Anoop

CONTENTS
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Chapter 1 Introduction
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Today everyone is concerned with environmental issues as they influence all human
activities. One business area where environmental issues have received a great deal of
discussion is training of human resource for green organisations with the natural
environment management and employees have already begun to modify their
behaviour in an attempt to address society‘s new concerns.
This chapter deals with introduction of Human resource management, Corporate
social Responsibility and Green Human Resource Management (GHRM). GHRM is a
novel concept and indeed has a great potential to serve the individual, society and
business. This Chapter seeks to provide a theoretical framework concerning
environmental management and its evolution and the ‗greening‘ of the functional and
competitive dimensions of human resource management.
1.1 Introduction
The United Nation‘s World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
called for a report in the 1990‘s to investigate the condition of the world‘s resources.
The report by Brundtland highlighted the importance of HRM to build a sustainable
competitive advantage. It is acknowledged within the report that it is difficult to
transform traditional policies, processes and practices without developing and
converting the attitudes of an organization‘s workforce (Brundtland, 1987). The
Brundtland report defines sustainable development as – development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs‖ (Brundtland, 1987). This definition has become one of the most cited
sustainability definitions within current environmental literature. The emotive
sentiment generated from the findings of the report has motivated a number of
contemporaneous interpretations of sustainability, as well as significantly influencing
the emergence of contemporary management constructs within the green management
domain (Dubois and Dubois, 2012; Johnson, 2006; Lis, 2012; Ones and Dilchert,
2012b).
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Chapter Introduction
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Green HRM began its journey through the milieu of green management applications,
in order to address the growing concern from corporate stakeholders (Roberts, 1992),
in response to the negative impacts of organizational operations on the environment
(Waddock, 2004). By embracing green management policies and strategies, and
Green HRM practices and processes, firms are expected to receive direct and
peripheral gains such as improved sales, productivity gains and competitive
advantages (Wee and Quazi, 2005). In addition, advantageous employee behaviors
(Shultz and Holbrook, 1999; Vandermerwe and Oliff, 1990) and increases in
corporate efficiencies including improvements in water and energy usage and waste
reduction (Klassen and McLaughlin, 1996), are likely to occur.
As it is employees who are the agents that implement organizational green policies, it
is necessary for organizations to promote and ultimately seek to manage and change
employee behavior so that they are aligned with organizational green goals (Anderton
and Jack, 2011; Daily, Bishop and Govindarajulu, 2009; Ones and Dilchert, 2012a).
Increasingly, organizations are considering the adoption of Green HRM practices, i.e.
‗HRM aspects of green management‘, to promote employee green behavior in the
workplace (Renwick et al., 2013). However, despite increasing levels of academic
literature conceptualizing the anticipated correlations between Green HRM and
employee green workplace behavior (e.g. Jackson and Seo, 2010; Kumari, 2012;
Renwick et al., 2013), this linkage has not yet been sufficiently empirically explored.
A number of studies, such as Jabbour and his colleagues (e.g. Jabbour and Santos,
2008; Jabbour, Santos and Nagano, 2008), along with papers published in a special
issue of Human Resource Management Journal, 51(6), 2012, have examined the
contributions of HRM practices to organizational environmental performance. A
small number of empirical studies, such as Harvey et al. (2013) and Paillé et al.
(2014), have revealed that Green HRM and HRM policies and practices are related to
individual-level employee pro-environmental behavior. However, the Harvey et al.
(2013) research is an undersized case study, with the extent of the sample limited in
its ability to adequately validate the effect of Green HRM on employee green
workplace behavior. The Paillé et al. (2014) study focused on general HRM, rather
than Green HRM, so again it does not increase our understanding of the effects of
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Green HRM on employee green workplace outcomes. Therefore, our understanding of

the what, how, why and when of "Green HRM" influences employee green (or non-
green) workplace behavior, remains largely unknown.
As highlighted by Dubois and Dubois (2012), the need for firms to engage with
environmental sustainability strategies is due to three key pressures: declining
resources, increasing pressures and expectations from multiple stakeholders and
radical transparency from media, activists and NGOs. Dubois and Dubois (2012) add
that when environmental sustainability policies, processes and practices are fully
embedded in an organization ―it pervades the thinking and behavior of employees
who then choose to go beyond compliance with new rules and norms to participate in
innovating job-related changes in work processes, set-up, and product and service
design‖.
However, the challenge for organizations is to get all employees on the same green
bandwagon‘. Without a more targeted facilitation of HR policies, processes and
practices, firms will most likely struggle to achieve their green goals and targets as
highlighted within organizational sustainability agendas.
1.2 The Emergence of Green HRM

This section deals with the emergence of Green HRM by describing the history of
Green Movement, Corporate Social Responsibility and evolution of Human Resource
Management.
1.2.1 The ‘Green Movement’
From the early 1960‘s through to the mid 1970‘s, the social movement and a public
advocacy agenda (i.e. civil rights, women‘s rights and the environmental movement)
were comprehensively established (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). This movement was
spawned from social activists and scholars in response to the perception of corporate
manipulation within the domains of environmental recklessness and political
engagement (Waddock, 2004). From the advent of these socially motivated
movements, arose an increased awareness by the public of the effects of
environmental degradation caused by corporate operations. In addition, the
establishment of a politically motivated
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lobby group that began to counteract the perceived power that companies were
exerting over public interest agendas (Jabbour and Santos, 2008; Vandermerwe and
Oliff, 1990; Waddock, 2004). It is plausible to assume that it was these socially driven
movements and ensuing environmental agendas that influenced multinational
companies and domestic firms‘ willingness to respond with policies and practices
designed to protect the environment, employees, consumers and the public. Since the
emergence of these socially motivated factions, corporations have progressively
responded by espousing environmentally targeted corporate policies that are integral
to commercial planning. These revised agendas ultimately reflect business visions,
strategies, policies and decisions (Waddock, 2004).
Despite observable progress in corporate attitudes toward environmental policy

implementation due to the aforementioned activism, organizations are under constant
pressure from a range of stakeholders both internal and external to the firm (Berry and
Rondinelli, 1998; Jackson, Renwick, Jabbour and Muller-Camen, 2011; Teixeira,
Jabbour and Jabbour, 2012). As a result, not only are firms seeking ways to reduce the
direct impacts of their operational activities (example - excessive waste, energy
usage) but also alternative ways of managing and building the capabilities of their
human capital, encouraging and implementing corporate best practices and further
improving operational efficiencies.
1.2.2 Human Resource Management
Employees are being progressively recognised as valuable assets in organisations,

through their contributions to firm performance (Luthans and Youssef, 2004; Zutshi
and Sohal, 2003). Organisations need to diversify their strategies and invest in the
people management side of their company, in order to tap into a value adding
resource to boost a firm‘s competitive advantage (Luthans and Youssef, 2004).
Leading executives Carly Fiorina, (former) Senior Executive of Hewlett-Packard, and
Bill Gates of Microsoft (cited in Luthans and Youssef, 2004), claim that ―the most
magical and tangible and ultimately the most important ingredient in the transformed
landscape is people‘ and ‗our most important asset walks out the door every night‖.
Since the mid 2000‘s, key academics and psychologists have been actively calling for
pioneering research into how organisations can effectively promote and achieve pro-
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1environmental attitudes and employee green behaviors (Jabbour, 2011; Jackson and
Seo, 2010; Renwick, Redman and Maguire, 2008). Green HRM has been identified as
a likely emancipator of such employee level outcomes. Despite these calls for studies
into this newly established HRM related concept, there is still an absence of
formalised HRM research that targets the role of HR and its latent influence over
employee green related behaviors and attitudes aimed at achieving corporate
sustainability targets (Ehnert and Harry, 2012; Jabbour, 2011; Robertson and Barling,
2013). Human resource management is defined as ―a set of distinct but interrelated
activities, functions and processes that are directed at attracting, developing, and
maintaining (or disposing of) a firm‘s human resources‖ (Lado and Wilson, 1994).
It is widely accepted in the literature that a positive correlation exists between HRM
practices and organizational performance (Ahmad and Schroeder, 2003; Chartered
Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 2001; Huselid, 1995). Buchan (2004)
suggests for firms to achieve organizational objectives and desirable employee
outcomes, that there needs to be a distinctive ‗fit‘ and congruence between a
corporation‘s HRM approach and the characteristics of the organisation, as well as its
values, ethics and priorities. The effectiveness of this association plays a key role in
the implementation and accomplishment of CSR and EM directives (Carmona-
Moreno, Cespedes-Lorente and Martinez-del-Rio, 2012; Govindarajulu and Daily,
2004; Jackson and Seo, 2010).
Jabbour and Santos (2008) claim that the value of HRM in the application of
organizational sustainability policy is because:
1) The general functions of HR have the potential to advance sustainability within

