Employees’ sustainability behavior: moderating effects of customer environmental awareness

In response to the widespread issue of significant food waste in the foodservice industry, this study aims to explore the key constraints that hinder restaurants’ efforts to reduce food waste. Through a comprehensive literature review, three key constraints–intra-, inter-, and structural–were identified at both the organizational and individual employee levels to investigate their impact on employee food waste reduction behavior (EFWRB). Data obtained from 300 restaurant employees via an online survey were analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS)-Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results revealed that while organizational constraints did not directly influence EFWRB, they intensified employee constraints, ultimately reducing EFWRB. Additionally, our findings emphasize the crucial role of customer environmental awareness in mitigating the adverse effects of both organizational and individual employee constraints on EFWRB. This study expands to the existing body of relevant knowledge and offers valuable insights for restaurant management in improve, ultimately promoting effective sustainable practices.