The Role of Environmental Concern in Shaping Support for Green Business Practices: Evidence From the World Values Survey

ABSTRACT Amid growing environmental challenges and increasing pressure for sustainable business transformation, public support for green business practices has become increasingly important. This study examines how environmental concern influences individuals' willingness to make economic sacrifices in support of environmentally responsible firms. Anchored in the Value‐Belief‐Norm (VBN) theory, the study uses data from the World Values Survey (WVS) for Argentina and Mexico. Environmental concern is captured through two dimensions: environmental value prioritization and perceived climate seriousness. Support for green business practices is measured through willingness to accept income reductions and pay higher taxes for environmental protection. Using an ordered logit model with robustness checks, including probit models, binary specifications, and index‐based measures, the results reveal a strong and statistically significant relationship between environmental concern and proenvironmental economic behavior, consistent across models and countries. Further analysis shows that moral norms and trust in environmental organizations serve as important mechanisms linking environmental concern to willingness to sacrifice economically. The study contributes by extending the application of VBN theory to green business practices and by providing cross‐country evidence on the societal drivers of economic support for sustainability transitions. The findings highlight the importance of aligning corporate sustainability strategies and environmental policymaking with public environmental concern, particularly when sustainability transitions require broad societal support.