the scope of an organisation and its policies
2) Contemporary HRM and organisations pursuing sustainable operations, require

the implementation of long term strategies and programs that extrapolate
economic performance objectives
3) Sustainability is considered a ‗current‘ paradigm of HRM and
4) Present day HRM needs to have effective processes in order to meet the
demands of multiple stakeholders.
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Lee (2009) claims that HRM and green management initiatives and objectives require
employees to be environmentally aware and highly trained in both technical and
management skills, as corporations will be developing innovative environmental
processes that will have considerable management implications. The role of HRM is to
ensure that targeted training programs are developed and designed to increase the
awareness of employees to the importance of environmental initiatives, as well as
conducting training programs that develop technical, operational and management
competencies (Daily and Huang, 2001). According to Lee (2009), implementing these
developmental programs is essential if firms are to successfully cultivate
environmental innovations.
Green HRM therefore, could be considered to be a component of green management,

in that its policies, processes and activities are constructed from within a management
strategy designed to achieve environmentally related outcomes. Lee (2009) suggests
that the initiation of Green HRM was to address ways that firms can both improve
environmental outcomes related to EM and CSR, but at the same time consider the
financial and strategic opportunities that Green HRM offers (Lee, 2009). Human resource
management‘s distinct approach to people management and the anticipated influence
that people management strategies are likely to exert over general employee
workplace behaviors (Daily and Huang, 2001; Ellis, 2008), are likely to be similarly
experienced by organisations that implement Green HRM practices. Siegel (2009)
supports this assertion and suggests that espousing green management and Green
HRM provides firms with opportunities to maximise profits and implement practices
that arouse employee engagement and encourage behavior that are placatory toward
the environment.
Based on existing literature, a green management-based policy and related green

processes and practices such as what would be advocated from within a Green HRM
platform, is expected to increase the engagement of employees to embrace green
initiatives. It could also potentially modify employee behavior and attitudes to
recognise the significance and consequences of socially responsible and
environmentally sustainable policies, processes and practices. Unfortunately,
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notwithstanding the potential advantages and benefits of implementing Green HRM,

its legitimate influence is still being debated (Harvey et al., 2013; Milliman, 2013;
Steg, Bolderdijk, Keizer and Perlaviciute, 2014).
1.3 Defining Green HRM

Yusliza Mohd Yusoff (2015) emphasized that since the concept of Green HRM is still
unclear and needs to be developed, the study has done Qualitative-based research to
gain deeper insights and understandings in this regard to developed broad
conceptualizations of Green HRM. These broad conceptualizations were then
categorized in to a narrower conceptualization by grouping the activities which entail
shared concepts and result in the formation of only five parent conceptualizations -
the E-HRM, Work-life Balance (WLB), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),
Green Policies, and Extra Care Program.
According to Gill Mandip (2012) the focus on civilizing the operational efficiencies
combined with up-gradation of technology have led ITC to be the only company in
the world, of its size and variety, to achieve the milestone of being carbon positive,
water positive and achieving almost 100% solid waste recycling. The ―Three
Leaves‖ rating awarded by Centre for Science and Environment, Green Tech
Environment Excellence award, ―Golden Peacock‖ award and ―Solid Waste
Recycling Positive‖,
―Excellent Water Efficient Unit‖ awards to name a few are testimonies to these
efforts and achievement. The future of Green HRM appears promising for all the
stakeholders of HRM. The employers and practitioners can establish the usefulness of
linking employee involvement and contribution in environmental management
programmes to improved organizational environmental performance, like with a
specific focus on waste management recycling, creating green products. Unions and
employees can help Employers to adopt Green HRM policies and practices that help
safeguard and enhance worker health and well-being. The academicians can
contribute by carrying further research in this area revealing additional data that can
build a knowledge base on Green Management in general.
Aravamudha (2012) said Green HRM involves addressing the company carbon
footprint by cutting down on usage of papers, reducing un-wanted travel. Green HRM
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holistic application of the concept of sustainability to organization and its workforce.

It has been found out in various researches that HR department in many companies
are increasingly greening their processes to gain competitive advantage over others.
As per Suhaimi Sudin (2011), research shows that green management initiatives has
become an important factor in forward thing businesses around the world.
Researchers argued that employees must be inspired empowered and environmentally
aware of greening in or-der to carryout green management initiatives. The paper
focuses on development of a new model of strategic Green HRM which includes
relationship between assessments based HR interventions, environmental management
system, Green intellectual capital and corporate environmental citizenship.
According to Liu, (2010) business organizations play a key role in the problems of
environmental management since they are part of our society and cannot be isolated
from the environment, and in fact, they contribute most of the carbon footprints in the
past
As per the survey done by Buck Consultants (2009), Greening of HR Survey

examines the Types of environmentally friendly ―green‖ initiatives that companies
are utilizing involving their Workforce and human resource practices. The results
confirm that companies are in-corporation And working towards integrating a number
of green practices. While the study‘s questions and Results are broad, they hint at
several areas for HR practitioners to consider in the green space. Over half of the
companies surveyed have incorporated environmental management into business
operations and have a formal green pro-gram in place or plan to implement one in the
next twelve months.
According to Candice Harris and Dr. Helen Tregidga (2008), many organizations
have quickly to Jump onboard the Sustainability bandwagon, little appears to have
been done to consider the role of, and effect on, the HR function and managers. How
are HR managers defining and enacting Corporate Sustainability? All participants felt
that HR function has a role in fostering environmental practices within an
organization due to their role as stewards of value, and as skilled communicators in
the organization. Findings indicated the HR man-agers espouse private moral
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positions around concern for the environment; however environmental action in their
personal lives appears limited.
According to Justin Victor (2008), one half of HR professionals indicated that their
organization have a formal or informal environmental responsibility policy. Top
Three green practices reported by HR professionals were encouraging employees to
work more environment friendly, offering recycling programs and donating /
discounting used furniture supplies.
John R. Rathgeber (2007) has said in his research that many business leaders are
embracing Corporate Sustainability and Green Business practices as a way to improve
their operations and enhance their competitiveness.
Stephen King (2004) stated that the future of HRM will be built on innovation and
creativity, in nutshell innovation and creativity approaches were needed towards
quality of life, environmental improvements through the healthy, sustainable, vibrant
community theme. In summary it was said that money and support of employees can
put HRM on the road to environmental Sustainability.
In summary, green management refers to the management of corporate interaction

with, and impact upon, the environment (Lee and Ball, 2003), and it has gone beyond
regulatory compliance and needs to include conceptual tools such as pollution
prevention, product stewardship and corporate social responsibility (Hart, 2005;
Pullman et al., 2009; Siegel, 2009).
According to Chad Holliday (2001), CEO DuPont says shrinking your environmental
footprint is more than just the right thing to do, it also generates tremendous business
value. This is the challenge of Sustainable growth and to meet it, the primary
motivation for any company should be improved business performance of course,
environmental societal benefits will follow.
Application of new technology could improve the environmental de-cline by

developing, for example, the biotech products and by searching for alternative energy
to reduce the use of finite natural resources. Therefore, organizations should put more
effort into the research on new technology to minimize the impacts of environmental
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destruction by creating products that are harmless and less pollution to environment
(Liu, 2010; Ozen and Kusku, 2008).
Callenbach et al. (1993) argued that in order to take out green management, employee
must be motivated, empowered and environmentally responsive of greening to be
successful. To effectively implement green management initiatives and development
environmental innovations, corporations require a high level of technical and
management skills (Callenbach et. al., 1993; Renwick et al., 2008).
1.4 Existing Sustainability Frameworks

