 12.63 years. Additional demographic characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1.

3.2. Measures

The six continuous constructs in this study were measured using items adapted from established scales. Because the original instruments were developed in English, they were translated into Chinese using a standard back-translation procedure to preserve linguistic accuracy and conceptual equivalence [36].
GT was assessed with a six-item scale adapted from previous studies [37,38]. One example item is, “An adequate amount of environmental training is provided to employees.” Participants responded on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).
CER was assessed with a seven-item scale developed by van der Werff et al. (2021) [16]. A sample item includes, “My organization has the goal to minimize its impact on the environment.” Participants responded on a seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).
ESI was assessed with a three-item scale adapted from van der Werff et al. (2013) [30]. A sample item includes, “I am the type of person who acts in an environmentally friendly manner.” Participants responded on a seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).
PEB was measured by a 16-item scale adapted from previous studies [39,40]. One example item is, “I perform tasks that are expected of me in environmentally friendly ways.” Participants responded using a five-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = always). Demographic characteristics, including age, gender, education, and work experience, were collected to describe the characteristics of the sample. All instruments used in this study were standardized non-clinical self-report research scales that are widely used in organizational and environmental psychology research. The complete questionnaire items are provided in Appendix A.
Although different response formats were used because the measures were adapted from previously validated instruments, each construct was modeled as an independent latent variable in structural equation modeling (SEM). Therefore, the use of different response formats is unlikely to threaten the validity of the present findings, because the structural relationships were estimated based on latent covariance structures rather than direct comparisons of raw scores.

3.3. Data Analysis

Means, standard deviations, Cronbach’s α coefficients, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated in R (version 4.4.3). Structural equation modeling was implemented using the lavaan package (version 0.7-2) [41]. Following the procedure proposed by Anderson & Gerbing (1988) [42], we first evaluated the measurement model through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine its reliability and validity. The structural model was then estimated to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. To investigate the mechanisms linking GT and PEB, mediation effects were examined using bootstrap estimation with 5000 resamples.

4. Results

4.1. Descriptive Results and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Table 2 summarizes the descriptive statistics, reliability coefficients, and correlations for the study constructs. All constructs demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α coefficients above 0.90. In addition, correlation coefficients indicated significant positive relationships among all study constructs.
The measurement model was first examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The initial model demonstrated an unsatisfactory fit to the data (χ2 = 4036.47, df = 458, CFI = 0.902, TLI = 0.893, RMSEA = 0.087, SRMR = 0.044). Inspection of the CFA modification indices suggested the presence of item redundancy, as several items displayed highly similar wording and overlapping semantic content. We refined the measurement model by removing redundant items rather than introducing correlated residuals, following recommendations that residual covariances should be theoretically justified and that psychometric scales should avoid unnecessary item redundancy [43,44]. Based on the semantic similarity and modification indices of the items, we first identified pairs of items with highly overlapping content. Within each overlapping pair, we retained the item that better represented the construct conceptually and demonstrated the stronger standardized factor loading, while removing the redundant item. one item was removed from the GT scale (gt1), one from the CER scale (cer2), and six from the PEB scale (peb4, peb5, peb7, peb8, peb10, and peb11). The revised measurement model demonstrated excellent fit without requiring any correlated residuals (χ2 = 1343.63, df = 246, CFI = 0.959, TLI = 0.953, RMSEA = 0.066, SRMR = 0.037). Table 3 shows the Reliability and Validity Statistics of revised constructs. Evidence for convergent validity was obtained, with all constructs reporting average variance extracted (AVE) values greater than the recommended cutoff of 0.50 (see Table 3). Likewise, the composite reliability (CR) coefficients for all constructs were above the recommended criterion of 0.70, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. Discriminant validity among constructs was assessed using the HTMT ratio. As reported in Table 3, all HTMT values were below the recommended threshold of 0.85, indicating adequate discriminant validity among the constructs. Furthermore, to assess the potential influence of common method bias, full collinearity variance inflation factors (VIFs) were examined. As presented in Table 3, all VIF values were below the conventional threshold of 5, suggesting that common method bias is unlikely to have substantially affected the findings [45]. Nevertheless, given the cross-sectional, self-report nature of the study, the common method bias cannot be completely ruled out.

