Sustainable innovative leadership and sustainability performance: FinTech, green finance, and IT governance

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between sustainable innovative leadership and social, environmental, and financial sustainability performance through the mediating roles of FinTech adoption and green finance initiatives, while considering the moderating role of IT governance. Data were collected from 343 senior employees in multiple industries actively involved in digital transformation initiatives, sustainability programs, green finance practices, and IT governance implementation in Saudi Arabia. The findings show that sustainable innovative leadership is positively associated with FinTech adoption, green finance initiatives, and the three dimensions of sustainability performance. FinTech adoption and green finance significantly mediate the relationships between sustainable innovative leadership and environmental and financial sustainability performance; however, the corresponding indirect relationships with social sustainability performance are not statistically significant. The results also support a sequential indirect relationship in which sustainable innovative leadership is associated with environmental and financial sustainability performance through FinTech adoption and subsequently green finance. Moreover, IT governance positively moderates the relationships of sustainable innovative leadership with FinTech adoption and green finance. This study extends the sustainability and leadership literature by providing an integrated framework that explains how sustainable innovative leadership is associated with sustainability performance through the mediating roles of FinTech adoption and green finance initiatives and the moderating role of IT governance.