Panteha Farmanesh, Parisa Gharibi Khoshkar, Asim Vehbi, Niloofar Solati Dehkordi
This study explores the impact of sustainable leadership (SL) on environmental performance (EP), focusing on the mediating role of employee well-being (EW) and the moderating role of eco-anxiety in green companies in Turkey. The framework is founded on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) paradigm and is enhanced by Sustainable Leadership Theory, Bottom-Up Spillover Theory, and Terror Management Theory. Data were collected from 289 employees at five environmentally sustainable enterprises in Turkey, using a standardized questionnaire to evaluate characteristics through validated multi-item scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS4 was employed to assess reliability, validity, and the suggested correlations. The study’s findings demonstrate that SL has a substantial and favorable impact on EP, both directly and indirectly, through the enhancement of staff well-being. Furthermore, research indicates that eco-anxiety mitigates the association between SL and well-being, suggesting that increased eco-anxiety diminishes the beneficial effects of leadership. These findings underline the significance of robust, SL and proactive management of eco-anxiety to enhance employee well-being and optimize corporate environmental results. The outcomes indicate that firms should allocate resources to leadership development initiatives and staff support frameworks to alleviate climate-related anxiety and enhance resilience. The study advances Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by demonstrating how psychological health and leadership synergize to enhance environmental performance. It also offers practical implications for sustainable workplace practices.