Many frameworks are available to support sustainable workplaces in developing a
sustainability strategy. Each organization should examine specific issues related to its
industry, sector or geography to establish the optimum sustainability strategy. This
section examines the characteristics of leading global frameworks for business
sustainability, which have a direct connection to sustainable HRM, and distills these
frameworks into common themes and performance requirements.
Most of these frameworks rest on a core set of principles and practices, which provide
a foundation for the development of sustainable HRM (Hassel, A. (2008).
1.4.1 The United Nations Global Compact
The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact created by
the United Nations in 1999, the Global Compact is a policy initiative that asks
organizations to adhere to 10 universal principles underpinning responsible business
practices. The principles cover human rights, labor standards, environmental
stewardship and anticorruption. In committing to uphold these principles,
organizations also commit to report annually on their progress in doing so. Using
these principles as an umbrella framework of a corporate sustainability policy, HRM
can develop a set of policies and processes that align with the principles and ensure
they are manifested in the practices of the organization.
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1.5 Benefits of Adopting Green HRM Practices to Firms

Even though initially it may be difficult to initiate and implement the Green HRM
practices at the first level, it can fulfil the prime objectives of an organization such are
cost control, ensuring corporate social responsibility, talent acquisition and gaining
competitive advantage over the rivals through environment consciousness and
preservation of natural and ethical values. The usual reasons why a firm should adopt
Green HRM practices are noted down below:
1. Preservation of natural environment: The elements of the environment which

are not created by human beings are called the elements of natural environment
like trees, forests, rivers, animals etc. Green HRM practices such as online
advertising and recruitment which uses less paper, creating less carbon emission
on the office space, training through electronic sources to reduce paper waste
can keep the environment form loss or negatively affected.
2. Ensure healthy working environment and raise employee morale: Making

the corporate space green with trees and plants, forbidding smoking on the
office premises, using less paperwork (which makes an employee hectic),
providing natural fruits and vegetables on HR meetings- all these can create a
healthy and habitable working environment which in turn, can raise the speed
and morale of the workers.
3. Gain competitive advantage through ensuring corporate social

responsibility (CSR): Corporate social responsibility is now-a-days a part of
company‘s core responsibilities which no company can ignore. Therefore, a firm
can gain competitive advantage over its rivals by ensuring green management
practices in a well-performed manner.
4. Save cost: Creating a sound working environment can reduce employee fatigue,
abseentism and turnover. The result is reduced cost. Again using less paper and
disseminating and recording the information via online can reduce wastage and
cost.
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5. Increase company image: It is obvious that a company which has green

management/HRM practices will have a higher image than a company which
has not.
6. Reduce intervention from the government and other law enforcing

agencies: Adoption of proper green management/HRM practices can reduce the
chance of intervention by the central/local govt. and other law enforcing
agencies.
7. Develop eco-friendliness and environmental learning among the employees:

Adoption of Green HRM practices make the employees environment conscious
and make them eco-friendly which makes them a good corporate citizen in
environmental perspective.
8. Stimulate innovation and growth: Green HRM practices encourages new

innovative ideas and practices that facilitates growth in quality and enhancement
of methods and processes.
1.6 Green HRM Practices

In this section researcher has tried to describe various Green HRM Practices.|
1.6.1 Green Recruitment and Selection
Green recruitment means paper free recruitment process with minimal environment
impact. Green recruiting is a system where the focus is given on importance of the
environment and making it a major element within the organization. According to
(Wehrmeyer, 1996) recruitment practices can support effective environmental
management by making sure that new entrants are familiar with an organization
environmental culture and are capable of maintaining its environmental values. The
green recruiting is a system where the focus is given on importance of the
environment and making it a major element within the organization. Complementing
this the recruits are also enthusiastic and to some extent passionate about working for
an environment friendly green company. Recruiting candidates with green bend of
mind make it easy for firms to induct professionals who are aware with sustainable
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processes and are already familiar with basics like recycling, conservation and
creating more logical world. Through the statements we can conclude that green
recruitment provides the employer with an opportunity to stand ahead of the crowd
and further increase their chance of attracting the candidates and retain them after
induction. Recently the green trend makes the recruitment as environmental friendly
issues. The recruiting makes the employee green in achieving the environmental goals
and how they perceive the job and parameters of sustainability as claimed. For
example the recruiting can be done as paper less interviews, eco-friendly locations
and also other practices in the recruitment portfolio. The recruiters can carry out the
green policies as well as the corporate policies in the management in establishing
green policies to achieve the goals of the company.
1.6.2 Green Training and Development
The Green Training and Development is a practice that focuses on development of

employee‘s skills, knowledge and attitudes. The Green Training and Development
educate employees about environmental management and training should be given for
the employees to educate also about energy, reduce waste, and diffuse environmental
awareness in the organization. This Green Training and Development helps employees
to provide opportunity to engage employees in environmental problem solving. The
green training embrace different methods of conservation including waste management
within an organization. Through this training session, it develops the eco-friendly
mangers so that employees under supervision can contact them without any hesitation.
1.6.3 Green Health and Safety Management
The green health and safety management is really beyond the scope of traditional
health and safety management function of HRM. It not only includes the traditional
health and safety management but also some more aspects of environmental
management of an organization. That is why nowadays many organizations are
redesigning post of ―health and safety manager‖ as ―health, safety and
environmental manager‖. This includes a wider job scope when compared with
traditional post of health and safety manager in an organization. For example, it
includes biodiversity
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protection and community support initiatives etc. that include local environment and
people. The key role of green health and safety management is to ensure a green
workplace for all. Green workplace is defined as a workplace that is environmentally
sensitive, resource efficient and socially responsible. At present there are companies
where traditional health and safety function was extended to include environmental
management/protection. These companies have continually endowed to create various
environmental related initiatives to reduce employee stress and occupational disease
caused by hazardous work environment.
1.6.4 Green Employee Discipline Management
Wehrmeyer (1996) stated explicitly that green discipline management is a pre-requisite

in corporate environmental management. In ensuring green employee behavior in the
workplace, organizations may need green discipline management practices to achieve
the environmental management objectives and strategies of the organization. In this
context, some companies have realized ―discipline management‖ as a tool to self-regulate
employees in environmental protection activities of the organization. These firms have
developed a clear set of rules and regulations which imposes/regulates employees to be
concerned with environmental protection in line with environmental policy of the
organizations. In such companies, if an employee violates environmental rules and
regulations, disciplinary actions (warning, fining, suspension, etc.) are taken against
him/her.
1.6.5 Green Performance Appraisal
Green human resource management ensures that the environmental targets set by the
organizations are met. Performance management is an on-going process of
communication between supervisor and an employee that occurs throughout the year
in support of accomplishing the strategic objectives of the organization. Green
performance management includes the issues related to policies of the organization
and environmental responsibilities. Integration of environmental management into
performance management system improves the quality and value of environmental
performances. It acts as a safeguard to protect environmental management against any
damage. Green performance management plays a very important role in the
effectiveness of green management work over passage of time because they guide
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employee performance to the environmental performances needed by the organization

