Exploring the Human Face of Engaged Environmental Strategies: The Role of Chief Executive Officer and Human Capital in Peruvian Firms

Abstract

In emerging economies characterized by the absence of strong national regulatory institutional forces, the role of private initiative through companies and entrepreneurs is highly relevant and has a prominent role in addressing environmental problems. This work aims to improve the understanding of the role of two key human-based organizational factors, such as CEO environmental commitment and green human capital (GHC), on the effective implementation of corporate environmental strategies seeking to integrate and engage market and non-market stakeholders. Our empirical research was carried out in a sample of 86 Peruvian firms operating in different industries through in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Our results show the importance of CEO environmental commitment on the implementation of engaged environmental strategies, as well as the mediating and essential role of GHC in this relationship. We contribute to the literature debate by providing theory and empirical insights on the drivers of corporate environmentalism in developing countries, highlighting the importance of the human-based internal organizational factors as driving forces of corporate environmentalism.