Sustainable Leadership Research Articles

Spiritual Wellbeing in Indian Banking Sector: Sustainable Leadership Practices

In the present business scenario, organisations grapple with continuous disruption driven by competition, technological advancements, geopolitical volatility and an increasingly informed consumer base. This evolving environment has shifted from the VUCA model (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) to the BANI framework (brittle, anxious, nonlinear and incomprehensible). To navigate these challenges, resilience and agility have become crucial for organisations, necessitating the development of a supportive culture and competent workforce. Amidst newspaper reports of toxic leadership and toxic culture prevailing in Indian banking sector, employee wellbeing has become a significant aspect for better performance in recent times. As India aims to become $5 trillion economy by FY 2025–26, the Indian banking sector is expected to align itself with this objective and perform efficiently. In this backdrop, it can be argued that spiritual leadership may act as toxin handler and influence job engagement through spiritual wellbeing. This research study aims to explore the relationship between spiritual leadership, spiritual wellbeing and job engagement in the Indian banking sector. The proposed conceptual framework, derived from Fry’s (2005) Causal Model of Spiritual Leadership, indicates ‘vision’, ‘hope/faith’ and ‘altruistic love’ as components of spiritual leadership and ‘meaning/calling’ and ‘membership’ as components of spiritual wellbeing. The conceptual model is then tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling and the result confirms that spiritual wellbeing is a significant predictor of ‘job engagement’ in the Indian banking sector. Further, this study establishes the critical role of spiritual leadership in enhancing overall employee wellbeing. Leadership is a crucial factor in creating the right work environment and practicing spiritual leadership would help nurture an engaged workforce.

Friction and tension at work. On practices of leadership in contemporary dance

ABSTRACT This article examines the dynamics of friction and tension in contemporary dance, focusing on the precarious working conditions within the Flemish dance sector. Recent studies have highlighted how such conditions often foster unspoken tensions and perpetuate a culture of silencing. In particular, high-profile cases in the Flemish arts have demonstrated how asymmetrical power relationships in dance environments can disproportionately burden one party, while others remain unaffected by these tensions. Building on previous research by scholars like André Lepecki and Rudi Laermans, this study contributes to the articulation of friction in both its physical and social dimensions, particularly in relation to choreographic leadership. Drawing from a case study of Tuur Marinus’s 2022 production *TH LNG GDBY* and his follow-up artistic research supervised by Annelies Van Assche, the research explores how friction and tension manifest within both educational settings and professional collaborations. This article argues that acknowledging and addressing these tensions is crucial for fostering healthier, more sustainable leadership practices in dance. By making these often implicit dynamics explicit, the authors aim to encourage a shift towards a leadership culture that sees friction not as an obstacle, but as a potentially creative force within the dance world.

Unlocking the potential: Sustainability finance as the catalyst for ESG innovations in Nigeria

This article explores the critical role that sustainable finance has to play in furthering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) innovations within Nigeria, a regional leader in sustainability across West Africa. Over the last decades, Nigeria has made reasonable strides in the development of renewable energy, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and eco-friendly infrastructure. However, significant financial barriers exist that make scaling such initiatives difficult: a general lack of access to green financing, high costs of borrowing, and weak institutional support. It also, through the use of both global and local data, discusses the interaction of financial mechanisms with ESG innovation in successful projects such as the Solar Power Naija initiative, the issuance of Nigeria's first green bond. The analysis also looks at systemic challenges and proposes some actionable solutions, including policy reforms, private sector interventions, and innovative financing models such as blended finance and digital platforms. With emphasis on the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders, this article underlines the transformative potential of sustainability finance in driving Nigeria's ESG growth, fostering environmental resilience, and promoting social equity.

