Systematic Review    Peer-Reviewed

Promoting Prosocial Behaviors through Leadership: The Role of Line Managers in Fostering Individual Sustainability

Samson Toye Abiodun 1 and Mehmet Recai Uygur 2,*
1
International Marketing and Management, ISM University of Management and Economics, 01103 Vilnius, Lithuania
2
SMK College of Applied Sciences, 08211 Vilnius, Lithuania
*
For correspondence.
Academic Editor:
Highlights of Sustainability, 2025, 4(3), 158–173.
https://doi.org/10.54175/hsustain4030010
Received: 28 April 2025    Accepted: 20 June 2025    Published: 3 July 2025
Abstract
This research investigates the role of line managers in encouraging prosocial behavior that improves sustainability at the individual level in organizations. Based on a meta-analysis of the last ten years of research literature consisting of 15 studies, it underlines the impact of transformational, servant, and inclusive leadership on the level of trust, emotional commitment, and shared purpose within the organization. Its emergent culture and internal climates strengthened leadership’s impact on fostering prosocial behavior. Benefits include enhanced employee well-being, improved productivity, and heightened engagement. This study highlights the emotionally responsive leadership and the appreciation of organizational culture needed to perpetuate prosocial behavior, offering actionable insights for leadership and organizational transformation. This study approaches sustainability from a social perspective, framing “individual sustainability”  as the employee’s ongoing capacity for well-being and interpersonal engagement within the organization.
Keywords
Copyright © 2025 Abiodun and Uygur. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use and distribution provided that the original work is properly cited.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Cite this Article
Abiodun, S. T., & Uygur, M. R. (2025). Promoting Prosocial Behaviors through Leadership: The Role of Line Managers in Fostering Individual Sustainability. Highlights of Sustainability, 4(3), 158–173. https://doi.org/10.54175/hsustain4030010
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