4.2. Structural Model and Hypothesis Testing

The estimated structural model is illustrated in Figure 1. Overall, the model provided an acceptable fit to the observed data (χ2 = 1483.93, df = 247, CFI = 0.953, TLI = 0.948, RMSEA = 0.070, SRMR = 0.063). The results showed that GT was positively related to both perceived CER (β = 0.77, p < 0.001) and ESI (β = 0.30, p < 0.001), supporting H1 and H3. In addition, perceived CER exhibited a positive association with PEB (β = 0.41, p < 0.001), providing support for H2. ESI also exhibited a positive association with PEB (β = 0.41, p < 0.001), providing support for H4. Furthermore, CER showed a positive association with ESI (β = 0.30, p < 0.001), thereby supporting H5. Therefore, all proposed hypotheses were supported.

4.3. Indirect Effect Analysis

To further examine the indirect mechanisms linking GT and PEB, mediation effects were evaluated using bootstrap estimation with 5000 resamples. Following standard procedures for mediation analysis, an additional model including the direct path from GT to PEB was estimated to assess whether the proposed mediators could account for the relationship between GT and PEB. Table 4 summarizes the findings.
GT retained a significant direct association with PEB (β = 0.452, p < 0.001), suggesting that the relationship between GT and PEB was only partially mediated by the proposed mechanisms. Regarding the indirect effects, the mediation pathway through ESI was significant (β = 0.096, p < 0.001), suggesting that the association between GT and PEB was mediated by employees’ environmental self-identity (ESI). In addition, the sequential mediation pathway GT → CER → ESI → PEB was also significant (β = 0.081, p < 0.001), suggesting that the association between GT and PEB may involve a process in which employees internalize organizational environmental values into their self-identity, which is subsequently associated with higher levels of PEB.
By contrast, the indirect pathway involving perceived CER alone did not reach statistical significance (β = 0.068, p = 0.104), as the bootstrap confidence interval included zero. This finding suggests that although GT is related to employees’ perceptions of CER, such perceptions may not directly translate into PEB. Rather, their influence appears to operate primarily through the development of ESI.

5. Discussion

5.1. The Association Between Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior

The present study examined a dual-pathway framework through which GT is associated with employees’ PEB, highlighting the roles of perceived CER and ESI. The findings provide support for both the organizational and identity-based mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of GT.
From an organizational perspective, the results indicate that GT contributes to employees’ perceptions of CER. This result aligns with earlier studies suggesting that GT provides organizations with an effective means of communicating their environmental commitments to employees [46]. The results further indicate a positive relationship between perceived CER and employees’ PEB. This finding is consistent with previous studies suggesting that employees are more inclined to adopt environmentally responsible behaviors when they believe their organizations demonstrate a genuine commitment to environmental sustainability [47,48,49]. This effect may be driven by injunctive norms within organizations. Employees who recognize that their organization places strong emphasis on environmental responsibility are more likely to regard PEB as an expected workplace behavior. Such perceptions may encourage employees to align their behavior with prevailing organizational norms and expectations, thereby increasing their engagement in PEB [50].
From an individual perspective, ESI also emerged as an important mechanism linking GT to employees’ PEB. The findings indicate that ESI can be regarded as an important outcome for GT. In addition to communicating information about environmental issues, GT often emphasizes the value, importance, and moral desirability of environmentally responsible behavior [46]. Through repeated exposure to such messages, employees may gradually internalize environmental values and integrate them into their personal identity. This explanation aligns with earlier research suggesting that environmental values and sustainability-related experiences can strengthen individuals’ perceptions of themselves as environmentally responsible people [51,52]. The findings further reveal that ESI is positively associated with employees’ PEB, which is consistent with previous research [53]. This could be attributed to self-identity theory. Individuals who regard themselves as environmentally friendly are inclined to perform PEB in ways that reinforce this identity [29].

