Are they sinners or saints? A multi-level investigation of hypocrisy in organisational and employee pro-environmental behaviours

Abstract

Research tends to examine corporate and individual hypocrisy in the context of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) separately, and thus the underlying drivers of such behaviour as the product of contextual influences are yet to be examined across organisational and individual levels. This study therefore embarks on a multi-level investigation of hypocritical PEB at both organisational and individual (workplace context only) levels, based on a grounded theory approach. We aim to contribute to the hypocrisy, corporate social responsibility, and PEB literature streams by presenting a model of hypocritical PEB across levels. Drawing on 33 interviews with academic and administrative staff in the education sector, we identify legitimacy-seeking as a major driver of hypocritical PEB across levels. By critically examining the interconnectedness of organisational and employee levels, we identify two key social contextual factors potentially affecting the emergence of hypocritical PEB at the employee level: the locus of responsibility and employee–organisation alignment.