Abstract
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and green leadership play crucial roles in fostering sustainable business practices worldwide. These initiatives not only tackle social and environmental issues through green innovation but also boost business recognition, economic benefits, and competitiveness. This research explores the impact of CSR and green leadership on green innovation and their effect on the competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within India's diverse economic environment. Data was gathered from 116 SMEs across different sectors in India using a convenience sampling approach. The study employed Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4 software to analyze the relationships among CSR activities, environmentally aware leadership, and business competitiveness. Results show a significant positive relationship between CSR efforts, green leadership, and SME competitiveness. This finding highlights the importance of incorporating CSR and green leadership into SME strategic planning to improve market positioning and resilience. These findings hold substantial implications for businesses and policymakers. Businesses should consider CSR and green leadership as strategic priorities, while policymakers should create supportive environments through incentives, support systems, and regulations that enforce responsible business practices. Despite limitations like sample size and potential response bias, the study emphasizes the need for more research to examine industry-specific details and regional differences.