5.2. Unpacking the Dual-Pathway Framework: The Mediating Mechanisms of CER and ESI

The mediation analysis provides additional insight into the psychological pathway through which GT is associated with employees’ PEB. An important finding is that the indirect effect of GT on PEB through perceived CER alone became non-significant after controlling for the direct effect of GT. By contrast, mediation through ESI, as well as the sequential pathway (GT → CER → ESI → PEB), remained significant.
Although CER was positively associated with PEB in the structural model, its independent mediating role was not supported in the mediation analysis. The significance of an indirect effect depends on the combined magnitude of its constituent paths and is evaluated using bootstrap confidence intervals. Therefore, statistically significant structural paths do not necessarily imply a significant indirect effect. In the present model, the unique indirect effect through CER alone became relatively small after accounting for the strong direct association between GT and PEB. This pattern may reflect the fact that, when predicting employees’ PEB, both GT and CER capture overlapping organizational mechanisms, as GT also operates as a source of normative pressure on employees [54]. Compared with perceived CER, GT provides more explicit environmental guidance and behavioral expectations, which may result in a stronger association with PEB [10]. Consequently, the unique indirect effect through CER may be overshadowed by the direct association between GT and PEB. As a result, the independent mediating role of CER becomes less salient when GT is included in the model.
Even though CER alone was not supported as an independent mediator, it remained theoretically important through the sequential mediation pathway. This finding suggests that perceived CER plays a transitional role in the process of identity formation. Employees who perceive environmental responsibility as a core organizational value may gradually adjust their self-identity to become more consistent with these organizational values, particularly when they continue to identify with and remain within the organization [55,56]. Consequently, employees’ perceptions of their organization’s environmental commitment may not be sufficient to encourage pro-environmental behavior immediately. Rather, these perceptions become behaviorally meaningful after they are internalized into employees’ environmental self-identity. Therefore, the sequential pathway indicates that perceived CER functions as a bridge within the proposed dual-pathway framework, connecting organizational environmental values with employees’ environmental self-identity and finally associated with PEB.
The significant indirect effects involving ESI further highlight the importance of the identity-based pathway. This pathway operates through employees’ self-identity rather than through organizational expectations or normative pressure [23,57]. That could explain why ESI remained a significant mediator even when the direct association between GT and PEB was considered. Moreover, because identity-consistent behavior is generally regarded as an internalized and self-sustaining source of motivation [58]. The association between ESI and PEB may extend beyond situations in which organizational values are explicitly communicated [30]. From this perspective, the target of GT is not limited to communicating environmental knowledge or encouraging compliance with organizational norms; it may also facilitate the development of employees’ environmental self-identity. Taken together, the present findings suggest that whereas perceived CER reflects how employees perceive their organization, ESI reflects how employees perceive themselves, and employees’ PEB appears to be more directly associated with the latter.
The primary theoretical contribution of the present study is the conceptualization of GT as a process of social learning and the empirical examination of a dual-pathway framework linking GT with employees’ PEB. Specifically, the findings demonstrate that GT is associated with employees’ PEB through two complementary pathways: an organizational pathway and an identity-based pathway. More importantly, the findings highlight the comparatively underexplored role of ESI in GHRM literature. Existing GHRM research has primarily emphasized how such practices communicate organizational environmental values and encourage employees’ PEB. Comparatively less attention has been devoted to how these practices contribute to the development of employees’ ESI. The present study suggests that ESI represents an independent and robust psychological pathway through which GT is associated with employees’ PEB. Accordingly, the objective of GT should extend beyond simply providing environmental knowledge or encouraging compliance with organizational expectations. Greater attention should also be devoted to designing training programs that facilitate the development of employees’ ESI, thereby providing a more enduring psychological basis for PEB.

5.3. Practical Implications

Building on the theoretical insights of the present study, several practical implications can be drawn for organizations designing GT programs.
Firstly, managers may consider allocating sufficient resources to develop comprehensive GT programs. Such initiatives may encourage employees to integrate environmentally responsible behaviors into their everyday work [12].
To be specific, GT should be designed not only to communicate environmental knowledge and organizational values, but also to cultivate employees’ ESI. For example, organizations may incorporate environmental role models into training by inviting employees with outstanding environmental performance to share their experiences. Such approaches are consistent with social learning theory and may facilitate employees’ identification with environmentally responsible behaviors. In addition, green training materials should go beyond providing behavioral instructions and instead encourage employees to view environmental responsibility as an integral part of being a professional employee. For example, rather than relying solely on behavior-oriented messages such as “Turn off the lights when leaving the office,” training materials could also incorporate identity-oriented messages such as “Being environmentally responsible is part of being a professional employee.” Such framing may facilitate the internalization of organizational environmental values and strengthen employees’ ESI.

