Developing eco-leadership in the digital age: opportunities and challenges

In the contemporary landscape, leaders are increasingly tasked with active participation in organizational processes, notably amidst the ongoing digital transition and paradigm shift toward Industry 4.0. Moreover, the integration of social and environmental sustainability into organizational policies, strategies, and processes has become imperative. Top management bears the responsibility of fostering a vision, culture, and set of socio-professional behaviors conducive to innovation within organizations. Employing an essay methodology, this research clarifies the concept of eco-leadership and explores avenues for its development amidst the challenges and opportunities of the digital age. Drawing upon theoretical foundations, eco-leadership is characterized by its emphasis on connectivity, participation, ethics, and strategy. It emerges as a response to disruptions in ecosystems shaped by the digital revolution, hyper-globalization, and climate emergency. The anticipated outcomes of this research include paving the way for the development of eco-leadership skills essential to lead with contemporary challenges. In terms of practical implications, the research underscores the importance of training and developing leaders who integrate environmental sustainability into organizational culture, processes, and practices. By promoting a change in leaders’ mentality and practices, there is an opportunity to foster leadership skills aligned with sustainability principles.