Corporate Environmental Responsibility: How Norms Shape Collectivity and Sustainability Intentions Across Organizational and Domestic Boundaries

In an era of increasing environmental challenges, organizations are expected to integrate Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) into their strategies and practices. This research examines employees' perceptions of CER as normative organizational signals and investigates their role in pro-environmental orientations within and beyond the workplace. CER was conceptualized through injunctive norms, reflecting perceived organizational support for environmental and climate protection, and descriptive norms, reflecting perceived organizational engagement in such practices. Study 1 experimentally manipulated CER norms, whereas Study 2 examined perceived CER norms among Italian employees. Study 1 showed that both norms reinforced collective efficacy and affective organizational commitment but did not directly affect pro-environmental attitudes or intentions. Study 2 showed that perceived CER norms were indirectly associated with domestic pro-environmental intentions through collective efficacy, affective organizational commitment, workplace attitudes, and domestic attitudes. The findings highlight the relevance of CER norms and provide evidence consistent with potential contextual spillover across domains.