5.4. Limitations and Future Directions

This study has several methodological and design-related limitations that need to be acknowledged. Firstly, all variables were measured using self-report questionnaires, which may increase the concern of common method bias. Although several procedural measures were adopted to minimize this potential bias, future studies could further enhance the robustness of the findings by incorporating data from multiple sources, including supervisor ratings or objective measures of employees’ pro-environmental behavior.
Secondly, several latent variables in this study exhibited very high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α > 0.95), which may indicate the presence of item redundancy. Specifically, some questionnaire items contained highly similar wording and measured overlapping aspects of the same construct. The measurement scales used in this study were adapted by combining scales developed in several previous studies, and potential overlap among items was not thoroughly evaluated before questionnaire distribution. This limitation likely contributed to the unsatisfactory fit of the initial CFA model and necessitated the removal of redundant items during scale refinement. Future research should carefully examine item redundancy during the scale development and adaptation process, following established psychometric recommendations, to ensure that each item contributes unique information to the measurement of the intended construct [59].
Thirdly, limitations related to sample characteristics and organizational context should be acknowledged. The participants were purposively sampled from a single large Chinese energy company. Although the large sample size provided sufficient statistical power, it does not ensure representativeness of the broader Chinese energy sector. Organizational characteristics, including shared policies, management practices, environmental values, and training experiences, may have influenced the observed relationships. In addition, the single-organization design prevented examination of between-organization differences, and departmental identifiers were not collected, preventing formal assessment of potential clustering effects among employees within departments. Future research should recruit probability-based or stratified samples across multiple organizations, collect organizational-unit information, and apply multilevel or cluster-robust analytical approaches where appropriate to distinguish individual-level psychological mechanisms from organizational influences. Furthermore, the sample of this study was predominantly male, which may reflect the gender composition commonly observed in the energy sector. In China, particularly in coal-related industries, energy production is traditionally labor-intensive, and male employees constitute a large proportion of the workforce [60]. Nevertheless, because the proposed psychological mechanisms were estimated primarily from male employees, it remains unclear whether the strength of the relationships would be comparable in more gender-balanced organizations or among female employees. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted with caution when generalizing beyond similar organizational contexts. Future research should employ more gender-balanced samples and examine whether the proposed relationships differ across gender groups.
Finally, although the present study identified two important psychological pathways linking GT and PEB, the mechanisms examined were not exhaustive. The significant direct effect of GT on PEB observed in the mediation analysis suggests that additional explanatory mechanisms may exist. Future studies could broaden the proposed framework by examining additional factors, such as green self-efficacy, and injunctive norms, to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the mechanisms through which GT is associated with employees’ PEB.

6. Conclusions

Drawing on social learning theory, this study proposed and empirically tested a dual-pathway framework linking GT to employees’ PEB in a Chinese energy company. The findings indicate that perceived CER alone does not independently mediate the relationship between GT and PEB. However, within the sequential pathway, perceived CER plays a theoretically important role by serving as a bridge through which organizational environmental values are internalized into employees’ ESI. Furthermore, ESI emerged as an independent and robust mediator, highlighting the central role of the identity-based pathway. These findings suggest that GT is not merely a tool for communicating environmental knowledge and encouraging compliance, but also a method through which employees develop an environmental self-identity that supports PEB.
Overall, the present study advances GHRM research by conceptualizing GT from the perspective of social learning and by demonstrating that GT is associated with PEB through complementary organizational and identity-based pathways. In particular, the findings highlight the pivotal role of ESI in translating GT into PEB. However, because the study employed purposive sampling within a single enterprise, the findings should be interpreted as context-specific and require replication across multiple organizations before broader sector-level conclusions can be drawn.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization: X.L. and M.X.; Methodology: X.L., M.X. and Z.L.; Formal analysis and investigation: X.L. and Z.L.; Writing—original draft preparation: X.L. and M.X.; Writing—review and editing: Z.L., X.L., M.X. and M.B.; Funding acquisition: X.L.; Supervision: M.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the European Union—Next Generation EU DM 118/2023, CUP B53C23002140006 from Xiaotian Liu.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Cagliari (protocol code 0131028 and date of approval 6 June 2024).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The data presented in this study are not publicly available due to privacy restrictions concerning the participants from the company. However, the data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank all participants who generously dedicated their time to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used in this manuscript:
GHRMGreen Human Resource Management
GTGreen training
CERCorporate environmental responsibility
ESIEnvironmental self-identity
PEBPro-environmental behavior
SEMStructural equation modeling
CFAConfirmatory factor analysis