(Jabbour and Santos, 2008).
1.6.6 Green Compensation and Reward Management
Compensation and reward management should recognize contributions in green

management. Compensation packages should be customized to reward green skills
acquisition and achievements by employees (Deshwal, 2015). Monetary- based, non
monetary based and recognition- based rewards can be used for green achievements of
employees. Monetary-based rewards for contributions in environment management
can be allocated in the forms of salary increase, cash incentives and bonuses while
non- monetary rewards may include sabbaticals, special leave and gifts to employees
and their family members. Recognition-based awards can highlight green
contributions of employees through wide publicity and public praise and appreciation
of green efforts by CEO or top management executives.
1.6.7 Green Employee Relations
Employee participation in Green initiatives increases the chances of better green

management as it aligns employees‘ goals, capabilities, motivations, and perceptions
with green management practices and systems. Involving employees in EM has been
reported as improving EM systems such as efficient resource usage (Florida and
Davison, 2001); reducing waste (May and Flannery, 1995); and reducing pollution
from workplaces (Kitazawa and Sarkis, 2000). Several workers in their study
concluded that individual empowerment positively influences productivity and
performance, and facilitates self-control, individual thinking, and problem-solving
skills (Renwick, 2008; Wee and Quazi, 2005). An important way in which employee
involvement and participation can be encouraged within the organization is to seek
entrepreneurs within the company who are socially or ecologically oriented known as
eco-entrepreneurs (Mandip, 2012). Eco-friendly ideas should be welcomed from all
employees irrespective of their designation which will encourage their interest in
environmental issues and make best use of applying their skills. The HR staff needs to
pressurize the management to create a participative work environment where the
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employees are free to put up their ideas on green issues since they are the ones who in
reality are responsible for implementing ethical corporate behavior in the day-to-day
life of the organization. This means the achievement of green outcomes will largely
depend on employees‘ willingness to collaborate (Collier and Esteban, 2007), as
often, the best ideas come from the employees who work in that particular area
(Casler, Gundlach, Persons, and Zivnuska, 2010).
1.6.8 Green Job Design and Analysis
In general, job descriptions can be used to specify a number of environmental

protection related task, duties and responsibilities (Wehrmeyer, 1996; Renwick et al,
2008 and 2013). These days, some companies have incorporated environmental and
social tasks, duties and responsibilities as far as possible in each job in order to protect
the environment. In some companies, each job description includes at least one duty
related to environmental protection and also specifically includes environmental
responsibilities whenever and wherever applicable. Job descriptions and person (job)
specifications may include environmental, social, personal, and technical
requirements of the organizations as far as possible. For example, environmental
protection duties should be included, along with the allocation of environmental
reporting roles and health and safety tasks (Crosbie and Knight, 1995; Wehrmeyer,
1996; North, 1997; Revill, 2000). In addition, some companies use teamwork and
cross-functional teams as job design techniques to successfully manage the
environmental issues of the company. Nowadays many companies have designed
environmental concerned new jobs or positions in order to focus exclusively on
environmental management aspects of the organizations. From the perspective of
HRM, it is really a valuable initiation and practice to protect the environment.
Moreover, some companies have involved in designing their existing jobs in a more
environmentally friendly manner by incorporating environmental centered duties and
responsibilities. These are some of the best Green HRM practices which can figure
out under the functions called green job design and green job analysis.
Grievance and Discipline: In general terms, grievance and discipline in firms

encourages internal environmental breaches. The need to raise grievances is seen in
high risk operations (for their safety record), and in such cases disciplinary procedures
are attached to environmental rules and duties where noncompliance occurs. Indeed,
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expert legal opinion is that some firms may eventually move to ensure that
environmental obligations are secured by including clauses in staff contracts to do so,
i.e. that environmentally unfriendly behavior may constitute a breach of contract and
therefore possible grounds for dismissal.
1.7 Advantages of Green Human Resource Management Practice

 Green business decisions: Employing a green workforce or employees who
understand and practice environment-friendly practices helps the organization
take business decisions that have a wider perspective and thereby adopting
innovative strategies and techniques to arrive at an optimal solution solve
environmental related issues.
 Preferred employer of choice: Green organizations are the most desired

employers and any potential hire would like to be associated with such an
employer so as to learn and add value to their profile. A Green workforce is a
win-win situation for both the employer and the employee as it gives a
competitive edge to both in the market.
 Higher retention of employees: A survey by SHRM (Society for Human

Resources Management) Green Workplace Survey found out that green
organizations have lesser attrition rates as compared to their non-sustainable
counterparts. In the survey about 61% of the respondents working for an
organization known to be an advocate for green human resource management
practices said that they were "likely" or "very likely" to continue working in the
present organization because of their green policy and practices
 Better Sales: Cone Communications, marketing, and public relations company

in the year 2013 conducted a survey on the Green Gap Trend where about 71 %
of Americans shoppers said they are conscious of the environment impact when
they purchase a product. This survey finding is critical to the belief that
companies that adhere to green practices can improve their sales and cut costs
by achieving higher volume of sales
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Today many organizations are bringing GHRM practices to their business and day-to-
day operations in the global context and landscape. The innovations and research that
organizations strive in achieving a sustainable green human resource management
practice in their business would significantly contribute to the field of Human
resources management (HRM) field in both academic and business sense.
1.8 Green HRM in India: Top 10 Indian Companies

Following are the Indian companies exhibiting green GRM practices in India.
Wipro Technologies
 There was a time when the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board indicted the
IT solutions arm of Wipro Limited for dumping huge volumes of hazardous
electronic waste in illegal recycling units in Bangalore.
 They extended their green mission to physical infrastructure and substitute CRT
monitors with LCD monitors.
 The company also had a green testing lab, practiced a Carbon Disclosure
Project (to report the internal carbon footprint), and reduced employee travel.
 Wipro was the first IT Company in India to launch eco-friendly desktops and
notebook computers that adhered to the RoHS (restriction of hazardous
substances) regulation specified by the European Union (EU).
Suzlon Energy:
 The ―Green Banking‖ initiative- Suzlon Energy has become the first Indian
bank to take lead in harnessing wind energy by having a tie up with State Bank
of India.
 The Suzlon One Earth Campus, the corporate headquarter of Suzlon at

Hadapsar, Pune, India is the most energy efficient building built ever in India
with insulated green roof, energy efficient – lighting system, construction time,
renewable energy based hot water system, reduced landscape and building water
requirement, recycle, reuse and recharge of water, waste management and waste
19
1
water treatment, health and energy of occupants, carpooling, zero waste

management, green education etc. are policies practiced by the companies.
ITC Limited
 ITC Ltd Sustainable Initiatives at ITC Green Products are Premium Business
Paper. For the first time in India ITC has launched an environment friendly
multipurpose paper ‗Paperkraft Premium Business Paper‘, for office and home
use using a new technology 'Ozone Treated Elemental Chlorine Free
Technology' replacing Elemental Chlorine which was conventionally used in the
bleaching process during paper manufacture.
 ITC's Green Leaf Threshing plant in Chirala is the first in India and among the
first 10 units in the world to bag the Social Accountability (SA 8000)
certification.
HCL Technologies
HCL Technologies initiated the following practices:-

 ―Go Green‖- a multi-layered corporate program running campaigns to initiate
individual action towards environmental issues. It has designed and developed a
comprehensive Green Edge sustainability framework that caters to the specific
needs of manufacturing industries.
 They are active members of India Council for Sustainable Development.
 First company in India to launch an Antimony and Beryllium Free laptop.
 The company extends its take-back service to customers for disposing off their
equipment through HCL Green Bag Campaign, and recycling collected E-waste
in an environment-friendly manner.
Tata Consultancy Services
 TCS has been spotted 11th under Newsweek‘s annual rankings of the ―World‘s
Greenest Companies‖ with a Green Score of 80.4 globally.
 Its 16 facilities do composting, some have bio-digesters turning waste into

kitchen fuel.
20
1
Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC)
 ONGC has been ranked 39th among the world's 105 largest listed companies in
'transparency in corporate reporting' by Transparency International making it the
most transparent company in India. Project of Landscaping, designing of garden
and greening of area in the campus of Jollygrant Airport, Dehradun is started.
ONGC has many such initiatives towards Green HRM. Another one is Vadodara
Movement with Indian Express.
Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular initiated the following practices:-
 ‗Use Mobile, Save Paper‘ campaign
 Green Pledge campaign was initiated by Idea at various Indian cities, where
thousands came forward and pledged to save paper and trees.
IndusInd Bank
Following practices have been initiated by IndusInd Bank:-
 The bank is running ATMs on solar power and has pioneered an eco-savvy
change in the Indian banking sector.
 The bank is planning for more such initiatives in addressing the challenges of
climate change.
Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL)

