The Role of Green Human Resource Management in Cultivating Eco-Leadership and Organizational Sustainability

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56830/IJGMBS06202504

Keywords:

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM), Eco-Leadership, , Organizational Sustainability, Climate Change Adaptation, Low-Carbon Strategies, Environmental Governance

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of GHRM practices in developing eco-leadership and achieving organizational sustainability amidst worsening climate concerns. The impact of climate change as a driver for sustainable transformation and practice compliance is both multi-dimensional and intricate, spanning economic, social, environmental, and governance (ESG) considerations. This research underscores GHRM as the most vital catalyst to foster corporate awareness for the culture of sustainability along with behavior modification among the employees to act in concert with set green objectives of the corporation. It explores how emerging changes in both strategic management and organizational behavior are witnessing a shift from profit-centric to climate-empowered paradigms that view employees as changemakers. It also investigates how certain policy regulations like climate whistleblowing, recruiting and training green employees, and high-performance low carbon pay prevents emissions while creating competitive edges. This study arguing the need to treat sustainability more at the behavioral layer proposes that GHRM must be placed at the center of strategies on reducing climate change. adaptive reorganization responding to changing governance frameworks and long-term eco-strategic governance makeable rational planning.

References

Ahmad, F., Hossain, M. B., Mustafa, K., Ejaz, F., Khawaja, K. F., & Dunay, A. (2023). Green HRM practices and knowledge sharing improve environmental performance by raising employee commitment to the environment. Sustainability, 15(6), 5040. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065040

Ahmad, S., Islam, T., Sadiq, M., & Kaleem, A. (2021). Promoting green behavior through ethical leadership: a model of green human resource management and environmental knowledge. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 42(4), 531-547. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2020-0024

Al Doghan, M. A., Abdelwahed, N. A., Soomro, B. A., & Ali Alayis, M. M. (2022). Organizational environmental culture, environmental sustainability and performance:

the mediating role of green HRM and green innovation. Sustainability, 14(12), 7510.

Amini, M. Y., Tang, Z., & Besharat, A. (2024). Greening university practices: empowering eco-conscious behavior, transforming sustainable culture, and shaping greener institutional awareness through strategic green HRM initiatives. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 13(1), 232-251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v13i1.3149

Amjad, F., Abbas, W., Zia-Ur-Rehman, M., Baig, S. A., Hashim, M., Khan, A., et al. (2021). Effect of green human resource management practices on organizational sustainability: the mediating role of environmental and employee performance. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11307-9

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 28191-28206.

Bhardwaj, B., Sharma, D., & Chand, M. (2025). Ensuring sustainability through green HRM practices: a review, synthesis and research avenues. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 12(1), 57-90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-10-2023-0493

Chaiyakhet, W., Tepsongkhro, P., & Ratsameemonthon, C. (2023). Eco-leadership: Leveraging knowledge sharing and hid-ing for sustainable performance excellence. JABS, 9(4), 219-234. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20474/jabs-9.4.3

Fang, L., Shi, S., Gao, J., & Li, X. (2022). The mediating role of green innovation and green culture in the relationship between green human resource management and environmental performance. Plos one, 17(9), e0274820. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274820

Frontier, T. (2021). Teaching with Clarity: How to Prioritize and Do Less So Students Understand More. ASCD.

Holtzschue, L. (2025). Understanding color: an introduction for designers. John Wiley & Sons.

Jacobs, P. (2018). Human Resources Strategies for Creating a Green Organizational Culture. Doctoral dissertation, Nelson Mandela University.

Justino Alves, M. J., Figueiredo, P., & Farinha, J. (2025). Developing Eco-Leadership in the Digital Age: Opportunities and Challenges. In The Multidisciplinary Conference on Intangibles (pp. 99-109). Cham: Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-86660-9_8

Kennedy, D. H. (2017). The role of business sustainability in human resource management: A study on Indian manufacturing companies. The South East Asian Journal of Management, 11(1), 5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21002/seam.v11i1.7739

Learmonth, M., & Morrell, K. (2021). Leadership’as a project: neoliberalism and the proliferation of ‘leaders. Organization Theory, 2(4), 26317877211036708. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/26317877211036708

Meltzer, B. N., & Petras, J. W. (2023). The Chicago and Iowa Schools of Sysbolic Interactionism. In Human nature and collective behavior, (pp. 3-17). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003420446-2

Mtembu, V. N. (2018). Greening is not a priority for human resource: Insights from human resource practitioners. Acta Commercii, 18(1), 1-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v18i1.577

Naya, P. T. (2022). The era of inclusivity: employees driving green human resource management toward sustainable prosperity.

Novita, D., Hidayatulloh, A. N., Renwarin, J. M., Santoso, R., & Mardikaningsih, R. (2022). Relationship Between Eco Transformational Leadership, Eco Training, and Employee Eco Behavior on Sustainable Corporate Performance of SMEs. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 900787. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.900787

Pastoureau, M. (2023). Blue: The history of a color. Princeton University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.5425895

Podgorodnichenko, N., Akmal, A., Edgar, F., & Everett, A. M. (2022). Sustainable HRM:

toward addressing diverse employee roles. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 44(3), 576-608.

Shah, A. (2023). Climate Change and Corporate Sustainability: A Management Review. Corpus Journal of Social Sciences & Management Review, 1(02), 70-79.

Shahzad, M. A., Jianguo, D., & Junaid, M. (2023). Impact of green HRM practices on sustainable performance: mediating role of green innovation, green culture, and green employees’ behavior. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(38), 8852488547. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28498-6

Sharma, C., Sakhuja, S., & Nijjer, S. (2022). Recent trends of green human resource management: Text mining and network analysis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(56), 84916-84935. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21471-9

Sumayya, U., Amen, U., & Hameed, I. (2023). Adapting to uncertainty: navigating the pandemic with green and traditional HR practices. Future Business Journal, 9(1), 81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-023-00260-x

Tahir, A. H., Umer, M., Nauman, S., Abbass, K., & Song, H. (2024). Sustainable development goals and green human resource management: A comprehensive review of environmental performance. Journal of Environmental Management, 370, 122495. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122495

Ubale, V. W. (2023). Green HRM: Environmental Sustainability Integration within HR Practices For SDG 13.

Yang, G., Nie, Y., Li, H., & Wang, H. (2023). Digital transformation and low-carbon technology innovation in manufacturing firms: The mediating role of dynamic capabilities. International Journal of Production Economics, 263, 108969. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2023.108969

Yoo, D. Y. (2024). Eco-Leadership in Action: Integrating Green HRM and the New Ecological Paradigm to Foster Organizational Commitment and Environmental Citizenship in the Hospitality Industry. Sustainability, (2071-1050), 16(20). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16209044

Downloads

Published

2026-02-20

Issue

Section

Articles