Appendix A. Questionnaire

Table A1. Questionnaire items.
Table A1. Questionnaire items.
ConstructQuestionnaire ItemsReference
Green trainingAn adequate amount of environmental training is provided to employees. (Daily, Bishop, and Massoud 2012, Jabbour 2015) [37,38]
Employees can have opportunities to be trained in environmental issues.
Employees receive environmental training frequently.
Employees use their environmental training effectively.
Employees have opportunities to use environmental training.
An adequate assessment of employee’s green performance after training.
Pro-environmental behaviorsIn an effort to increase my organization’s environmental performance, I make suggestions and bring new ideas about environmentally friendly practices to environmental committees. (Kaiser, Oerke and Bogner 2007, Robertson and Barling 2013) [39,40]
Compared with others at my work, I minimize and recycle waste.
I perform tasks that are expected of me in environmentally friendly ways.
I fulfill responsibilities specified in my job description in environmentally friendly ways.
I adequately complete assigned duties in environmentally friendly ways.
At work, I recycle (e.g., paper, cans, batteries, and oil).
I print double-sided whenever possible.
At work, I turn off lights when I go out of the office.
At work, I take stairs instead of elevators to save energy.
At work, I avoid wasting resources such as electricity or water.
At work, I take part in environmentally friendly programs.
I share my knowledge about the environment with coworkers.
I suggest new practices that could improve the environmental performance of my organization.
At work, I question practices that are likely to hurt the environment.
In my work, I weigh the consequences of my actions before doing something that could affect the environment.
At work, I perform environmental tasks that are not required by my organization
Environmental self-identityI am the type of person who acts environmentally friendly”.Van der Werff et al., (2013) [30]
Environmentally friendly acting is an important part of who I am.
see myself as a pro-environmental person”.
Perceived Corporate environmental responsibilityMy organization has the goal of minimizing its impact on the environment. van der Werf, E., Steg, L., & Ruepert, A. (2021) [16]
My organization has implemented policy and procedures to minimize its impact on the environment.
My organization has stated its mission to implement sustainable (pro environmental) policy
My organization has environmental goals.
My organization agrees to strategic environmental direction.
My organization has implemented environmental strategies.
My organization has been accomplishing a collective environmental mission.

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Sustainability 18 08422 g001
Figure 1. Standardized Model Results. Note: Measurement model is omitted. *** p < 0.001 (2-tailed).
Figure 1. Standardized Model Results. Note: Measurement model is omitted. *** p < 0.001 (2-tailed).
Sustainability 18 08422 g001
Table 1. Characteristics of valid responses.
Table 1. Characteristics of valid responses.
VariableCategoryn%
GenderMale80978.69
Female20019.45
Non-binary40.39
Prefer not to say151.45
Marital statusMarried18117.60
Unmarried82580.25
Divorced222.14
EducationLower than high school23022.37
High school diploma46345.03
Bachelor’s Degree28627.82
Master’s Degree434.18
Doctoral Degree60.58
Employment arrangementDirectly employed93791.14
Third-party dispatched employee918.85
AgeM = 38.74SD = 8.76
TenureM = 12.63SD = 11.95
Table 2. Descriptive Statistics and Correlations.
Table 2. Descriptive Statistics and Correlations.
VariablesM (SD)1234
1. GT4.08 (0.87)(0.97)
2. CER4.99 (0.91)0.76 ***(0.97)
3. ESI5.67 (1.17)0.50 ***0.52 ***(0.95)
4. PEB3.99 (0.72)0.69 ***0.63 ***0.63 ***(0.95)
Note. *** p < 0.001 (2-tailed). Cronbach’s α on diagonal.
Table 3. Reliability and Validity Statistics.
Table 3. Reliability and Validity Statistics.
ConstructLoading RangeCRAVEVIFHTMT Ratio
GTCERESIPEB
GT0.93~0.900.970.853.48-
CER0.93~0.830.920.752.860.79-
ESI0.95~0.880.950.861.920.520.54-
PEB0.88~0.650.930.552.940.710.660.67-
Table 4. Bootstrap Mediation Analysis Results (5000 Resamples).
Table 4. Bootstrap Mediation Analysis Results (5000 Resamples).
Pathβ (Std.)EstimateSE95% CIp
GT → CER → PEB0.0680.1060.065[−0.018, 0.239]0.104
GT → ESI → PEB0.0960.1480.034[0.085, 0.219]<0.001
GT → CER → ESI → PEB0.0810.1250.027[0.075,0.185]<0.001
Total indirect effect0.2460.3800.066[0.253, 0.513]<0.001
Direct effect (GT → PEB)0.4520.6970.088[0.529, 0.881]<0.001
Total effect0.6981.0770.077[0.937, 1.236]<0.001
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MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, X.; Li, Z.; Xie, M.; Bonaiuto, M. A Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from a Chinese Energy Company. Sustainability 2026, 18, 8422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168422

AMA Style

Liu X, Li Z, Xie M, Bonaiuto M. A Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from a Chinese Energy Company. Sustainability. 2026; 18(16):8422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168422

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Xiaotian, Ziying Li, Mei Xie, and Marino Bonaiuto. 2026. "A Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from a Chinese Energy Company" Sustainability 18, no. 16: 8422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168422

APA Style

Liu, X., Li, Z., Xie, M., & Bonaiuto, M. (2026). A Dual-Pathway Framework Linking Green Training and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: Evidence from a Chinese Energy Company. Sustainability, 18(16), 8422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168422

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