 TNPL has installed its own power generating facility to make it 100% self-
sufficient through the installation of 61.18 MW Power Generating equipment,
viz. TG Sets, installed at the paper mill site. The surplus power generated is
being exported to the State Grid. TNPL also generates green power through the
18 MW wind farm installed at Devarkulam and Perungudi of Tirunelveli
district. The entire power generated at the wind farm is being exported to the
State Grid.
21
Chapter Review of Literature
2
Chapter 2 Review of
Literature
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Review of literature is an important step in the process of research. No scientific

research can start abruptly. All scientific study stems out as a result of the
consolidation of a host of knowledge already gathered by various pioneers in that
field. In the light of the earlier researches the problem can be viewed in different
perspectives. Keeping this in mind, the investigator has collected relevant research
done on the topic under study. An attempt is made to highlight the procedure and
findings of researches conducted earlier that have a bearing on the present study.
2.1 Introduction
Despite a growing body of research, which has added to the nomological net of
GHRM, the concept and its defining idiom remains somewhat vague. Different terms
have been used to discuss the environmental consequences of HRM, with Green
HRM examined as part of a strategic HRM focus that targets employees green
behaviors. However, to date the fundamental task of evaluating and clearly defining
the contemporary management construct it has been neglected, and it remains rather
ambiguous as to how GHRM fits into the broad concepts of EM, CSR and strategic
HRM, or how GHRM differs from sustainable HRM or socially responsible HRM
(SRHRM). Moreover, current literature has thus far failed to clarify the motivation,
impact and consequences of implementing GHRM.
22
2
2.2 Green HRM practices

To meet the demands and environmental objectives of company executives and other
stakeholders, HR managers need to ensure that the firm‘s proposed GHRM strategies
and programs address key environmental objectives by:
• Positively responding to emerging societal and social trends
• Delivering on its sustainable targets
• Developing a process whereby an employee‘s green performance can

be accurately assessed
• Keeping abreast of constantly changing environmentally related

government policies, programs and legislation
• Promptly responding to regulatory requirements and stakeholder concerns
• Influencing corporate and public policy agendas (where possible) and
• Meeting organizational sustainability goals (Garavan and McGuire,
2010; Jackson and Seo, 2010; Renwick et al., 2013).
23
2
Table 2.1: Some HRM Functions and Ways of Making them Green
HRM function Green policies, procedures, or practices

To include environmental dimension as a duty in job description.
 To include green competencies as a special component in job
specification. To include environmental dimension as a duty in job description.
Job Analysis
 To include green competencies as a special component in job specification.
 To include environmental dimension as a duty in job description.
 To include green competencies as a special component in job specification.
 To include environmental criteria in the recruitment messages.
Recruitment  To communicate the employer‘s concern about greening through
recruitment efforts.
 To select applicants who are sufficiently aware of greening to fill job vacancies.
Selection  To select applicants who have been engaging in greening as consumers
under their private life domain.
 To make new employees familiar with greening efforts of the organization
Induction  To develop induction programs showing green citizenship behaviour of
current employees.
 To impart right knowledge and skills about greening (the four green roles) to
Training each employee through a training program exclusively designed for greening.
 To do training needs analyses to identify green training needs of employees.
 To evaluate employee‘s job performance according to green-related criteria.
Performance
evaluation  To include a separate component for progress on greening in the
performance feedback interview
 To give financial incentives to employees for their good green performance
Rewards of job.
management  To give non-financial rewards such as praises and recognitions to employees
for their greening.
 To formulate and publish rules of conduct relating to greening.
Discipline
management  To develop a progressive disciplinary system to punish employees who
violate the rules of green conduct.
Source: Opatha and Arulrajha (2014)
24
2
2.2.1 Green Training and Development
Of all the HRM and GHRM activities highlighted in the literature so far, training has
been identified as a crucial factor to achieving organizational green outcomes (Cantor,
Morrow and Montabon, 2012; Madsen and Ulhoi, 2001; Teixeira et al., 2012). Lee
(2009), Renwick et al. (2013) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) (2014) suggest
that Green Training and Development programs are likely to:
 Increase knowledge, expertise and skills
 Induce an employee‘s emotional involvement in green initiatives through

increased awareness of the effects of poor behavior and attitudes toward the
environment
 Develop high level skills and attitudes for managers and supervisors and
 Tap into an employee‘s implied environmental knowledge.
Training and development is related with improvement or advancement of the job or

job holder‘s responsibility. Training is the best way of getting something new and
new idea, concept and Knowledge. Training is the provision of getting the skilled
knowledge and skills whatever to increase the level of responsibility. Training
provides the general guidelines to employees for doing the work or accomplishing the
organizational objectives. Training is a systematic process of changing the behavior,
knowledge and/or motivation of present employees to improve the match between
employee characteristics and employment requirement. Training is the process by
which employees learn skills, techniques, information and behaviors needed to do their
specific tasks or jobs. According to M. Armstrong- "Training is the systematic
development of knowledge, skill and attitudes required by an individual to perform
adequately a given task or job". Training is socialize the workers to the introduction of
the organization and objectives of the organization. There is positive relationship
between the employee's performance recognize and evaluation and training and
motivation.
Training is focusing on fixing a specific issue (Doyle, 1997). Training is anything

offering learning experience highly related with motivation and Motivation is highly
25
2related with the production and productivity of the organization. When the workers
26
2
get the training and the potentiality of worker is getting increased day by day.
Training is related with the production and productivity and Organisational
Commitment. Human resource management regards training and development as a
function concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the job
performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings. Training and
development can be described as "an educational process which involves the
sharpening of skills, concepts, changing of attitude and gaining more knowledge to
enhance the performance of employees" (Kashmir Observer. Retrieved 2016).
The field has gone by several names, including "Human Resource Development",
"Human Capital Development" and "Learning and Development". And when the
training is provided to the employees the ultimate benefits goes the employers or the
organization such as increasing the production and productivity, less supervision,
More Job Satisfaction and less turnover with low abestieesm and also it helps the skill
development of the employees.
No studies have implicitly explored the effects of GHRM training and development
practices on employee workplace outcomes. However, there are notable papers that
highlight the importance of training to organizational green outcomes (Paillé et al.,
2014; Renwick et al., 2013; Teixeira et al., 2012). A recent study by Cantor et al.
(2012) confirmed the findings by Sarkis, Gonzalez-Torre and Adenso-Diaz (2010),
which found that organisations that support targeted HR training programs encourage
employees to engage with EM initiatives. To support these claims, Cantor et al.
(2012) suggests that POS increases an employee‘s perception of the firm‘s
commitment to their individual development, which then results in the exhibition of
employee green behaviors.
In step with EM and green management (Dwyer, 2009; Lee, 2009), employee training
and development related studies, Huffman et al. (2009) and Paillé et al. (2014) claim
that organisations need to have specialised environmental training and development
programs to achieve desirable green outcomes. Govindarajulu and Daily (2004) state
that insufficient or unsatisfactory training will likely result in employees who are
unwilling and/or unable to participate in organizational environmental efforts. Firms
27
2
need to provide adequate resources and technical assistance necessary to implement

green programs and initiatives. Despite the optimistic conjecture of the anticipated
effects of green training, surprisingly, these claims have not been empirically tested
within the GHRM domain.
Consistent with the literature (Lawrence and Morell, 1995; Lee, 2009; Paillé et al.,
2014) and the GHRM practices as highlighted by Renwick et al. (2013), it is
concluded that for firms to benefit from GHRM, organizational training and
development processes should be designed to:
 Develop programs that build the technical and management capabilities and
skills of employees associated with green management
 Ensure that employees acknowledge their ability (or inability) to undertake

required tasks. If the employee is adequately trained, this should positively affect
individual motivation, engagement and drive to achieve organizational green
goals. Conversely, if an employee has not received adequate training they are less
likely to be motivated to achieve the organisation‘s green goals
 Develop employee knowledge about the effects of individual behavior on the

