Level : Chartered Qualification in HRM

Unit Code : CQ-EXPT U10

Session : Green HRM

Name & Index No: …………………………………………

Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka (Inc)

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Unit Title Green HRM

Level Chartered Intermediate in HRM

Competency Sustainability Focus

Unit Code CQ-EXPT U10

Unit Review Date 12th July 2021

Purpose and aim of the unit

This unit provides knowledge on the concept and definition of Green HRM, and its relationship to
sustainability. The unit also explains how Green HRM supports sustainability and the preservation of
the natural environment. The unit further provides knowledge on how all activities of an organization
must be green oriented with all employees collectively and actively carrying out work in line with Green
HRM policies. The unit also explains the concept of driving all HRM key results areas using the Green
HRM concept.

Learning Outcomes
On the completion of this unit students will;

 Conceptualize and define Green HRM and its importance to organizational and societal
sustainability.
 Demonstrate overall knowledge of Green HRM concepts and methods of enforcing Green HRM in
organizations.
 Analyze the benefits of Green HRM in preserving natural resources for the benefit of the future
generation.
 Critically evaluate the process of using the Green HRM concept to deliver HR results in line with
all HRM key results areas.
 Evaluate how Green HRM drives overall organizational work processes through employees.

Assessment modes
 Classroom Presentation

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Contents
01. Introduction to Green HRM .......................................................................................................... 4

1.1 What is Green HRM .................................................................................................................. 4

1.2 Scope of Green HRM Policy..................................................................................................... 5

1.3 Advantages of Green HRM to organizations and society ......................................................... 6

02. Green HRM and Sustainability ..................................................................................................... 8

2.1 Green HRM Challenges for HR Managers .................................................................................... 8

2.2 Green HRM practices for sustainability ......................................................................................... 8

2.3 Relationship between Green HRM, society and the natural environment ................................... 11

List of Table
Table 1. Green HRM functions and practices .......................................................................................... 9

List of Figures
Figure 1. Essence of Green Human Resource Management .................................................................... 4
Figure 2. Green HRM functions in the scope of Green HRM policy ...................................................... 6

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01. Introduction to Green HRM

1.1 What is Green HRM

Human Resource Management (HRM) is one of the important divisions of management. The beauty of
HRM is that it deals with the most valuable assets of the organization which is the human resource or
the employee. Human resource management (HRM) is the process of acquiring, training, appraising,
and compensating employees, and of attending to their labor relations, health and safety, and fairness
concerns (Dessler, 2017). ‘Green’ is synonymous with “environment”. In other words ‘green’ is a term
which is related to environment or ecofriendly activities. Then the concept called ‘Green HRM’ can
be described as HRM is blended with environmental aspects. Refer to Figure 1. GHRM is directly
responsible in creating green workforce that understands, appreciates, and practices green initiative and
maintains its green objectives all throughout the HRM process of recruiting, hiring, training,
compensating, developing, and advancing the firms human capital (Mathapati, 2013).

Environmental
HRM aspects

Green Human Resource Management

(GHRM)

Figure 1. Essence of Green Human Resource Management

Definitions of Green Human Resource Management

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is the HRM practices aimed at promoting the
environmentally friendly use of resources, which will strengthen an organization’s environmental
performance, boost staff awareness, demonstrate a commitment to environmental management
problems (Tang et al. 2017).

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is the environmental (green) orientation of all human
resource functions or practices of an organization at all levels (Arulrajah and Opatha, 2016).

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1.2 Scope of Green HRM Policy
Human resource (employee) and the HRM functions are the foundation of any organization. One of the
main responsibilities of the HR manager or the HR professional is to plan and execute a Green HRM
policy. This is an eco-friendly policy to create a green atmosphere.

Green HR Policies are;

1. Green recruitment and selection

2. Green induction
3. Green training and development
4. Green performance management
5. Green reward management

Some components of Green HRM policy are explained next.

Green Recruitment and selection: “War for talent” is one of the biggest battles that the organizations
face today’s world. The reason is that attracting high-quality staff is a big HR challenge. In-order to
attract high-quality and talented staff, Siemens which is a German multinational conglomerate company,
use environmental activities and the green image. During the recruitment and selection process use less
paper is a green practice. For example, (1) Advertise through electronic media and conduct paperless
interviews; (2) Selecting a candidate with an environmental friendly mindset.

Green induction: The green employee induction program must be planned in a way, as it enables the
introduction of newly recruited employees into an organizational culture of green consciousness or
awareness. During the green induction it is essential to highlight the concern for green working
conditions, green organizational initiatives and green issues of employees i.e. employee’s health, safety.

Green training and development: Enhance the level of knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop eco-
friendly employee. The contents of the trainings should cater for increasing employee competencies and
knowledge on green management. Environment-related features such as energy efficiency, recycling
and waste management are the other essential points of green training. Training managers need to
conduct training programs with an eco-friendly manner. Example: paperless training, online course
material.

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Green Performance management: HR managers should integrate performance evaluations criteria to
safeguard environment management against any damage.

