Leveraging Buyers’ Interest in ESG Investments through Sustainability Awareness

Abstract

Currently, organizations often take into consideration the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles by following a more inclusive approach together with potential other emerging practices that attract more consumers who have particular affiliations with the environment. This study investigates the influence of social and environmental sustainability awareness practices on impulse buying through a proposed set of hypotheses. The hypothetical model is based on (441) valid responses from Omani buyers via an online research survey. Data were processed using CFA and SEM techniques. Results indicate that social and environmental sustainability awareness has a productive relationship with green trust that strengthens impulse buying. Environmental sustainability awareness positively links with green altruism, which further enhances the impulse. By taking gender as a moderator, it has an encouraging impact on social and environmental sustainability awareness. Environmental sustainability awareness and green altruism have a constructive relationship within males rather than females. Based on the unique connection between sustainability practices and impulse buying, the current study’s results indicate that if firms take appropriate steps to implement sustainability practices in their operations, sustainability commitment can promote the environmental and social well-being of consumers and the establishment of trust. Such practices enable companies to achieve their sustainability reporting goals and SDGs. Social and environmental sustainability practices protect from the harmful effects of social and environmental influences in mitigating the uncertainty of consumers’ buying behavior. Such productive sustainability practices compel buyers to purchase products impulsively at premium prices. The study strongly recommends policymakers and marketers focusing on environmental and social sustainability awareness and green altruism.