environment to induce an employee‘s emotional involvement, engagement and
contribution to organizational green initiatives
 Increase the green knowledge of leaders, managers and supervisors as they are
effective messengers of organizational policies to frontline employees and by
having managers and supervisors overtly display green behaviors, this
demonstrates to employees what are the behaviors and attitudes desired by the
organisation, and what is expected of employees in the workplace.
28
Interpretation of Findings, Conclusions, Limitations and Suggestions
Chapter 5 Interpretation of Findings, Conclusions, Limitations and Suggestions
CHAPTER 3
INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS,
CONCLUSIONS,
LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
In view of the outcome of this research work, a detailed discussion of the theoretical
and practical implication is represented in this chapter. Additionally, the researcher
has also given some suggestions that can be adopted by the organizations. In this
chapter, suggestions based on research work, limitations and further scope of research
has been discussed.
5.1 Conclusions
Today, Organizations are trying to focus on profit maximization and environmental
obligation at the same time. In today‘s world organization that has more focus on
environment has higher acceptance in society. Due to this rising awareness of the
society about environment, organizations are being pushed to pay more attention on
the environment. Now, it may seem that more investment on environmental issues will
cause profit minimization. In that case, non-financial practice like green human
resource management can be implemented in the organization. Financial help to a part
of the total population of a country may get less focus than being green through Green
HRM. Higher focus will create higher acceptance. Higher focus will facilitate an
organization to maximize their profit in long run. In this way CSR can also be
performed through Green HRM. So practicing Green HRM as a means of promoting
CSR in this industry will have a positive impact over the industry which will facilitate
them to achieve higher social acceptance as well as higher profit making in the long
run.
29
1. In this empirical research work, the researcher has provided useful insights into
the green practices adopted by organizations in the background of a developing
economy like India where environmental concern is on rise.
2. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the study confirms seven major factors i.e.
―a) Green Recruitment and Selection, b) Green Training and Development, c)
Green Reward Management, d) Employee Involvement, e)Employee Motivation,
f) Job Satisfaction, g) Organisational Commitment‖, important for adoption of
green practices by various organisations in India and it also establishes the
structural relationship between these factors.
3. The insights from the study, can indeed be used to formulate various strategies
especially for green services in various sectors in India. It would ultimately give
rise to sustainable development and preservation of environment. Green HRM
helps in the effective outcomes like they could get a first mover advantage, many
organizations can also develop a competitive edge by creating a brand image as an
environment conscious body.
4. In view of the optimistic response of various organizations towards adoption of

green practices, the research work suggests implication for the marketers and
policy makers for effective implementation of green programs in future which
helps them to get subsidies from the government.
5. Previously, Armstrong (2014) has recognized that training is important in creating

a strong culture based on values and mission statements. Thus, this HRM attribute
can be supported and reinforced by Cook and Seith (1992) who state that training
is a very crucial element in the success of environmental initiatives and North
(1997) who state that training is definitely a core factor in developing human
resources for the environment. In addition, Milliman and Clair, (1996); Beaumont
et al, (1993); Barrett et al, (1996); and North, (1992, 1997), all argue the vital
importance of training and development which must take place at all levels within
the organization in order to embed an environmental consciousness and
organizational environmental commitment.
6. Crosbie and Knight's, (1995) and Milliman and Clair's, (1994, 1996) statements
support the key HRM attribute by stating that reward systems should include
30
environmental criteria. Reward systems should also be linked to the achievement

of performance appraisal goals in order to motivate the employees of the
organizations.
7. Schmidheiny (1992), argues that adopting environmentally responsible practices

will probably involve major change in organizational values, practices and
procedures, breaking embedded habits and practices and adopting new ways of
thinking which will consider what is done, why and how.
8. Though the green movement and Green HR are still in the stages of infancy,
growing awareness within organizations of the significance of green issues have
compelled them to embrace environment-friendly HR practices with a specific
focus on waste management, recycling, reducing the carbon footprint, and using
and producing green products. Clearly, a majority of the employees feel strongly
about the environment and, exhibit greater commitment and Job Satisfaction
toward an organization that is ever ready to go ―Green.‖
9. The responsibilities of the present generation HR managers are to create

awareness among the youngsters and among the people working for the
organization about the Green HRM, Green movement, utilization of natural
resources and helping the corporate to maintain proper environment, and retain the
natural resources for our future generation i.e. sustainable development
(Mathapati, 2013).
The conclusion that can be derived from this research is that Green ideas and practices
are finding more and more relevance in many organizations‘ and within the space of
the HR profession. HR leaders being the advocates of organizational culture and
policies are critical to inculcate a sense of responsibility in each employee towards a
sustainable green human resources management. However, still greater change needs
to happen so that employees and organizations 'take that big leap in ensuring greening
process in all their activities.
5.2 Limitations
This research work was carried out to find out the relationship between Green HRM
practices with Employee Motivation, Job Satisfaction and organizational. Despite best
of efforts to minimize all limitations that might creep in course of the research, there
31
were certain constraints within which the research was completed. These are discussed
below:
32
 Notwithstanding its wide-ranging coverage, the current research work may be

criticized because it misses an in-depth analysis of the type the psychologists or
anthropologists has often conducted. This research work has not analysed by
using any econometric test or psychometric test. This research work is totally
based on the practices followed in the organisations.
 Sustainability has three aspects: social, economic and environment. In this

study, the researcher has studied only environment dimension in relation to
Green HRM Practices.
 In this study, the researcher has only taken Green Recruitment and Selection,
Green Training and Development, Green Reward Management, Employee
Involvement, Employee Motivation, Job Satisfaction and Organisational
Commitment. There are other factors also which impact the Green HRM
practices like, Green Health and Safety Management, Green Job Design and
Analysis, Green Induction, etc. that have not been considered.
 The research was purely based on primary data as well as secondary data. The
primary data for this study was collected from the samples based in NCR only.
While researcher has tried to make sure that the sample is a true representation
of the population, the generalization of the findings of the research work is
restricted as defined by the size of the sample, which comprised of 300
respondents carefully chosen from various areas of NCR.
5.3 Suggestions
Based on the above findings the following suggestions are proposed by the researcher
for the effective implementation of the GHRM in the Organizations.
5.3.1 To Business Organizations
 Secure job environment enhances the degree of Job Satisfaction. Management

must create an environment of job security among employees Apart from job
security, management must provide job stability.
 Job Satisfaction of employees in any organization is of utmost importance to in

order to achieve the objectives of an organization and make it sustainable in the
long run.
33
 A business and businessmen have to ensure the employee participation in

management and administration. In management there is a proverb that ―Esprit
de corps‖ that means unity is strength. Harmonious and team work is always
effective and efficient for the business success. When the workers and employees
are encouraged to take part in the management and decision making that means
they are contributing to the organization.
 It reflects that when the level of Job Satisfaction increases, the level of
Organisational Commitment also increases. Therefore, this factor should be
increased to improve an employee‘s commitment to an organization.
Organizations should commence proper performance appraisal systems which
result in pay rise, promotion, and training of the employees that will enhance on
employees‘ Job Satisfaction.
 Human Resource Management of the organizations should offer extensive Green

Training and Development programs for the employees for better satisfaction of
the employees.
 As there is no positive relation between Green Reward Management and Job

Satisfaction, so employees should be properly trained and promotion of the
employees should be based on the qualification of employees and /or experience
of employees to create Job Satisfaction.
 As there is positive relation between Green Reward Management and Employee