Green rewards management: Financial and non-financial rewards should be adjusted to reward green
skills acquisition and green achievement of the employee.

When it comes to the scope of the Green HRM policy it covers all the main Green HRM functions, i.e.
Green recruitment and selection, Green training and development, Green performance evaluation, Green
rewards management, Green disciplinary management, green health and safety and Green labour
relations. Refer to Figure 2.

Green recruitment
Green labour
and selection
relations

Green health and

Green training and
safety
development
Green HRM
functions

Green disciplinary Green performance

management evaluation

Green rewards
management

Figure 2. Green HRM functions in the scope of Green HRM policy

1.3 Advantages of Green HRM to organizations and society

In a broader sense Green HRM provide benefits for the individual, society, natural environment, and the
business. As the corporate world is going global, every business is experiencing a transfer from the
conventional financial structure to the modern economy which has a desire to explore green economic
facets of business. There the Green HRM plays a vital role. Some other advantages are given below.

Protecting the natural environment: This is a human quality of being environmentally friendly and
protect the Mother Nature for the future generation. Example 1: paperless recruitment and selection

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process or the paper less performance evaluation leads to save the trees. Example 2: encourage
employees, through training and development initiatives, to find ways to reduce the use of
environmentally damaging materials. Successful employees can be rewarded.

Enhance the organizational image: Green image is very important for an organization. This gains
when an organization concerns on protecting the environment during its functioning. An organization
that has green image can promote their environmental contributions to the media through press releases
to earn the attention from the customers, go for new sales opportunities and attract talented employees.

Conservation of energy: Through the green training and development an attitudinal change can be
made to energy conservation. Example: use 100% renewable energy, turn off computers and lights when
leaving the office.

Enhance profit: Above mention advantages such as green image and conservation of energy leads to
profit enhancement. For instance, reduction of utility costs considerably. Irrespective of the size of the
organization, every organization can considerably reduce their utility costs by using energy-efficient and
less wasteful technologies.

Increase the level of job satisfaction, employee engagement and organizational commitment:
Employees happy to work in an organization undertaking environment-friendly HR initiatives such as
paperless recruitment and selection, recycling and energy-efficient office spaces etc. Ultimate result is
high level of job performance, less absenteeism and retention.

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02. Green HRM and Sustainability
2.1 Green HRM Challenges for HR Managers

Shaban (2019) states that the concept of GHRM and green staffing is the concept which starts from entry
orientation until exit from the organization, apply green staffing is kind of go green is a global direction.
Shaban (2019) further states that the HR department in any organization has essential responsibly to
shape the policy targeted, direct the employee to the green perspective.

Shaban (2019) wrote:

“Literate give some potential for challenges facing GHRM, Deshwal in (2015) pointed out the following
challenges. (1) the difficulty of modifying or change employee behavior in a short time; (2) there is no
grantee that each employee will be motivated equality to the concept of GHRM; (3) to create the culture
support GHRM and force to implement can be burdensome and remaining process; (4) recruiting a
green talent employee can be a challenging job; (5) measuring the GHRM effectiveness employee
behavioral; (6) HR practitioners will be under stress since they are responsible to implement the process
of GHRM, selecting the suitable employee and will be expected to achieve it.”

2.2 Green HRM practices for sustainability

Dessler (2017) states that today’s emphasis on sustainability has important consequences for human
resource management. Sustainable development satisfies the needs of the present generation without
jeopardizing the ability of future generations to satisfy theirs (Report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development: Our Common Future, 2018). The view of Kramers et al. (2014) is that
sustainable development is intelligent, environmentally-friendly, based on the effective use of resources,
knowledge and innovation. When an organization is functioning, the organization has to use the
resources, may be water, oil and timber etc. Not only the organizations, when we live our day to day
life, we have to use resources. What we have to do is proper consumption or utilization of resources.
We have to think this world is not belonging to us. It is belonging to the future generation and all the
other living beings like animals as well. Here the green HRM also plays a vital role. Refer to Table 1
for Green HRM functions and practices.

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Table 1. Green HRM functions and practices

Green HRM Function Practices

Recruitment 1. Indicating or making transparent about organization’s environmental

performance (past and current) when communicating recruitment
messages.

2. Becoming a green employer or green employer of choice.

3. Including environmental criteria in the recruitment messages.

4. Communicating the employer’s concern about greening through

recruitment efforts.

5. Reflecting environmental policy and strategies of the organization in

its recruitment policy.

6. Expressing certain environmental values (e.g. be a part of the green

team of ABC. or we are a socially and environmentally responsible
employer) in the job advertisements of the company.

7. Expressing the preference of the organization to recruit candidates

who have competency and attitudes to participate in corporate
environmental management initiatives too in the recruitment message.

Selection 1. Considering candidates ‟environmental concern and interest as

selection criteria.

2. When interviewing candidates or evaluating them for selection, to ask

environment-related questions.

3. Selecting applicants who are sufficiently aware of greening to fill job

vacancies.

4. Selecting applicants who have been engaging in greening as

consumers under their private life domain.

