A Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Human Resource Management: Integrating Green Practices, Ethical Leadership, and Digital Resilience to Advance the SDGs

PurposeHuman misbehaviors are responsible for climate change as they waste resources and pollute water and air that dilapidate the environment. Considering the fact and contributing to the United Nations sustainable development goals of 2019, organizations started focusing their green HRM practices to develop employees' green attitudes and behaviors. This study is an attempt in this direction. It examines the impact of ethical leadership on individuals' green in-role and extra-role behaviors with the mediating role of green HRM practices and the moderating role of individual green values.Design/methodology/approachThe study collected data from 645 MBA executive students working in various manufacturing industries with at least one year of experience. The data were collected using a questionnaire-based survey in two-time lags.FindingsHypothesized relationships are tested through structural equation modeling. Findings reflected a significant impact of ethical leadership on green HRM practices, in-role, and extra-role green behaviors. Besides, green HRM practices mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and both types of green behaviors. Furthermore, it was observed that the individual green values strengthened the association between green HRM practices and both types of green behaviors.Research limitations/implicationsA cross-sectional design with time lags was used to avoid common method bias. The findings of the study contribute to supply-value-fit theory and validate the scale of individual green value.Practical implicationsThis study guides management that employees only perceive their organizational practices as green when they find their leaders are ethical. Further, considering individual green values in the recruitment process can help organizations accomplishing their green goals.Originality/valueThis study is novel in examining the mediating role of green HRM practices between ethical leadership and green behaviors. Further, the analysis not only validates the scale of individual green values but also noted its moderating role between green HRM and green behaviors.

The accelerating transition toward sustainable industries demands strategic human resource management that integrates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles with Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices. Despite global recognition, conceptual and operational integration between ESG and GHRM remains limited, particularly in Asia, where adoption rates and standardized performance indicators are still low. This study aims to identify and map international publication trends, thematic structures, and research gaps in ESG–GHRM integration, while proposing a conceptual framework to guide future research and practice. Employing a systematic literature review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA 2020 protocol and supported by bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, the study synthesizes findings from 26 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025, retrieved from Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The bibliometric mapping reveals five dominant thematic clusters: green recruitment, green training, green performance appraisal, pro-environmental employee behavior, and ESG-linked sustainability performance. Emerging research directions include the role of green transformational leadership, digital transformation in sustainable HRM, and culturally grounded leadership models such as Mo’odelo Leadership. Findings indicate that strong GHRM adoption correlates positively with environmental commitment, organizational adaptability, and innovation in sustainability practices. However, research gaps remain in addressing the social and governance dimensions of ESG, developing standardized measurement frameworks, and expanding studies to underrepresented regions such as Southeast Asia. The study contributes to theory by providing evidence-based recommendations for aligning HR policies with sustainability goals. These insights hold significant implications for policymakers, industry leaders, and scholars in fostering resilient, ethically governed, and environmentally responsible organizations

Purpose: This study proposes a conceptual model integrating ecological and inclusive perspectives within sustainable human resource management (SHRM). It introduces a novel framework that bridges gaps in the literature by integrating ecological sustainability and social inclusivity dimensions to enhance SHRM practices. Design/Methodology/Approach: A systematic literature review synthesizes Green HRM practices and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. The framework is built around three dimensions: ecological sustainability, social inclusivity, and integrated sustainability. Findings: The model demonstrates the synergies between ecological and inclusive practices in SHRM. It shows how Green HRM and DEI enhance employee engagement, organizational resilience, and sustainability performance. The study highlights the uniqueness of integrating ecological and inclusive dimensions in achieving comprehensive sustainability, offering a theoretical advancement in SHRM frameworks. Practical Implications: The framework provides a roadmap for organizations to implement sustainability initiatives, including eco-friendly recruitment, inclusive green training, and equitable work policies. Addressing environmental and social goals simultaneously improves organizational performance and employee well-being. Originality/Value: This research introduces a novel framework that integrates ecological and inclusive dimensions into SHRM. It is the first to emphasize the interplay between Green HRM and DEI as foundational components of sustainable HR practices, providing both theoretical and practical contributions.