Agents of sustainable change: the importance of leadership and responsibility in corporate sustainability

Agents of sustainable change: the importance of leadership and responsibility in corporate sustainability

Sustainability as a business opportunity: a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of sustainable finance discourse

Abstract As sustainability becomes increasingly embedded in the practices of financial institutions worldwide, financial discourse is also adapting to reflect the new related societal values. This study aims to identify the discursive strategies employed by banks to frame their leadership in sustainability, present their sustainable products and services as business opportunities, and explore the development of dialogic relationships between banks and clients. Employing a corpus-assisted discourse analytical approach, a dataset of 2 million words comprised of sustainability-related reports publicly available on banks’ websites was analysed. The findings indicate a growing recognition of the significance of diversity and inclusion in senior leadership positions, with an observed increase in the representation of women. Moreover, banks position themselves as service providers and catalysts for transforming associated risks into business opportunities, leveraging various factors such as financial success, positive culture, and strong support for customers and employees. In terms of the bank-client relationship, the findings reveal a shift towards empowering clients and acknowledging their agency, encouraging them to make informed decisions and take charge of their financial well-being. This research sheds light on the evolving discursive practices within the realm of sustainable finance and provides valuable insights for both academia and the business sector.

Female leadership for sustainability: green, cultural and social impact of the world's best sportswomen

Introduction: Female activism and social responsibility seem to be unnoticed but carries a profound impact on community, business, and green legacy. This research aims to analyze the digital communication practices and ethical initiatives of worldwide top female athletes, with a focus on their international brand image. By studying their online presence and engagement, we will explore convergences and divergences between genders in terms of talent revenue and personal branding. Methodology: Our work provides insights into how these sportswomen interact on the internet-based landscape, their approaches to global leadership, and the causes they support. The applied methodology involves a comparative analysis of top athletes by gender and categories to contrast diversity. Statistical techniques, including ANOVA and regression analysis, are employed to examine the data and derive meaningful insights, finding their remarkable influence beyond their exceptional performance in sports. Results: Sportswomen harness the power of online visibility as a strategical tool to amplify their influence and drive social change, leveraging their talent to go beyond the economic returns of their professional performance.Discussions and findings: The current study discloses how sportspeople serve as role models, exhibiting good practices and leading by example to benefit the community. Their dedication to sustainability, both in terms of people's well-being and the preservation of our planet for future generations, is evident in their actions. Their brand image transcends their athletic achievements, reflecting their commitment, responsibility, and entrepreneurship towards the interests of the community. Their influence extends far beyond the surface, leaving a lasting and positive effect on stakeholders.

Leadership Strategy Evaluation and Succession Planning in Preparing the Company’s Future Leaders

Purpose: This study explores the integration of leadership strategy evaluation and succession planning in preparing future organizational leaders. It investigates how organizations can evaluate the effectiveness of current leadership strategies and align them with long-term organizational goals to ensure sustainable leadership continuity. Research Design and Methodology: This research employs a qualitative systematic literature review (SLR) methodology to synthesize existing leadership strategy evaluation and succession planning research. The study examines key practices, challenges, and theoretical frameworks associated with leadership development and succession planning, drawing from recent studies published after 2018. Findings and Discussion: The findings reveal that organizations integrating leadership strategy evaluation with succession planning are better positioned to ensure leadership continuity. Effective leadership strategies focus on developing internal talent through structured training, mentorship, and job rotations. The study emphasizes the need for leadership strategies to be aligned with organizational goals, enabling future leaders to navigate long-term challenges effectively. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of overcoming challenges such as resistance to change and organizational culture in implementing effective succession planning. Implications: This research provides practical insights for organizations to align leadership development with succession planning, ensuring long-term organizational sustainability. It emphasizes the importance of developing internal leadership pipelines, creating mentoring systems, and integrating human resource policies with strategic goals. Organizations are encouraged to foster a culture of internal mobility and continuous leadership development to ensure seamless transitions and minimize operational disruptions.

Digital Strategy, Digital Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Digital Transformation for Agricultural Business Sustainability: A Human Resource Management Review

