Climate change risk perception and pro-environmental behavior: the moderating role of environmental values and psychological contract breach

• Published in: Social responsibility journal 2024-01, Vol.20 (3), p.538-567
• Main Authors: Latif, Badar, Gaskin, James, Gunarathne, Nuwan, Sroufe, Robert, Sharif, Arshian, Hanan, Abdul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climate action; Climate change; Climate effects; Developing countries; Employees; Environmental behavior; Environmental behaviour; Environmental protection; Environmental risk; Investigations; LDCs; Manufacturing; Perceptions; Risk factors; Risk perception; Risk taking; Social exchange theory; Social responsibility; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Values
• ISSN: 1747-1117; 1758-857X; 1747-1117
• DOI: 10.1108/SRJ-02-2023-0084

Purpose Debates regarding climate change risk perception (CCRP), particularly its scale and impact on social and environmental sustainability, have continued for decades. CCRP is experiencing a renaissance with an increased focus on environmentally relevant behaviors to mitigate the effects of climate change. However, CCRP lacks investigation from the employee perspective. Supported by the social exchange and value–belief–norm theories, this study aims to address the impact of employees’ CCRP on their proenvironmental behavior (PEB) via the moderating roles of environmental values and psychological contract breach. Design/methodology/approach The nonprobability convenience sampling technique was used to collect survey data from a sample of 299 employees across 138 manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Findings The results show that employees’ CCRP positively impacts their PEB and that this relationship is moderated by their environmental values and psychological contract breach. Specifically, environmental values strengthen the CCRP–PEB relationship, while psychological contract breach weakens it. Practical implications The findings of the study emphasize useful guidance for managers and practitioners as a future avenue to restructure the climate change framework by emphasizing the conditions (i.e. environmental values and psychological contract breach). In doing so, the study is beneficial for managers and practitioners in helping to increase employees’ PEB through the development of climate change action plans. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first investigations into CCRP–employees’ PEB nexus in the developing country context. The study incorporates social exchange and value–belief–norm theory, which serve as the CCRP’s theoretical underpinnings. The findings advance the new knowledge about a firm’s social responsibility to achieve the sustainable development goals outlined in the UN’s 2030 Agenda.