Purpose This study aims to examine how Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM) is changing and how it affects businesses in different sectors. This review analyzes how SHRM incorporates environmental, social, and economic sustainability into workforce management by drawing insights from key influential studies. It highlights important trends like data-driven decision-making, corporate social responsibility (CSR), green human resource management (HRM) and sustainable leadership. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review approach, this paper examines recent studies on SHRM in a variety of industries, including as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), health care, construction and tourism. This study looks at how businesses apply sustainability ideas to HRM procedures and how these adjustments affect sustainability and company performance. Findings The results demonstrate how SHRM practices influence organizational efficiency and long-term sustainability. Green HRM policies like environmentally friendly recruitment, the use of sustainability training and environmentally sustainable employee engagement practices indicate positive transformation. At the same time, SHRM is paramount to CSR, ethical employment practices and leadership policies oriented toward sustainable development. The focus of this research has also shown the impact of SHRM on sustainability reporting and how decision-making can be enhanced through the use of business intelligence tools. Moreover, sustainable initiatives to foster tourism, as well as innovations in health care or other SMEs, are possible through SHRM. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to systematically examine the evolving role of SHRM across multiple industries. By synthesizing insights from ten key studies, it provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how SHRM integrates sustainability principles into workforce management. This research offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners on the impact of SHRM on corporate sustainability, ethical employment and organizational innovation.

PurposeOver time, sustainability and human resource management (HRM) have become inseparable. The duo involves applying the multifaceted idea of sustainability and the United Nations' (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) to people and work organizations. Lately, green human resource management (GHRM) has emerged as a distinct area to explore organizational initiatives, aimed at sustainable practices. Despite the potential growth of literature in specified domains, there is a dearth of studies focused on synthesizing the literature from sustainability and organizational performance views. The present study aims to review and synthesize extant literature on sustainable and green HRM and their role in organizational performance and propose a future research agenda.Design/methodology/approachThe present study is based on the review of 65 articles on sustainable and green HRM. Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Review (SPAR-4-SLR) and theory, characteristics, context and methodology (TCCM) framework have been applied to synthesize the results. Scopus is used as a major database for retrieving the articles. The publications for this research are selected using CABS ranking (4*, 4 and 3) as the criterion.FindingsApplication of the TCCM framework and synthesis of the literature revealed that the introduction of SDGs and emphasis on sustainability has reinvigorated research interest in sustainable HRM and tremendous research being published post-SDGs adoption. GHRM plays an important role in affecting organizational performance The results also revealed the widespread use of resource-based perspective, social identity theory, A-M-O and social exchange theory. Additionally, the quantitative approach has been largely employed for GHRM research. Future research can be undertaken by employing a qualitative approach as current literature due to the dearth of qualitative approaches in contemporary literature.Practical implicationsThis study advances the body of knowledge by offering a unified conceptual framework and surfaces the latest trends and future directions in this domain. A conceptual framework can be empirically tested in future studies. The study identifies antecedents, moderators, mediators and outcomes of GHRM. The application of these variables can practically help in achieving sustainability and organizational effectiveness. It can further align organizational efforts toward the achievement of sustainable development goals. The concept establishes the role of GHRM in organizational performance.Originality/valueDespite the growing literature in the domain of GHRM, knowledge remains diverse and piecemeal. Anchored by several theoretical lenses, the concept of GHRM is a fragmented phenomenon. As a result, this Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is critical in identifying gaps and bringing to light various theories that can enhance the domain's theoretical lens. The role of antecedents, moderators and mediators of GHRM in affecting organizational performance has been established. Furthermore, by synthesizing the methods used to get authentic and robust results, the piece of research will serve as a guide for future researchers.