Motivation so, company should offer recognition rewards for environmental
performance. The success of recognition rewards relies on the importance of
company-wide identification. For example, such attention increases employee‘s
awareness of environmental achievements (Bhushan, 1994). There are many
ways in which organisations can communicate their environmental excellence
within the organisation. For example, managers at Coors present awards at
important meetings to employees who have participated in successful
environmental programmes, (Woods, 1993).
 Organizations must give environmental training and education to the employees

as these are vital, in order to provide knowledge, change attitudes and behavior
and acquire new skills.
34
 Rewards should be given to the employees who uses bicycles to commute or uses
car pools. It would encourage those who live nearby to commute by cycle or
walk, thereby reducing pollution. The ones who live far off could use bicycles to
go to the market. It would be a good exercise and would keep the employee in
good health.
 Employees should be recognised and rewarded for green innovations. The

employees who come up with the most innovative green initiatives should be
awarded a ‗Go Green‘ badge.
 Segregation of waste and disposal of waste should be streamlined in the

organisation. Food canteen should adhere to zero wastage policy and use the
leftover food for a better cause.
 Organizations should attempt to replace the age old tradition of paper

documentation by paperless office. This can be achieved by ensuring 100% IT-
based HR operations.
 Organizations should initiates practices of green rewards to departments and

individuals for innovative initiatives and green contribution through reduction of
wastes, green resources and energy. Take innovative initiatives of saving
electricity by encouraging volunteering to switch off lights and fans where and
whenever required. Companies should conduct an energy audit to ensure
effective and efficient use of energy in organisations and use energy efficient
bulbs and install timer to switch off the light automatically after a definite time.
 Corporate gardens must encourage the use of natural fertilisers and pesticides.
Every office should maintain greening of office premises with gardens. There
should be HR policies for participation of employees for gardening; by
contributing manure or attending to a certain plant area of the garden.
 Use online system in most of the procedures of the organizational activities to

make your organization eco-friendly. Companies should encourage suppliers to
provide environmentally sustainable product to make the outer world green.
35
 Develop or Enhance waste management system to reduce atmospheric (air, water,

soil) pollution. At most care about use of water and leakage of drainage system to
ensure efficient use of water and to reduce water pollution.
 Spread green thinking among employees and stakeholders to make them green
psychologically. Engaging with employees and empowering them to act through
the company in a nonsuperficial way is a most effective means through which to
increase output towards and ultimately achieve or enhance environmental
strategies and goals.
 Reward employees on the basis of green activities to motivate them to be more

aware about environment. They should use organization‘s transport in group
rather than privately to ensure less emission of different harmful gases to the
atmosphere. Reduce business travel and focus on teleconferencing to minimize
the emission of carbon-di-oxide.
 Make everyone feel concerned about the green benefits (even cash value of
greening) to create their willingness towards green. Companies should also create
a green identity through green activities that will create a Brand image.
 Encourage employees to share new ideas regarding environmental issues. Get

your surrounding community know about your greening practice that will make
them loyal to your brand. Companies should also try to integrate green HR
practices with corporate social responsibilities.
 Install heat management system to ensure comfortable temperature in the

organization and surroundings that increases productivity and efficiency of
employees.
 Conduct annual survey on measuring the level of green practice adopted by the
organization at different levels.
 This research work should act as a guiding force for the HR of the organization
to develop policies and procedures which will help in making energy efficient,
sustainable and environmentally friendly product and services.
36
5.3.2 To the Government
 Government of India can also play a proactive role with a special role assigned
to Ministry of Environment (MoE) in enhancing the speed of reforms to combat
the issues of climate change and decarbonize the economy. Various skill
development centres should be developed that are related to training workforce
specially in the area of environmental management, sustainable energy,
recycling waste, generation of energy from waste, managing e-waste, clean
technologies etc.
 Compensation in the form of ―Green Allowance‖ can be added as an incentive

to the salary of central government/ state government employees who qualifies
exams related to environment or contributes by way of innovation towards
environment related practices in their offices.
 In order to create better educational infrastructure in country an introduction of

nominal cess can be thought. The money collected in this manner can be used to
create environment institutes across different states that can train and create
green manpower.
 Government should create green advisory for industry and public. Just like
advisory to farmers helped in improving yield of crops at one point of time,
similarly, creation of green advisory for industry and public can help, educate
and motivate general public and industries undertake practices that help in
conserving, improving and cleaning environment. Special help line numbers can
be an added advantage that make access to such advisory organisations earlier.
 Tax holidays can be given to green organisations who wish to invest in India.
Organisations promoting buying, selling or manufacturing of green products can
be encouraged by way of exemption from paying tax for two years. Such
organisations will be requested to spend this money on training and giving
incentives to its employees for learning and implementing green practices. There
organisations should be encouraged to have their own green eco labels and
green trademarks to promote their products and services.
37
 Government should implement green tax on polluting and non- green

organisations. Organisations that have direct impact on environment because of
their activity should be made to pay green tax to compensate for damage made
by them to environment. They should be further enforced to train their
workforce regarding green practices so that employees can bring change in their
organisation.
 Like BSE and NSE, creation of stock exchange looking after trading of carbon
credits and equities linked to green organisation should be created.
Organisations should then think of creating a concept of green employee‘s stock
options (GESOP) so that they can have stake in green organisations of future.
5.3.3 To Researchers and Academicians
Though area of environmental science, environmental management, and environment

conservation is a well-developed area but creation of green workforce is far from
reality. Environment has been seen as a credence good and hence reaction to issues
related to environment is slow and not instantaneous. Many researches have been
conducted in the field of management in area of green marketing, green supply chain,
green human resource, green finance but change in behaviour related to environment
protection is less observed.
Present government has started many new schemes like digital India, Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan, and clean India which is starting towards changing behaviour of general
masses towards clean and green environment.
In order to create orientation towards environment, academicians at primary,

secondary and tertiary level need to create curriculum related to creation of green
workforce. This workforce need to be trained in a manner that creates skill set
required for:
1) Managing waste
2) Promote reduce, recycling and reuse.
3) Promote digitization
4) Promote social awareness and transformation among students
38
5) Promote innovation related modified environmental conscious behaviour among

general masses.
6) Integration of IT and environmental conservation.

 Researcher can undertake studies on areas like creation of on the job green
induction and training programmes, promoting green investment, and trading in
carbon credits, creation of green services, investor behaviour and career
progression of green human resource.
 Studies should be undertaken to assess effectiveness and usefulness of training
manpower related to environment related courses presently being offered by
educational institutions and how can they be modified to create better learning
outcomes that have far reaching effect on society.
 Researcher has proposed that GHRM has substantial scope for research in
management field but there are very few studies on this topic hence, there is a
need to bridge the gap between professional GHRM practices and preaches in
research and teaching of environmental management.
 Academicians in the field of management and engineering, economics and law

should come together and suggest an integrated model for environment that can be
applied for this great nation-India and use this piece of research as a small link of
a big chain which needs to be developed fast.
5.4 Future Scope of Research
The following are the related areas which have been identified by the researcher for
the scope of further research related to this area.
 The present study proposes future researchers to fill the gap in the existing
literatures by conducting empirical studies such as Green HRM practices in the
manufacturing or service organizations (particularly the organizations that are
polluting environment, Comparing Green HRM practices between developed and
developing countries, Green perceptions, attitudes of employer and employees,
barriers in the Green HRM implementation in organizations.
39
 A comparative study of Green HRM among different sectors can be conducted

to get an insight of Green HRM practices followed by the organizations.
 In the present study, the researcher has studied only few organizations, the future
researcher can select some other organizations for study and can suggest some
more options for better implementation of Green HRM Practices.
 In addition, it will be of interest to the future researchers to explore and validate

the model developed for this study in other cultural settings, like Asian or
Western developing or developed countries. This will be valuable in providing
evidence concerning the robustness of research model across different cultural
settings. It is understood that the robustness of the model may vary across
different cultural settings and thus need to be empirically tested (Mao and
Palvia, 2006).
 As there is still confusion and compromise on the integration of environmental

issues into organization‘s policies, further research should be conducted to
determine the association between other HRM Functions like employee health,
employee retention, self-actualization in context to environment needs and its
relationship with the environmental performance.
 Further studies can be conducted in backdrop of suggestions provided in the

previous section.
40
Bibliography
Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Aamodt, M.G. (2007). Industrial Organizational Psychology: An Applied

Approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
 Adane, L. and Muleta, D. (2011). Survey on the usage of plastic bags, their
disposal and adverse impacts on environment: A case study in Jimma City,
Southwestern Ethiopia.Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
Sciences Vol. 3(8) pp. 234-248.
 Ahmad, S. (2015). Green Human Resource Management: Policies and practices.

