Green Mind- Dharma Mind: Psychological Dimensions Of Environmental Ethics In Iks & Managerial Practice

Abstract

Sustainability is increasingly treated as a technical issue rather than a moral awakening.

This study develops and empirically validates the Green Mind - Dharma Mind framework, a psycho-ethical model linking Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), environmental ethics, and organizational psychology. Drawing on the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Arthashastra, the model conceptualizes dharma as the cognitive-affective core of ecological consciousness. A mixed-method design- surveying 150 managers across five Indian states and interviewing 20 leaders- reveals that Dharmic Cognition, Ecological Empathy, and Self-Transcendence jointly predict sustainable managerial behaviour. The research introduces Dharma-Based Sustainability Intelligence (DSI), a composite index integrating spiritual awareness, psychological well-being, and ecological accountability. Findings position dharma as a living psychology of sustainability, offering India’s ethical heritage as a globally relevant paradigm for conscious leadership.