"Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) and Environment Social Governance (ESG): A Systematic Literature Review"

Abstract

"This paper presents a systematic literature review exploring the intersection of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria. The study synthesizes current research, identifies prevailing trends, and highlights gaps within this emerging field. It examines GHRM practices such as eco-friendly recruitment, training, performance management, and employee involvement for their influence on ESG performance in organizations. The study utilizes the bibliometric tool SciMAT. It maps the intellectual structure and evolution of this interdisciplinary domain, uncovering key themes, trends, and research clusters. The findings emphasize that GHRM practices play a pivotal role in promoting organizational sustainability, enhancing ESG performance by fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Integrating ESG criteria into human resource practices is shown to improve corporate transparency and drive long-term value creation. While the analysis underscores the potential of GHRM to align HRM strategies with broader sustainability and governance objectives, it also highlights the need for further empirical research to establish causal relationships and evaluate the long-term impacts of GHRM on ESG outcomes. This review demonstrates that a unified HRM framework is essential for advancing environmental and governance objectives, with GHRM playing a central role in driving ESG success. By bridging notable gaps in the literature, the study advances our understanding of the mutual influence between GHRM and ESG, offering valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners striving for organizational resilience and long-term environmental performance. It provides a first combined bibliometric and theoretical framework connecting GHRM policies directly to ESG domains, thereby describing the devices by which human resource practices can be functional to achieve sustainability goals. © 2026 The Author(s). Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd."