Testing the relationships between corporate electric vehicle adoption, perceived corporate environmental responsibility, environmental self-identity, and employee pro-environmental behaviour

Purpose This study aims to examine whether employees who adopt or lease an electric vehicle (EV) through their organisation perceive stronger corporate environmental responsibility (perceived CER) and whether this signal is associated with stronger environmental self-identity (ESI) and, in turn, stronger pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) at work and at home. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 2,949 EV drivers in The Netherlands. Employees who adopted an EV through their organisation were compared with those who adopted an EV privately. A sequential mediation model (PROCESS Model 6) tested associations through perceived CER and ESI across five PEBs. Findings Employees who adopted an EV via their company reported higher perceived CER than private EV adopters. Perceived CER was positively associated with ESI, which in turn was related to stronger pro-environmental behavioural intentions in both workplace and household contexts. The results suggest that corporate EV provision may function as a visible organisational cue that encourages PEB across domains. Practical implications Visible, high-impact sustainability initiatives such as corporate EV provision may strengthen perceived CER and ESI, encouraging employee PEBs both inside and outside the organisation. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine corporate EV adoption as a visible organisational action associated with perceived CER. It introduces EVs as an organisational cue signalling environmental responsibility. It provides evidence on the links between corporate sustainability actions, ESI and cross-domain pro-environmental behavioural intentions using a large sample of EV drivers.