Cogent Business and Management. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.
2015.1030817
 Ahmad, S., & Schroeder, R. G. (2003). The impact of human resource

management practices on operational performance: Recognizing country and
industry differences. Journal of Operations Management. https://doi.org/
10.1016/S0272-6963(02)00056.
 Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1990). The measurement and antecedents of

affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization. Journal
of Occupational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-
8325.1990.tb00506.x
 Anderton, K., and Jack, K. (2011). Green behavior change: A case study of Eco
Concierge, in Going Green: The Psychology of Sustainability in the Workplace,
ed. D. Bartlett, The British Psychological Society, 76-83.
 Andrady, A.L., 2003. Plastics and the environment. In: Anthony L. Andrady
(Ed.),Publisher: John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 0-471-09520-6
 ARAGÓN-CORREA, J. A., AND SHARMA, S. (2003) ―A Contingent

Resource-Based View of Proactive, Corporate Environmental Strategy‖,
Academy of Management Review, 28(1): 71-88.
41
Appendicees
Appendicees
APPENDIX A
LIST OF COMPANIES TAKEN FOR SURVEY
Dear Respondent,
This survey is anonymous and is used for the academic research purpose only. No
individual will be identified and responses will only be viewed in aggregate.
PART A – ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
1) Name of the organization:
2) Position of the respondent filling the questionnaire:
3) Your organization exists in which industry?
PART – B
1) Are you aware of the term ‗Green Human Resource Management Practices‖?
Yes/No
2) Are you aware of ISO 14000 series issued on environmental management

system, which includes a broad range of environmental disciplines? Yes/No
3) Is your Company ISO 14000 Certified? Yes/No
4) If yes (for Q.3), what is the reason that motivated your company to be certified
under ISO 14000?
5) Do you think that Green Human Resource Management Practices should be

applied in your industry? (Please encircle and give different ranks to different
Appendicees
statements from 1 to 4) Use 1 for the strongest reason and 4 for the weakest
reason
Ranks
• Cost factor associated with waste disposal. 1 2 3 4
• Moral obligation to be more socially responsible 1 2 3 4
• Pressure from regulatory bodies 1 2 3 4
• Pressure from competitors 1 2 3 4
6) What are the internal efforts made by your organization to promote and protect
environment? (Please tick)
i. Use of CNG/LPG in office vehicle ()
ii. Car pool for officers ()
iii. Video Conferencing ()
iv. Rain Water Harvesting ()
v. Tree plantation in locality ()
vi. Adoption of nearby villages to educate people in environment protection. ( )
vii. Organize national/international seminars/workshops/ Symposiums etc. ()
viii. Donate/sponsor organizers for national events on environment protection ( )
ix. Any other, please specify
7) What are the different HR Policies formulated in your organization related to

GHRM?
Appendicees
8) What are the various GHRM Practices used by your organization in the process
of recruitment and selection? (e.g. Online application or online interviews)
9) What are the various GHRM Practices used by your organization in the process
of training and development? (e.g. Online training or online performance
feedback)
10) What are the different types of rewards (financial or non- financial) given by
your company for the green initiatives taken by employees?
11) In a 5 point scale, please indicate to what extent you feel your company has
been successful in practicing Green Human Resource Management Practices.
Encircle the appropriate number indicating your level of agreement.
Note: Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), Neutral (N), Agree (A), Strongly Agree
(SA).
S.No Item SD D N A SA
1. The employee promotes environment protection in the workplace.
2. My company has fair policy for performance appraisal and evaluation which leads
to Job Satisfaction.
3. My company includes environmental criteria in the recruitment messages.
4. My company provides training for green initiatives and therefore increase my Job
Satisfaction.
5. Everybody in this facility get the opportunities to get training on environmental
Appendicees
S.No Item SD D N A SA
management aspects.
6. Employees have a sense of personal obligation to take action to stop wasting
resources (eg. saving water or using less electricity)
7. The employees follow the best practice of operating the machine in order to reduce
paper and energy consumption.
8. We have a system of joint consultations in solving environmental issues of the
organization.
9. My company communicates the employer‘s concern about greening through
recruitment efforts.
If agree, please suggest how?
10. The employee‘s behavior of saving paper and energy when operating the machine
is beyond the norm.
11. Company generally selects those candidates who are sufficiently aware of greening
to fill job vacancies.
If agree, please elaborate. How you check candidate‘s awareness about greening?
12. My company provides training to the union representatives in environmental

management.
13. We are rewarded financially or non- financially for good environmental
performance.
If yes, please give an example?
14. Employees in this company are willing to sacrifice some of their self-interests for
the benefit of the environment (eg.turn off the Air- conditioner, lights if you do not
need).
15. My company generally selects those applicants who have been engaging in
greening as consumers under their private life domain.
16. Job Satisfaction is derived due to recognition of green practices by external
agencies (Government).
If agree please elaborate.
17. My company reflects environmental policy and strategies of the organization in its
recruitment policy.
18. We are given equal opportunities to involve and participate in green suggestion
schemes.
19. My company provides environmental education to the workforce.
20. My company considers candidates ‗environmental concern and interest as selection
criteria.
21. My company provides training to learn or adapt environmental friendly best
practices (e.g. reducing long-distance business travel and recycling).
22. We get proper training on environmental awareness to create ―environmental
awareness‖ among the workforce.
23. My company recognizes union as a key stakeholder in environmental management.
24. My company provides incentives to encourage environmentally friendly activities
and behaviors (e.g. recycling and waste management).
25. While interviewing the candidate my company asks Environment-related
questions.
26. We are rewarded for green skills acquisition.
If agree, please share how?
27. My company also expresses its preference towards those candidates who have
competency and attitudes to participate in corporate environmental management
initiatives too in the recruitment message.
Appendicees

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CONTENTS

Green HRM on employee green workplace outcomes. Therefore, our understanding of

1.2 The Emergence of Green HRM

1.2.1 The ‘Green Movement’

Despite observable progress in corporate attitudes toward environmental policy

1.2.2 Human Resource Management

Employees are being progressively recognised as valuable assets in organisations,

1) The general functions of HR have the potential to advance sustainability within

2) Contemporary HRM and organisations pursuing sustainable operations, require

3) Sustainability is considered a ‗current‘ paradigm of HRM and

Green HRM therefore, could be considered to be a component of green management,

Based on existing literature, a green management-based policy and related green

notwithstanding the potential advantages and benefits of implementing Green HRM,

1.3 Defining Green HRM

holistic application of the concept of sustainability to organization and its workforce.

As per the survey done by Buck Consultants (2009), Greening of HR Survey

In summary, green management refers to the management of corporate interaction

Application of new technology could improve the environmental de-cline by

1.4 Existing Sustainability Frameworks

1.4.1 The United Nations Global Compact

1.5 Benefits of Adopting Green HRM Practices to Firms

1. Preservation of natural environment: The elements of the environment which

2. Ensure healthy working environment and raise employee morale: Making

3. Gain competitive advantage through ensuring corporate social

5. Increase company image: It is obvious that a company which has green

6. Reduce intervention from the government and other law enforcing

7. Develop eco-friendliness and environmental learning among the employees:

8. Stimulate innovation and growth: Green HRM practices encourages new

1.6 Green HRM Practices

1.6.1 Green Recruitment and Selection

1.6.2 Green Training and Development

The Green Training and Development is a practice that focuses on development of

1.6.3 Green Health and Safety Management

1.6.4 Green Employee Discipline Management

Wehrmeyer (1996) stated explicitly that green discipline management is a pre-requisite

1.6.5 Green Performance Appraisal

employee performance to the environmental performances needed by the organization

1.6.6 Green Compensation and Reward Management

Compensation and reward management should recognize contributions in green

1.6.7 Green Employee Relations

Employee participation in Green initiatives increases the chances of better green

1.6.8 Green Job Design and Analysis

In general, job descriptions can be used to specify a number of environmental

Grievance and Discipline: In general terms, grievance and discipline in firms

1.7 Advantages of Green Human Resource Management Practice

 Preferred employer of choice: Green organizations are the most desired

 Higher retention of employees: A survey by SHRM (Society for Human

 Better Sales: Cone Communications, marketing, and public relations company

1.8 Green HRM in India: Top 10 Indian Companies

 The Suzlon One Earth Campus, the corporate headquarter of Suzlon at

water treatment, health and energy of occupants, carpooling, zero waste

HCL Technologies initiated the following practices:-

 They are active members of India Council for Sustainable Development.

 First company in India to launch an Antimony and Beryllium Free laptop.

Tata Consultancy Services

 Its 16 facilities do composting, some have bio-digesters turning waste into

Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC)

Idea Cellular initiated the following practices:-