PurposeThere is a growing need to promote and practice sustainable HRM to foster greener organizations with trained employees who have an attitude and behavior to preserve depleting resources. The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance of sustainable green human resource management (Green HRM) practices along with organizational identification (OI) as a mediating factor and perceived organizational support (POS) as a moderating factor.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative methodology was used, and the data were collected from 311 employees working in telecommunication organizations located in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Results of the study are based on the structural equation modeling technique using Smart-PLS.FindingsFindings revealed that OI proved to be a significant positive mediator between Green HRM and organizational citizenship behaviors for the environment. POS also proved to be a significant moderator on the relationship between Green HRM and OI.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to the two cities of Pakistan; future studies can focus on more cities so that the results can be more generalized.Practical implicationsThis study will especially be useful for HR practitioners to develop mechanisms to initiate and encourage sustainable HR practices.Social implicationsOrganizations’ positive position is established through the inculcation of green activities among their employees. Thus, a sense of responsibility and attachment among employees toward green behavior makes them good citizens. It also works well for their organization as well as for the environment. Moreover, it preserves environmental resources and helps ensure sustainability.Originality/valueThe research paper was aimed at exploring the importance of sustainable Green HRM practices in a developing country like Pakistan.

The main feature of the new economic era is the use of network technology, information technology and other economic material means, under the guidance of the age of knowledge, the scientific and technological force as an important productivity of social and economic development. At present, China has entered an era of rapid economic development, and all sectors of society pay more and more attention to human resource management, which provides support for the sustainable development of enterprises. Sustainable human resource management (Sustainable HRM) refers to ideas and practices of human resource management that can bring long-term competitive advantages to organizations, by enabling them to achieve sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. This paper aims to explore the dimension of Sustainable HRM and develop the measure scale and test the construct validation. Based on the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the researchers conducted qualitative interviews and also used open questionnaires with 103 corporate managers and employees to obtain their insights on the significance, structure, and ingredients of sustainable HRM under the background of emerging economies. Previous research in the field along with the interview and questionnaire responses were coded and analyzed in order to prepare a preliminary, 25-item scale for measuring sustainable methods of HRM. This initial scale was tested in a study involving 243 participants, and exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the results. The findings shows that sustainable HRM has two dimensions, named sustainable HRM ideas and practice. An adjusted scale was created for measuring two dimensions of sustainable HRM: namely, the ideas (7 items) and practices (5 items) of sustainable HRM. This study finds that sustainable HRM has two dimensions: principles or ideas of sustainable HRM and practice of sustainable HRM. The scale is intended to provide a reference point for attempts to expand sustainable HRM, by clarifying directions for research on and development of sustainable HRM. The two-dimensional scale of sustainable HRM developed in this study can prompt companies to pay equal attention to “knowledge” and “action”, and to implement the concept of sustainable HRM into HRM policies. Along both dimensions, the reliability and validity of the adjusted scale have reached a good level, and confirmatory factor analysis supports the structural validity of the scale.

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the mechanisms through which green HRM practices foster green creativity among employees. Specifically, it tests a conceptual model linking green HRM practices to green creativity, with employee thriving at work as a mediator and creative leadership as a moderator strengthening the links.Design/methodology/approachThe study collected survey data from 319 employees working in the financial, internet and IT sectors in the developed coastal regions of China. The conceptual model and hypotheses were tested using this sample focused on sustainability-oriented sectors based in regions with imperative ecological needs and priorities.FindingsThe findings indicate that thriving at work (characterized by vitality and learning) mediates between green HRM practices and green creativity. In addition, creative leadership was found to moderate the impact of green HRM on both thriving and green creativity, including the indirect effects through thriving.Originality/valueThe study breaks new ground by being the first to examine the mediation of thriving at work and the moderation of creative leadership in connecting green HRM to green creativity. It develops and tests an integrated theoretical framework that combines insights from self-determination theory and creative leadership theory, situates the research in the timely and relevant context of China’s developed coastal areas and key industries and offers new insights and practical implications for fostering green creativity and aligning organizational strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development) “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’. However, many organizations focus on short-term profits while the contribution of human resource management towards sustainable development is pushed to the margins. Intensive labour practices, poor working conditions and poor work systems in Kenya are some of the issues that have been found not to contribute towards sustainability in organizations and in keeping with the 8th sustainable development goal of Promoting “sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. Lack of focus on sustainable human resource management practices will make it difficult for Kenya to achieve Vision 2030 as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-goals). Sustainable Human Resource management focuses on managing the people resources in an organization so as to achieve long-term sustainable goals that not only benefit the organization but also the society and the environment at large. This Paper is a literature review and analysis on sustainable Human Resource Management and its benefits to the employees, their families and society at large by exploring sustainable HR practices, sustainable work systems and sustainable resource management that also provide for the sustainable performance of organizations in keeping with the need for corporate sustainability. The paper also explores reporting on sustainable HRM practices as part of corporate sustainability reporting in Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed firms

