This study explores the primary drivers influencing sustainable project management (SPM) practices in the construction industry. This research study seeks to determine whether firms are primarily motivated by external pressures or internal values when embracing SPM practices. In doing so, this study contributes to the ongoing discourse on SPM drivers by considering coercive pressures (CP), ethical responsibility (ER), and green transformational leadership (GTL) as critical enablers facilitating a firm’s adoption of SPM practices. Based on data from 196 project management practitioners in Pakistan, structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Results highlight that CP influences the management of sustainability practices in construction projects, signifying firms’ concern for securing legitimacy from various institutional actors. As an ‘intrinsic value’, ER emerges as a significant motivator for ecological stewardship, driven by a genuine commitment to promoting sustainable development. This study also unveils the significant moderating effect of GTL on the association among CP, ER, and SPM. Lastly, the results of IMPA reveal that ER slightly performs better than CP as it helps firms internalize the essence of sustainability. This research study expands our understanding of SPM drivers in construction projects by exploring the differential impact of external pressures and the firm’s intrinsic values. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, aiding them in promoting SPM to attain sustainable development goals.

This research explores the impact of employee green behavior on green transformational leadership (GTL) and green human resource management (GHRM), and their subsequent effects on sustainable performance within organizations. Utilizing a sample of 482 environmental quality promotion departments across Thailand, the study employs stratified random sampling to ensure representative data collection. Analysis was conducted using SPSS software, applying Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression to test the hypothesized relationships between the variables. The findings reveal a positive and significant influence of employee green behavior on both GTL and GHRM. Additionally, both GTL and GHRM are found to positively correlate with sustainable performance, indicating that enhanced leadership and management practices in the environmental domain can lead to better sustainability outcomes. This research utilizes the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) theory as its theoretical framework, illustrating how organizations can leverage strategic HRM practices to promote environmental consciousness and action among employees, thereby enhancing their long-term sustainability success. Implications of this study underscore the importance of integrating green practices into leadership and HRM strategies, advocating for targeted training programs and energy conservation measures to boost environmental awareness and performance in the workplace. This contributes to the literature on sustainable performance by providing empirical evidence of the pathways through which green HRM and transformational leadership foster a sustainable organizational environment.