o:4638 Green innovation and competitiveness: empirical evidence from Ecuadorian manufacturing en Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore green innovation and its role in driving competitiveness in Ecuadorian manufacturing firms, focusing on structural equation modelings, which account for more than 90% of the productive units and aggregate national income. The manufacturing sector in Ecuador reports variable growth since the start of the COVID pandemic, drawing more attention from practitioners, regulators and scholars alike, due to its distinctive footprint on people, profit and planet, particularly in the context of developing economies. Design/methodology/approach A model with two second-order constructs is developed and tested in a sample of 325 managers from manufacturing firms in Ecuador, using quantitative and cross-section methods. Findings After obtaining adjusted and validated metrics, a structural equation model is presented, where the main hypothesis is confirmed, supporting the positive impact of green innovation on competitiveness. Practical implications The research provides evidence on how manufacturing firms favoring green innovation in their long-term planning can unlock and sustain competitiveness. Policymakers could then offer incentives for firms to embed sustainable practices, with potential ripple effects along the supply chain, aggregating up competitiveness to industry and national levels. Originality/value The study aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap on the interplay of green innovation and competitiveness, claiming that the former significantly influences the latter, in an emerging market context, with incremental gains for all stakeholders, as posited by stakeholder theory. 1552101 1536-5433 2024-07-09T07:11:50.581Z 44 no 46 Carmen Paola Padilla-Lozano ECOTEC University, Ecuador Jodie Padilla-Lozano University of Buenos Aires person Giovanni Efraín Reyes Ortiz Universidad del Rosario, Bogota person Pablo Collazzo University for Continuing Education Krems person 2024-06-24 application/pdf 574471 https://door.donau-uni.ac.at/o:4638 no yes 16 70 1552253 Emerald Publishing