Digitalization has brought a transformation approach from all aspects. Various literatures state that agricultural digitalization is a necessity followed by aspects of human resource management for business sustainability. Various empirical evidence states that business continuity in the digital era is greatly influenced by various factors, including digital strategy, digital leadership, organizational agility, and digital transformation. The study aims to present empirical evidence regarding the practice and/or factors of digital strategy, digital leadership, organizational agility, and digital transformation by comparing the case of agricultural business sustainability and business sustainability in the context of human resource management practices. Using a systematic literature review approach involving 59 journals, consisting of 19 journals concerning the topic of agricultural business sustainability, and 40 journals in the context of human resource management. The journals as secondary sources are limited to the latest international research journals, namely publications between 2020-2024. The results of the analysis found that discussions on digital strategy, digital leadership, organizational agility, and digital transformation for agricultural business sustainability began to be carried out in 2023, and there is a possibility of increasing in the coming years. The future study agenda to produce theoretical building is an investigation into the role of digital leadership in creating scenarios for the development and sustainability of agricultural businesses. The second finding is that from the perspective of human resource management, the reconstruction of theoretical evidence of digital strategy, digital leadership, organizational agility, and digital transformation for business sustainability still needs to be explored further. The theoretical contribution is that for the sustainability of agricultural businesses, the role of digital leadership needs further proof of business transformation and sustainability. A review of human resource management practices is also needed because organizational agility with digital strategies is not enough to explain digital transformation. As a practical contribution, companies must adapt early on to transform their businesses with a digital approach, because the era of digital technology requires digitalization. There is already a lot of evidence of a company failing and experiencing severe decline due to ignoring digital transformation. Keywords: Agricultural business, business sustainability, digital strategy, digital leadership, organizational agility, digital transformation, human resource management.

Challenges facing emergency departments in public hospitals

The management of hospitals are facing increasing challenges in managing the service and quality of the emergency department. This study identifies the challenges faced by healthcare professionals who work in the emergency department and identifies practical solutions to enhance the sustainable management and leadership of the emergency department. A qualitative study was conducted with health professionals who work in the emergency department in three public hospitals in Saudi Arabia, including six managers, five physicians and seven nurses. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews from purposively selected the emergency department at public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Three themes emerged from interviews that described the challenges and experiences of health professionals: ethical dimensions, management dimensions, and health system dimensions. The results of the current study indicate that patient overcrowding, long waiting hours in emergency departments, having to make decisions concerning which patients to treat first and the quality of services, leadership and team effectiveness were major contributors to the struggles faced by health professionals inside the emergency department. This study provides the most comprehensive information available to date about the challenges faced by the emergency department managers and leadership and provides suggestions to develop short and long-term strategies to reduce overcrowding in hospitals.

Organizational commitment, procedural justice climate, and organizational citizenship behavior towards sustainability: a multilevel study

Purpose This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of team-level sustainable leadership on employees’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) towards sustainability through team-level procedural justice and employees’ organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a time-lagged approach, and data from 267 employees and 53 supervisors from 21 large manufacturing firms in Pakistan were collected. Furthermore, a multilevel modeling analysis was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Sustainable leadership significantly and positively influences employees’ OCB towards sustainability. Empirical evidence confirmed that a procedural justice climate (PJC) and employees’ organizational commitment significantly mediate the relationship between sustainable leadership practices and employees’ OCB towards sustainability. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the multilevel role of sustainable leadership concerning OCB towards sustainability, PJC and organizational commitment.

Balancing Tourism Development and Sustainability: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach in Tofino over 15 Years

The narrow conceptualization of capitalism is increasingly challenged as destinations recognize the need to integrate equity and resilience into tourism development. Increasingly, destinations have been using tourism to move away from extractive industries and there is no shortage of literature outlining the need for a more inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach to ensure that sustainability is at the forefront of tourism development considerations. Whether destinations are actually moving towards the more sustainable development of tourism is not always evident and rarely are studies of destinations undertaken over time. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine qualitative research spanning 15 years using a multi-stakeholder approach to understand impacts, issues, and solutions relating to tourism development in Tofino, Canada. Tofino has achieved notable advancements in financial, natural, and social capital but continues to face gaps in addressing other dimensions of the Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Insights from this research to focus on social, human, and built capital earlier on in tourism planning and development may help other destinations who partially or fully depend on tourism for their livelihood. This paper addresses real-world tourism development challenges and encompasses multiple stakeholder views on sustainable development, socio-political responsibilities, governance, leadership, destination management, policies, and other practices.

Facilitating collaboration with collaborative technology: Prerequisites and evidence from an explanatory mixed-methods study

Collaboration is widely recognized as essential for mitigating resource dependency and effectively fulfilling public responsibilities. Meanwhile, the use of information technology is expected to enhance communication and strengthen interactions among collaboration participants. Given the substantial annual investments in IT and collaboration initiatives, public managers need to understand how technology, particularly collaborative tools, can be leveraged to achieve better collaboration outcomes. This case study examines the use of collaborative technology in an intraorganizational collaboration context, employing a mixed-methods approach that begins with an experiment followed by semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that the use of collaborative technology alone does not guarantee improvements in the collaboration process or performance. Achieving desired outcomes requires a supportive organizational and technological environment characterized by sustained leadership, thorough planning, active stakeholder engagement, robust communication mechanisms, and a commitment to continuous learning. Most importantly, genuine collaboration and engagement from all parties involved are key to success.

