Green Human Resource Management Practices and Sustainable Performance in Vietnam's Agriculture: The Mediating Role of Green Innovation and Green Culture

Journal title Economia agro-alimentare
Author/s Nguyen Nhung, Mai Thuy, Nguyen Phung
Publishing Year 2026 Issue 2025/3
Language English Pages 31 P. 167-197 File size 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/ecag2025oa20856
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

View article Download Open Access article

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

<p class="ArticleText">The integration of economic development with environmental protection forms a crucial foundation for the sustainable development of society. In this context, Green Human Resource Management Practices (GHRM practices) activities play a bridging role in helping organizations improve sustainable performance while meeting the demands of customers, society, and environmental protection. This not only brings practical benefits to businesses in the agricultural sector but also significantly contributes to global sustainable development. Through a survey of 400 employees in the agricultural sector and utilizing Smart PLS software for data analysis, the study demonstrates that Green Human Resource Management Practices positively impacts sustainable performance through two mediating factors: Green Innovation and Green Culture. These results provide an important practical basis to support managers and policymakers in the agricultural sector in building competitive advantages while creating long-term value for organizations and society. The findings offer actionable insights for implementing specific GHRM practices such as green recruitment, training, and performance assessment to enhance sustainable performance in Vietnam's agricultural context.</p>

Keywords: Green Human Resource Management Practices (GHRM); Sustainable Performance;Green Innovation;Green Culture;Agricultural sector

