PurposeRising environmental degradation and increasing stakeholder scrutiny are prompting organizations to use corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a strategic tool to enhance environmental performance. However, empirical evidence on the mechanisms through which CSR drives environmental sustainability in the hospitality industry of developing countries remain limited. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to investigate the effect of CSR on environmental performance in Pakistan's hospitality industry. Drawing on the natural resource-based view, stakeholder theory and the dynamic capabilities view, the study further explores the serial mediating role of green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) and green intellectual capital (GIC) in this relationship. Additionally, it examines if artificial intelligence (AI) change readiness strengthens the CSR-GEO relationship and whether green value co-creation enhances the influence of GIC on environmental performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a time-lagged, multi-respondent dataset of 371 hotels collected over 3 waves. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.FindingsThe results confirm that CSR not only exerts a significant direct positive effect on environmental performance but also influences it indirectly through the serial mediation of GEO and GIC. Moreover, AI change readiness positively moderates the relationship between CSR and GEO, indicating that digital adaptability strengthens the relationship between CSR and green strategic orientation. Conversely, green value co-creation does not moderate the GIC-environmental performance link, suggesting its limited boundary-spanning effect in this context.Originality/valueThis study offers novel insights by empirically validating a serial mediation pathway - via GEO and GIC - between CSR and environmental performance in an underexplored service sector context. It emphasizes the strategic significance of internal green capabilities, including GEO and GIC, as well as AI change readiness, in advancing environmental objectives within the hospitality industry.
- From CSR to environmental gains
- Junaid Aftab (Corresponding Author)Feng Wei (Author)Nabila Abid (Author) - Università Carlo Cattaneo - LIUCAlina Kiran (Author)Fahad Aftab (Author)
- Journal of intellectual capital, Vol.27(5), pp.1-36
- 2026
- Emerald; Leeds
- 1469-1930; 1758-7468
- A stampa ; Online
- 36
- 72472116; 72272110 / National Natural Science Foundation of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
- English
- Tutti i diritti sono riservati ai legittimi detentori del copyright. L'Università Carlo Cattaneo - LIUC pubblica i dati relativi alle pubblicazioni di ricerca realizzate dai propri affiliati. La presenza nell'archivio ARL di testi completi non determina in alcun modo la libera riproduzione degli stessi, ma esclusivamente la possibilità della loro consultazione sul sito di ARL.
- Università Carlo Cattaneo - LIUC
- Journal article
- 991001124178605126