The Impact of Sustainability Leadership on Job Performance in Nigeria University

In an era marked by escalating challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and social inequality, the imperative for sustainable leadership practices has intensified. This study explores the impact of sustainability leadership on staff performance in three major universities in Kano State Nigeria, and examines its influence on performance outcomes, societal impact, and environmental sustainability. Employing a descriptive survey methodology, the research investigates the relationship between sustainability leadership and organizational performance using two research instruments and formulating two hypotheses to test these relationships. Data collected from 150 staff members were analysed using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient to measure statistical associations between sustainability leadership and staff performance. The findings reveal significant and positive correlations, indicating that universities led by sustainable leaders exhibit higher levels of employee job performance. Additionally, substantial positive relationships were identified between sustainability leadership and the advancement of environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals within these institutions. These results underscore the critical role of sustainable leadership in enhancing organizational effectiveness and promoting sustainable development outcomes. Leaders who integrate sustainability principles into their practices are well-positioned to drive positive impacts on employee engagement, organizational reputation, and resilience amid global challenges. This study contributes to the understanding of how sustainability leadership influences organizational performance in the Nigerian context, advocating for the adoption of sustainable leadership strategies to achieve business success and broader societal benefits. Future research should further explore the mechanisms through which sustainable leadership practices can be effectively implemented and scaled across diverse organizational settings, ensuring sustained positive impacts on both organizational and societal outcomes.

Sustainable Leadership and Employee Performance: The Role of Organizational Culture in Malaysia’s Information Science Sector

Sustainable Leadership and Employee Performance: The Role of Organizational Culture in Malaysia’s Information Science Sector

Developing and validating a scale for measuring sustainable leadership development among teachers in Chinese higher education institutions

Developing and validating a scale for measuring sustainable leadership development among teachers in Chinese higher education institutions

Andy Hargreaves의 지속가능한 리더십이 교육현장에 주는 함의

This study aims to explore the educational implications of sustainable leadership for school sites. This study analyzes the Korean education scene based on the seven principles of sustainable leadership and five principles of action proposed by A. Hargreaves and D. Fink(2006, 2022) based on years of research on the education scene and explores the implications for establishing a plan for the successful sustainable development of Korean education. To this end, this study first examines previous studies on sustainable development at home and abroad, analyzes and diagnoses the current Korean education scene in terms of the principles of sustainable leadership and explores the educational implications of sustainable leadership on the Korean education scene. In terms of the implications of sustainable leadership for school sites derived from this study, the ‘Depth’ dimension suggests avoiding narrow and superficial standardization policies and strengthening policies for holistic education that can foster multiple intelligences; the ‘Length’ dimension suggests establishing a long-term, strategic, and systematic succession program; the ‘Breadth’ dimension suggests distributed leadership among members and strengthening teachers’ leadership competencies; the ‘Justice’ dimension suggests sharing resources and joint growth through solidarity; and the ‘Diversity’ dimension suggests building learning networks and strengthening cohesion among members. In addition, the ‘Resourcefulness’ dimension suggests adjusting education policies through on-site communication and establishing systematic regeneration programs, and the ‘Conservation’ dimension suggests systematic evaluation of past policies and inheritance of excellent ones.

