10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

The growing urgency to address environmental degradation and climate change has intensified the adoption of green technologies as a strategy for promoting sustainable development. Despite increasing investments in green technologies, there is limited empirical evidence on the mechanisms by which these technologies simultaneously enhance environmental and economic sustainability, particularly through the implementation of circular economy practices. This study investigates the effects of green technologies on environmental and economic sustainability and examines the mediating role of circular economy practices in these relationships. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design is proposed, employing a structured online questionnaire to collect data from manufacturing firms and three retail firms in South Africa that are implementing green technologies. A sample size of 310 sustainability managers, operations managers, environmental managers, production managers, engineering managers, supply chain managers, and senior executives responsible for environmental initiatives was purposively sampled. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the direct and indirect relationships among the constructs. The study demonstrates that green technologies positively influence both environmental and economic sustainability outcomes. Furthermore, the findings reveal that circular economy practices significantly mediate these relationships by enhancing the effectiveness of green technologies in improving resource efficiency, minimising waste, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening organisational competitiveness. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, industry practitioners, and business leaders seeking to integrate green technologies with circular economy principles to achieve sustainable organisational performance. The study also offers practical guidance for developing policies and investment strategies that accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy. This research contributes to the sustainability literature by integrating green technologies, circular economy practices, and sustainability outcomes into a comprehensive conceptual framework. The study extends existing knowledge and provides a more holistic understanding of how green technologies create sustainable value by examining environmental and economic sustainability simultaneously, with circular economy practices mediating the relationship between them.