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Green training and 1.Providing environmental training to the organizational members
development (employees and managers) to develop required skills and knowledge.

2.Providing environmental awareness training to create ‘environmental

awareness’ among the workforce.

Green performance 1. Incorporating corporate environmental management objectives and

management targets with the performance evaluation system of the organization.

2. Installing corporate-wide environmental performance standards.

3. Integrating green criteria in appraisals or evaluating employee’s job

performance according to green-related criteria.

4. Setting green targets, goals and responsibilities.

5. Providing regular feedback to the employees or teams to achieve

environmental goals or improve their environmental performance.

Green reward 1. Financially rewarding for employee good environmental

management performance.

2. Non-financially rewarding for employee good environmental

performance.

3. Team excellence awards for better environmental performance.

4. Introducing rewards for innovative environmental

initiative/performance.

5.Rewarding for green skills acquisition.

Source Adopted: Arulrajah and Opatha (2015)

Green recruitment refers to organizations’ emphasis on recruiting employees who are environmentally
oriented and willing to engage in environmental management activities in order to materialize their
environmental strategy (Yusliza et al. 2019). Green recruitment and selection process is essential to

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attract and select ‘green talent’. Green training and development is needed to train the existing workforce
as well as update the employees regarding the new knowledge, skills and attitudes on Greening.

In order to sustain good environmental performance, organizations must establish Environmental

Management Information Systems (EMIS) and environmental audits. Many organizations have
established environmental management information systems and environmental audits (Arulrajah and
Opatha, 2015). The view of Renwick et al. (2013) is that the managers must set green targets, goals and
responsibilities for their sections or divisions or departments, they should assess number of green
incidents, use of environment responsibility, and successful communication of environmental policy
within their scope of their operations. Opatha (2019) states that in order to improve health and safety of
employees, some companies have really created strategies (e.g. green factory/green zone) to maintain a
conducive environment to prevent various health problems.

2.3 Relationship between Green HRM, society and the natural environment

Top management commitment is considered to be one of the key capabilities in an organization that
assists in the development and implementation of corporate environmental practices. The concept of
sustainable development is based on the triple bottom i.e. people, planet and profit. GHRM saves natural
environment or the planet by energy saving initiatives and gaining a ‘green image’ company gain profit.
When the organization take initiatives to protect the natural environment or the mother nature through
green human resources practices as a whole it gives positive results to the society. Not only the present
generation will survive if we protect the environment, the future generations too.

When we talk about environmental management or concern towards the environmental impacts of
organizational operations, the term CSR also comes to mind. The view of Porter & Kramer (2006) and
Opatha (2019) is that CSR is a slightly broader concept, in that it not only encompasses activities related
to environmental management, but also involves the social and economic aspects of organizational
operations. CSR is concerned with a wider range of stakeholders, in that organizations have an
increasing need to place emphasis on adhering to sustainability requirements, such as the rising power
of consumers, activists, the media and non-governmental bodies. Therefore, CSR is not synonymous for
sustainability.

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References

Anton Arulrajah, A. and Opatha, H. H. D. N. P. (2016). “Analytical and Theoretical Perspectives

on Green Human Resource Management: A Simplified Underpinning”. International Business
Research, Vol. 9, No. 12, pp. 153-164.

Arulrajah, A. A., Opatha, H. H. D. N. P., & Nawaratne, N. N. J. (2015). Green human resource
management practices: A review. Sri Lankan Journal of Human Resource Management, 5(1).

Dessler, G. (2017). Human resource management twelfth edition. Pearson.

Kramers, A., Höjer, M., Lövehagen, N., & Wangel, J. (2014). Smart sustainable cities–exploring ICT
solutions for reduced energy use in cities. Environmental Modelling & Software, 56, 52–62.

Mathapati, C. M. (2013). Green HRM: A strategic facet. Tactful Management Research Journal, 2(2),
1–6.

Opatha, H.H.D.N.P. (2019). Sustainable Human Resource Management: Expanding Horizons of HRM.
University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Porter, Michael, and Mark Kramer. 2006. “Strategy and Society.” Harvard Business Review 84: 78–
92.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1739/htm

Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future. Available
online: http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf (accessed on 21 December 2019).

Renwick, D.W.S. Redman, T. and Maguire, S. (2013), Green Human Resource Management: A Review,
and Research Agenda, International Journal of Management Review, Vol. 15, pp. 1-14.

Shaban, S. (2019). Reviewing the Concept of Green HRM (GHRM) and Its Application Practices (Green
Staffing) with Suggested Research Agenda: A Review from Literature Background and Testing
Construction Perspective. International Business Research, 12(5), 86-94.

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Tang, G., Chen, Y., Jiang, Y., Paille, P. and Jia, J. (2017), “Green human resource management
practices: scale development and validity”, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 56 No. 1,
pp. 31-55.

Yusliza, M. Y., Norazmi, N. A., Jabbour, C. J. C., Fernando, Y., Fawehinmi, O., & Seles, B. M. R. P.
(2019). Top management commitment, corporate social responsibility and green human resource
management. Benchmarking: An International Journal.

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