Sustainable leadership and work behavior in hotel businesses: The influence of perceived environmental corporate social responsibility

Despite the growing emphasis on sustainability in the hospitality industry, there is a notable gap in understanding how sustainable leadership influences employee work behavior, particularly through the lens of perceived environmental corporate social responsibility (PECSR), an area that has yet to be fully explored in the context of hotel businesses. Therefore, this study aims to examine the impact of sustainable leadership on sustainable work behavior among employees in hotel businesses with a particular focus on perceived environmental corporate social responsibility as a mediator. This study focuses on full-time employees working in five-star hotels in Egypt, with a total of 352 valid responses collected. The data were analyzed using WarpPLS software, a user-friendly tool for the PLS-SEM approach adopted. The findings indicate that sustainable leadership has a positive impact on employees' sustainable work behavior and their perceptions of environmental corporate social responsibility. Additionally, the study shows that PECSR not only positively influences employees' sustainable work behavior but also serves as a mediator in the relationship between sustainable leadership and sustainable work behavior. This study contributes to sustainability and leadership literature in the hospitality industry. It demonstrates that sustainable leadership’s impact on employee behavior is partially mediated by employees’ perceptions of their organization’s environmental responsibility, enriching leadership theories with insights from corporate social responsibility and organizational behavior. Practically, the research offers hotel managers actionable insights on integrating sustainability into leadership practices, emphasizing the importance of transparent communication about CSR initiatives, leadership training, and aligning sustainability with organizational strategies to enhance employee engagement and foster sustainable work behavior.

Sustainability and Public Management: Focusing on Leadership and on the Development of Competences

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the competences associated to the practice of Sustainable Leadership in the city management, having the purpose of identifying pitfalls and proposing strategies for the development of competences that are aligned with the pillars of sustainability. Theoretical Framework: The current research is grounded on Sachs’s (1993) pillars of sustainability, which integrate economic, social and environmental aspects, as well as on competence-based management and sustainable leadership. These theoretical bases guide the analysis and the development of competences associated to the exercise of sustainable leadership by city managers. Method: This is an exploratory and qualitative study, containing semi-structured interviews that have been conducted with eleven city managers, as well as an analysis of institutional norms. The goal was to identify the current situation regarding competences, in order to assess how they are related to sustainability practices and to propose a strategy for the development of such competences. Results and Discussion: The reports demonstrated a lack of competences associated to the practice of sustainable leadership in public city management, and the official documents confirm that there is a need for training that is focused on the development of these strategies, which are essential to promote collective well-being and sustainable practices at the local level. Implications of the study: The study adds to the field when it proposes a practical strategy for training public leaders, influencing in the adoption of sustainable policies and practices. Academically, the study adds to the debate on public city management and sustainability. Originality/Value: This study relates management competences to sustainability in the public sector, providing resources for the development of competences related to sustainable leadership as a key point for the improvement of administrative practices and for guidance on sustainable public policies.

Climate Action Framework for Libraries: Empowering response to climate crisis

The urgency of addressing climate change and promoting climate literacy within communities underscores the importance of this research. Despite the pivotal role libraries play in climate action, a noticeable research gap exists in the absence of an easily applicable Climate Action Framework for Libraries (CAFL). This paper aims to fill this void by presenting a globally adaptable CAFL that addresses the unique needs and challenges faced by libraries worldwide. The framework was developed through a comprehensive review of existing literature, theoretical inputs from experts through key publications and focused group discussions with librarians. In alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, CAFL offers a structured yet flexible approach, supporting libraries to enhance climate literacy among patrons and contribute meaningfully to broader climate change initiatives. This framework empowers libraries to become leaders in sustainability, fostering informed and engaged communities capable of responding effectively to the climate crisis.

An Applied Approach to Transformational Leadership for Whole School Communities: Perspectives of Primary School and System Leaders

This paper examines the vision, strategy and leadership support structures for Irish primary schools where leadership is specifically referenced, with focus on links to transformational and distributed school leadership. Of particular interest is how transformational and distributed leadership models could aid effective and sustainable leadership enactment in times of exceptional change. This article offers new insights into primary school and system leaders’ perceptions of transformational school leadership and the factors that facilitate and/or inhibit transformational school leadership for the whole school community with a qualitative study. The overarching research question comprised: what are the perceptions of primary school and system leaders relating to the facilitating and inhibiting factors affecting the implementation of transformational school leadership, and is this model perceived to build relations with parents and the wider school community? The data highlight several factors that transcend both transformational and distributed leadership and, with previous research by these authors, inform the construction of a synthesised model of transformational and distributed school leadership for the whole school community aligned with the most recent Irish primary school policy document—‘Looking at Our School 2022: A Quality Framework for Primary Schools and Special Schools (LAOS)’. The authors also accompany this model with a roadmap that may support approaches to school leadership practice for the whole school community, at the primary and post-primary levels, in Ireland.