Sustainable human resource management (SHRM) has emerged as a critical strategy for enhancing organizational performance by fostering employee well-being and corporate reputation. This research investigates the influence of sustainable human resource management (SHRM) practices on employee happiness, company reputation, and business performance, with a particular emphasis on Bangladesh’s banking industry. Data from 201 frontline employees (FLEs) at 20 private commercial banks (PCBs) was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that SHRM practices improve employee satisfaction (β=0.360, P<0.01) and corporate reputation (β=0.261, P<0.01), leading to improved financial performance. Work-life balance, reasonable HR practices, and possibilities for advancement are all important motivators. The study uses PLS-SEM because it is effective at assessing complicated associations with small to medium-sized samples, providing a thorough investigation of mediating effects. While the findings are specific to the banking sector, they are applicable to other sectors looking to incorporate sustainability into HRM initiatives. Adopting HRM frameworks that prioritize long-term employee well-being, corporate social responsibility, and ethical leadership may help businesses maintain a competitive edge. These findings add to the expanding discussion on sustainable HRM by highlighting its practical advantages to corporate performance. Future study might look at cross-industry comparisons or expand the analysis outside Bangladesh to offer a more comprehensive view.

Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM) integrates environmental sustainability into core HR practices. It goes beyond just business operations and promotes eco-friendly practices throughout the organization. Green HRM encompasses the entire employee lifecycle, from attracting environmentally conscious talent during recruitment to influencing employee behavior through training and performance management. By effectively implementing Green HRM practices, organizations can not only reduce their carbon footprint through practices like reduced paper usage or energy-efficient buildings, but also cultivate a more environmentally responsible workforce. This can lead to significant benefits like cost savings and attracting top talent who value sustainability, ultimately enhancing the organization's reputation. However, challenges like initial investment costs or employee resistance can arise during implementation. Green HRM has emerged as a critical concept in recent times, seamlessly integrating ecological management with practices in business, urbanization, and industrialization. Its core focus lies in managing human resources effectively while ensuring good working conditions. Green HRM procedures are strategically designed to minimize the carbon footprint of both individual employees and the organization itself. This extends beyond just carbon reduction, as Green HRM also plays a vital role in encouraging employees to conserve resources, participate in waste management initiatives, and contribute to pollution control efforts. The growing importance of Green HRM necessitates increased awareness among companies regarding its multifaceted capabilities. Striking a balance between ecological sustainability and effective human resource management has become crucial. Businesses are now recognizing the significance of considering not just financial gains, but also the social and environmental impacts of their operations to ensure long-term sustainability. This growing recognition has recently captured the attention of academic researchers and practitioners, leading to a surge in scholarly studies on the subject. This research paper delves into Green HRM practices within organizations, drawing insights from a comprehensive analysis of current literature. The aim is to explore the importance of Green HRM concepts, practices, and strategies while acknowledging the challenges faced by businesses and other organizations in implementing them. By utilizing established research methodologies, the study will observe, collect, and analyze contemporary research on Green Human Resource Management, providing valuable insights into this evolving field.