  1. Ahmad, S. (2015). Green Human Resource Management: Policies and practices. Cogent Business & Management, 2(1), 1030817. Doi: 10.1080/23311975.2015.1030817.
  2. Ahmeda, U., Mozammelb, S., & Zamanc, F. (2020). Green HRM and green innovation: Can green transformational leadership moderate: Case of pharmaceutical firms in Australia. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 11(7), 616-617.
  3. Al Kerdawy, M. M. A. (2019). The Role of Corporate Support for Employee Volunteering in Strengthening the Impact of Green Human Resource Management Practices on Corporate Social Responsibility in the Egyptian Firms. European Management Review, 16(4), 1079-1095. Doi: 10.1111/emre.12310.
  4. Al-Alawneh, R., Othman, M., & Zaid, A. A. (2024). Green HRM impact on environmental performance in higher education with mediating roles of management support and green culture. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 32(6), 1141-1164.
  5. Aloqaily, A. N., & Al-Zaqeba, M. A. A. (2024). The Impact of Green Human Resource Management Practices on Engagement of Employee and Organizational Creativity Towards the Green Environment. In B. Alareeni & A. Hamdan (Eds), Navigating the Technological Tide: The Evolution and Challenges of Business Model Innovation (Vol. 1080, pp. 265-276). Springer Nature Switzerland. Doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-67444-0_26.
  6. Amjad, F., Abbas, W., Zia-UR-Rehman, M., Baig, S. A., Hashim, M., Khan, A., & Rehman, H.-. (2021). Effect of green human resource management practices on organizational sustainability: The mediating role of environmental and employee performance. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(22), 28191-28206. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-11307-9.
  7. Anuradha, A., & Srivastava, A. K. (2018). The Study of Green Human Resource Management and its effect on employees’ health in Automobile Industry. International Conference on Advances in Business and Law (ICABL), 2(1), 149-158. -- <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anuradha-Anuradha-3/publication/332416701_The_Study_of_Green_Human_Resource_Management_and_its_effect_on_employees’_health_">https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anuradha-Anuradha-3/publication/332416701_The_Study_of_Green_Human_Resource_Management_and_its_effect_on_employees’_health_</a>
  8. in_Automobile_Industry/links/62ee1d4488b83e7320b184f6/The-Study-of-GreenHuman-Resource-Management-and-its-effect-on-employees-health-in-Automobile-Industry.pdf.
  9. Asadi, S., Pourhashemi, S. O., Nilashi, M., Abdullah, R., Samad, S., Yadegaridehkordi, E., Aljojo, N., & Razali, N. S. (2020). Investigating influence of green innovation on sustainability performance: A case on Malaysian hotel industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120860.
  10. Awan, F. H., Dunnan, L., Jamil, K., & Gul, R. F. (2023). Stimulating environmental performance via green human resource management, green transformational leadership, and green innovation: A mediation-moderation model. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(2), 2958-2976. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-22424-y.
  11. Bindeeba, D. S., Tukamushaba, E. K., Bakashaba, R., & Atuhaire, S. (2025). Green human resources management and green innovation: A meta-analytic review of strategic human resources levers for environmental sustainability. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 650. Doi: 10.1007/s43621-025-01444-x.
  12. Bombiak, E., & Marciniuk-Kluska, A. (2018). Green human resource management as a tool for the sustainable development of enterprises: Polish young company experience. Sustainability, 10(6), 1739.
  13. Chen, Y.-S. (2008). The Driver of Green Innovation and Green Image – Green Core Competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. Doi: 10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1.
  14. Cook, K. S., Cheshire, C., Rice, E. R. W., & Nakagawa, S. (2013). Social Exchange Theory. In J. DeLamater & A. Ward (Eds), Handbook of Social Psychology (pp. 61-88). Springer Netherlands. Doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-6772-0_3.
  15. Diamantopoulos, A., Sarstedt, M., Fuchs, C., Wilczynski, P., & Kaiser, S. (2012). Guidelines for choosing between multi-item and single-item scales for construct measurement: A predictive validity perspective. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(3), 434-449. Doi: 10.1007/s11747-011-0300-3.
  16. Ekins, P., Hughes, N., Brigenzu, S., Arden Clark, C., Fischer-Kowalski, M., Graedel, T., Hajer, M., Hashimoto, S., Hatfield-Dodds, S., Havlik, P., Hertwich, E., Ingram, J., Kruit, K., Miligan, E., Moriguchi, Y., Nasr, N., Newth, D., Obersteiner, M., Ramaswami, A., … Westhowk, H. (2016). Resource Efficiency: Potential and Economic Implications [Other]. Report of the International Resource Panel, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Paris. -- <a href="http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel">http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel</a>.
  17. Feng, Y., & Xu, R. (2025). Advancing Global Sustainability: The Role of the Sharing Economy, Environmental Patents, and Energy Efficiency in the Group of Seven’s Path to Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 17(1), 322. Doi: 10.3390/su17010322.
  18. Food, R., & Affordable, H. D. M. (2022). Food security and nutrition in the World. -- <a href="https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/69435b4d-b660-4aa4-8aea-dc5d3ecaac78/content">https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/69435b4d-b660-4aa4-8aea-dc5d3ecaac78/content</a>.
