Introduction

Background

Environmental research categorically shows that industrial pollution is a major threat to

sustainability in the modern world (Xiang, Stuber and Meng 2011). Therefore, attempts to
improve sustainability through product and process redesign, and strategic environmental plans
have become the focus of industrial activities in firms and at the government-level (Jabbour et al.
2008; Jackson, Renwick, Jabbour and Muller-Camen 2011; Jabbour et al. 2014). However, extant
research highlights that firms’ intentions to adopt environmental practices and achieve
sustainability is often influenced by certain drivers and barriers. For example, research suggests
that stakeholder pressure, attainment of green certifications (such as ISO 14001), and adoption
of environmental management system (EMS) are some of the principal drivers that improve
firms’ quests to improve sustainability (Marcus and Fremeth 2009; Jabbour et al. 2013; Yang,
Lin, Chan, and Sheu 2010). During the past two decades, a worldwide consensus has begun to
emerge around the need for proactive environmental management. In response, scholars from
management functions as diverse as accounting, marketing and supply-chain management have
been analyzing how managerial practices in these areas can contribute to environmental
management goals.

Green HRM is the use of human resource management policies to promote the sustainable use of
resources within business organizations and more generally, promotes the cause of
environmental sustainability (Mandip, 2012). Green HRM involves environmentally-friendly
human resource policies and practices that, on the one hand, will help organizations achieve its
monetary goal through environmental branding and on the other hand protect environment from
any negative impacts that might cause by the policies & actions by the organizations.
Environmental Sustainability: Sustainability is often defined as the “ability to meet the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (WCED,
1987 as cited in Cohen Toylor & Muller, 2004). Today many national and international
conventions focus on that topic. So, their main focus is on that How we can counter the climate
change?

It is necessary to use resources in such an efficient manner, So, that can be saved for our future
generation also. In green HR, HR provide trainings to industrialists and workers to adopt such
practices which save the environment from damage. It is free from paper bounding due to which
it is less time consuming. It also helps to employers to image building and guide them about
economical use of resources and waste management.

The reason of going green practices is to use products and technology that no polluting the
environment and use resources in efficient manners (Robinson (2008: 1). On the other side if
industrialists use alternative resources instead of natural resources that give positive outcomes
and we can pay more attention on waste management and recycling (Dallas 2008: 9). When we
focus on green environment the employees should be active and motivated to fulfillment of that
objectives. It also helps to the organizations to make innovations and adopt environment friendly
plans (Aravamudhan, 2012). Specially in underdeveloped countries that is a new concept but
know in many countries like Pakistan organizations focus on environment friendly practices and
focus on recycling for the purpose of waste management. These practices helps in many ways to
save energy and natural resources. (Bhutto & Aurangzeb 2016)

Furthermore, it is described that if workers and employers of the organizations have right skills
that can plan an effective role in environment cleanness and management (Daily and Huang,
2001). Earlier, businesses presumed that integrating ‘green’ into their business strategy would
cost money, but now understand that overlooking negative impacts on the environment will be
costly in the future (Van der Zee 2008: 6). It is found that adoption of green practices in
organizations have significant influence on eployees performance and their outcomes. ( Shen,
Dumont, & Deng 2016). When organizations adopt environment friendly practices it helps in the
retention of employees in organizations and improves productivity and efficiency of employees.
It also improves public image and attract better employees towards that organizations. That
provides competitive advantage to these organizations and increase profitability level. (Cherian
& Jacob 2012) So, organizations can achive their tasks in a better way by adopting green
practices. That also improves the worth and image of the organization in society and can get
more prifits in this way. (Arulrajah, Opatha & Nawaratne 2015)

Despite of that certain gap exist in human resource management and in different aspects of
environmental management. So, adopt green human resource management is important in global
world. It also helps in developing customers loyalty and increase profit of the organizations.
Thus, it is clear that ignoring green practices is not only effect businesses of the organizations but
also destroy nature and health of living individuals on the earth. So, it is necessary to study and
analyze green environmental factors in the field of human resource management to understand
the relation between industries and environment.

Objectives
 To suggest benefits of Green HRM to both employee as well as employer.
 To examine employee perceptions towards green HRM.
 To put forth certain suggestions and conclusions based the findings that have been arrived
 To study the awareness level among the employees with regard to the Green HRM
Significance
The Green HRM is the requirement of 21st Century as day in and day out, it is reported in the
newspaper that because of the excess consumption of natural resources as a raw material by the
industries and other commercial organization there is tremendous pressure on the natural
resources of planet Earth. The situation is so alarming that the scientist and the environmentalist
are discussing the issues of ecological imbalances and the bio-diversity.

In Pakistan the concept of Green HRM is not established. It is on initial stages due to which we
conduct study on Green HR practices. We are worried about the environment that is why we
conducted study on this topic. Pakistan face many problems because of environmental pollution.
Like smog which cause many types of infections and diseases. Our research will provide
awareness to organizations which can help to save energy and clean the environment. We also try
to fill the gap which is identified in previous research on this topic. This study provides the
different perspectives of both employers and employees about Green HR practices.

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