Associations Between Operational Sustainability Practices and Perceived Environmental Performance in the UAE Polymer Manufacturing Sector: An Exploratory Test of the SCM-EIAPP Framework

The global polymer industry faces increasing pressure to diminish its environmental impact. However, traditional Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) frameworks evaluate sustainability incrementally rather than as an integrated system, and empirical evidence from rapidly industrializing Gulf economies remains limited. This study investigates the Sustainable Conceptual Model for Environmental Impact Assessment in Polymer Production (SCM-EIAPP), founded on the Resource-Based View, which correlates five operational practices—Choice of Feedstock, Process Optimization, Energy Efficiency, Waste Management, and Recycling Options—with perceived EIA outcomes. Data obtained from a survey of 207 professionals within the polymer industry in the United Arab Emirates were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis, ordinary least squares regression, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), and mediation analysis. The measurement model exhibited acceptable fit and reliability. Collectively, the five practices explained approximately 39.6% of the variance in perceived EIA outcomes (PLS-SEM R² = 0.396), with the OLS estimate closely aligned at R² = 0.376. Among these, Recycling Options was the strongest predictor (β = 0.303), followed by Waste Management (β = 0.261), Process Optimization (β = 0.170), and Energy Efficiency (β = 0.168). Choice of Feedstock showed a marginal, method-dependent association (PLS-SEM β = 0.103; OLS p = 0.086). Two mediation pathways were analyzed. The hypothesized mediation of the Waste Management–EIA link via Process Optimization was not statistically significant. Conversely, Process Optimization exhibits a significant indirect effect in the Energy Efficiency–EIA relationship, with approximately 24% of Energy Efficiency’s total association operating through the process capability pathway—aligning with Resource-Based View capability spillover theory. Practices that are internally controllable—particularly Energy Efficiency—appear to be reliable levers, while material recovery practices (Recycling and Waste Management) showed the strongest overall associations for environmental improvement within resource-constrained Gulf contexts. These insights offer industry leaders and policymakers a data-driven basis for prioritizing investments in sustainability and advancing circular economy initiatives.