Green transformational leadership promotes organizational commitment in Chinese energy company employees through multiple sequential mediators

Purpose – This study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which green transformational leadership behaviors predict employees' organizational commitment. By integrating Self-Concept Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study aims to provide a process-oriented explanation of how leadership behaviors shape employees' psychological resources and commitment within the context of organizational sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretically specified sequential mediation model was constructed and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on survey data collected from 1, 528 employees of a large Chinese energy group. Green transformational leadership behaviors were examined in relation to employees' intrinsic spirituality, intolerance of uncertainty, organization-based self-esteem, and job involvement. Findings – Green transformational leadership behaviors – such as articulating a clear environmental vision and inspiring employees with sustainable goals – were found to enhance employees' psychological resources and self-concept. The results support a sequential but interrelated psychological process through which meaning construction, uncertainty regulation, self-evaluative resources, and work investment jointly contribute to organizational commitment. Practical implications – The findings emphasize the value of incorporating green transformational leadership development into HR practices. By embedding sustainability-oriented communication, recognition, and leadership development practices into everyday management routines, organizations can align individual values with corporate sustainability goals and foster long-term employee commitment, particularly in sustainability-driven and regulated organizational contexts. Originality/value – This study provides a theoretically grounded, process-oriented explanation of the employee–organization relationship by clarifying how established psychological mechanisms jointly translate green transformational leadership into organizational commitment in sustainability-driven contexts. The study advances existing green leadership research by specifying the sequential integration of meaning-related, self-evaluative, and behavioral processes.