Transforming Leadership for Climate Sustainability: Advancing SDG 7 and SDG 13 in Sri Lankan Hospitality

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-696-3_14How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Transformational Leadership; Climate Sustainability; SDG 7; SDG 13; Sri Lankan Hospitality

Abstract

This study investigates the role of transformational leadership in advancing sustainable tourism within Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector, focusing on alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action). Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative insights from global and local case studies with a targeted stakeholder survey, the research evaluates how transformational leaders influence policy, engage communities, and embed sustainability within organisational culture. Drawing on adaptive and stakeholder theories, the study contextualises the unique challenges facing leaders in Sri Lanka’s resource-constrained and policy-limited environment.

The findings underscore the critical role of transformational leadership in fostering energy efficiency and climate resilience. Leaders drive the adoption of renewable energy, promote community involvement, and build a workforce committed to sustainable practices. However, inconsistent government policies and limited financial incentives hinder progress. The study highlights the importance of enhanced collaboration between tourism leaders and policymakers, alongside stronger community partnerships to amplify climate action. Practical recommendations include embedding sustainability into organisational values and establishing clear performance metrics. This research contributes to the limited literature on sustainable tourism in developing economies, offering actionable insights for policymakers and industry leaders to position Sri Lanka as a global leader in eco-tourism.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - M. B. Kiriella
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/05/06
TI  - Transforming Leadership for Climate Sustainability: Advancing SDG 7 and SDG 13 in Sri Lankan Hospitality
BT  - Proceedings of the Sustainability in emerging economies - Integrating business excellence in management education (SEE-IBEME-2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 241
EP  - 259
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-696-3_14
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-696-3_14
ID  - Kiriella2025
ER  -