This study examines the influence of ethical leadership on corporate sustainability and financial performance, highlighting the moderating effect of firms’ commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilizing panel data from 420 automotive companies spanning 2015 to 2024, the analysis applies the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to control for endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. All data were gathered from the Refinitiv Eikon Platform (LSEG) and annual reports. Panel GMM regression is used to estimate the relationship to deal with the endogeneity problem. The results reveal that ethical leadership significantly improves corporate sustainability performance—measured by ESG scores from Refinitiv Eikon and Bloomberg—as well as financial indicators like Return on Assets (ROA) and Tobin’s Q. Additionally, firms that demonstrate breadth (the range of SDG-related themes addressed), concentration (the distribution of non-financial disclosures across SDGs), and depth (the overall volume of SDG-related information) in their SDG disclosures gain greater advantages from ethical leadership, resulting in enhanced ESG performance and higher market valuation. This study offers valuable insights for corporate leaders, policymakers, and investors on how integrating ethical leadership with SDG alignment can drive sustainable and financial growth.

correlation of human capital sustainability leadership style and resilience of the managers in airline operations group of an AIRLINE Company

This empirical investigation investigates the strategic incorporation of environmental leadership development and training in green skills within sustainable human resource management (Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM)) frameworks, addressing a significant gap in contemporary organizational development literature. This study develops and validates a comprehensive implementation framework for environmental leadership programs and training in green skills initiatives through a rigorous mixed-method research design, incorporating quantitative data from 250 organizations and qualitative insights from 25 sustainability leaders. This study investigates the strategic integration of environmental leadership development and green skills training within Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM) frameworks. Through a mixed-methods approach, we developed and validated a comprehensive implementation framework. Our findings reveal a significant correlation between integrated environmental leadership programs and enhanced organizational performance, leading to improved ecological performance and employee engagement. We propose the Environmental Leadership and Green Skills Integration (ELGSI) Model, a novel framework to guide organizations in developing environmental capabilities. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding and practical application of SHRM, offering evidence-based guidelines for practitioners. Keywords : Sustainable HRM, Environmental Leadership, Green Skills, Corporate Sustainability, Leadership Development.

Purpose Higher education institutions play a pivotal role in addressing global challenges and cultivating responsible, sustainable practices among future leaders and professionals. However, some institutions emphasize actions without fully integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their foundational documents. This study aims to actively examine the extent to which universities in both developed and developing countries incorporate SDGs into their foundational documents. The investigation assesses the presence and articulation of SDGs, representing a crucial step toward fostering a culture of sustainability within universities. This is essential for promoting environmentally responsible behavior, ethical leadership and social awareness among students and young scientists, benefiting both society and the planet. Design/methodology/approach The authors employed a descriptive-comparative research design, conducting content analysis to ascertain the integration of SDGs within foundational documents of universities in both developed and developing countries. The authors selected academic documents from 12 countries and established keywords for each SDG to identify references. Statistical analyses, which included frequency tables, along with qualitative analysis, highlighted the similarities and differences among the documents. Findings The analysis of universities’ foundational documents revealed significant insights into the integration of the SDGs. Notably, SDG 4 (Quality Education) emerged as the most frequently mentioned goal, appearing in a substantial 66.7% of the documents, while SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) followed closely at 50.8%. In contrast, SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) received minimal attention and were notably missing in the documents. Furthermore, the research highlighted varying degrees of SDG integration in different types of documents, with strategic plans exhibiting a presence rate of 28%, while codes of ethics lagged behind at 11.3%. Qualitative analysis further revealed an intriguing dichotomy: universities in developed countries provided detailed insights into their SDG initiatives, while those in developing countries mentioned the goals without delving into specific actions. Originality/value These findings underscore the imperative for a more consistent and robust commitment to sustainability and ethical leadership within higher education institutions. This is particularly crucial for universities in developing nations, as it fosters environmentally responsible behavior and social awareness among students, faculty, staff and university leaders, benefiting both society and the planet.