  19. Gazi, M. A. I., Dhali, S., Masud, A. A., Ahmed, A., Amin, M. B., Chaity, N. S., Senathirajah, A. R. bin S., & Abdullah, M. (2024). Leveraging Green HRM to Foster Organizational Agility and Green Culture: Pathways to Enhanced Sustainable Social and Environmental Performance. Sustainability, 16(20), 8751. Doi: 10.3390/su16208751.
  20. Guerci, M., Rahimian, M., & Carollo, L. (2016). A paradox view on green human resource management: Insights from the Italian context. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(2), 212-238. Doi: 10.1080/09585192.2015.1033641.
  21. Hair, J., & Alamer, A. (2022). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in second language and education research: Guidelines using an applied example. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 1(3), 100027. Doi: 10.1016/j.rmal.2022.100027.
  22. Hair, J. F. (2014). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage. -- <a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=IFiarYXE1PoC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=Hair+v%C3%A0+c%E1%BB%99ng+s%E1%BB%B1+(2022),+A+primer+on+partial+least+squares+structural+equation+modeling+(PLS-SEM),+3rd+ed.,+Thousand+Oaks,+CA:+Sage.)&ots=phMEx-ZjSQ&sig=4Q5GCabrTkGfiIG_8lrdEXzbLAo">https://books.google.com/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=IFiarYXE1PoC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=Hair+v%C3%A0+c%E1%BB%99ng+s%E1%BB%B1+(2022),+A+primer+on+partial+least+squares+structural+equation+modeling+(PLS-SEM),+3rd+ed.,+Thousand+Oaks,+CA:+Sage.)&ots=phMEx-ZjSQ&sig=4Q5GCabrTkGfiIG_8lrdEXzbLAo</a>.
  23. Hair, J. F., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). Rethinking some of the rethinking of partial least squares. European Journal of Marketing, 53(4), 566-584. Doi: 10.1108/EJM-10-2018-0665.
  24. Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135. dDoi: 10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8.
  25. Hooi, L. W., Liu, M.-S., & Lin, J. J. J. (2021). Green human resource management and green organizational citizenship behavior: Do green culture and green values matter?. International Journal of Manpower, 43(3), 763-785. Doi: 10.1108/IJM-05-2020-0247.
  26. Imran, R., Alraja, M. N., & Khashab, B. (2021). Sustainable performance and green innovation: Green human resources management and big data as antecedents. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 70(12), 4191-4206.
  27. Jabbour, C. J. C., & de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L. (2016). Green human resource management and green supply chain management: Linking two emerging agendas. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 1824-1833.
  28. Joshi, G., & Dhar, R. L. (2020). Green training in enhancing green creativity via green dynamic capabilities in the Indian handicraft sector: The moderating effect of resource commitment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 267, 121948.
  29. Kaith, A., & Sachdeva, G. (2024). Bibliometric Insights into Green Human Resource Management: A Connection with Business Ethics and Values. PURUSHARTHA-A Journal of Management, Ethics and Spirituality, 17(1), 51-63.
  30. Kanan, M., Taha, B., Saleh, Y., Alsayed, M., Assaf, R., Ben Hassen, M., Alshaibani, E., Bakir, A., & Tunsi, W. (2023). Green innovation as a mediator between green human resource management practices and sustainable performance in Palestinian manufacturing industries. Sustainability, 15(2), 1077.
  31. Khurshid, F., Park, W., & Chan, F. T. S. (2019). Innovation shock, outsourcing strategy, and environmental performance: The roles of prior green innovation experience and knowledge inheritance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(8), 1572-1582. Doi: 10.1002/bse.2333.
  32. Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: A full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of E-Collaboration (Ijec), 11(4), 1-10.
  33. Kramar, R. (2014). Beyond strategic human resource management: Is sustainable human resource management the next approach?. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(8), 1069-1089. Doi: 10.1080/09585192.2013.816863.
  34. Kraus, S., Rehman, S. U., & García, F. J. S. (2020). Corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: The mediating role of environmental strategy and green innovation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 160, 120262. Doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120262.
  35. Laosirihongthong, T., Adebanjo, D., & Choon Tan, K. (2013). Green supply chain management practices and performance. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 113(8), 1088-1109.
  36. Liu, J., Gao, X., Cao, Y., Mushtaq, N., Chen, J., & Wan, L. (2022). Catalytic effect of green human resource practices on sustainable development goals: Can individual values moderate an empirical validation in a developing economy?. Sustainability, 14(21), 14502.
  37. Lopes, L. F. D., Balconi, S. B., Flores, R. D., Moreira, M. G., da Silva, D. J. C., de Oliveira, R. C., Pegoraro, D., de Moura, G. L., Baggio, D. K., & Fabricio, A. (2025). Innovative behavior of family farmers in Brazil in the face of innovations in the agricultural sector. Economia agro-alimentare/Food Economy-Open Access, 27(1). -- <a href="https://journals.francoangeli.it/index.php/ecagoa/article/view/18079">https://journals.francoangeli.it/index.php/ecagoa/article/view/18079</a>.
  38. Malik, S. Y., Cao, Y., Mughal, Y. H., Kundi, G. M., Mughal, M. H., & Ramayah, T. (2020a). Pathways towards sustainability in organizations: Empirical evidence on the role of green human resource management practices and green intellectual capital. Sustainability, 12(8), 3228.
  39. Malik, S. Y., Cao, Y., Mughal, Y. H., Kundi, G. M., Mughal, M. H., & Ramayah, T. (2020b). Pathways towards sustainability in organizations: Empirical evidence on the role of green human resource management practices and green intellectual capital. Sustainability, 12(8), 3228.
  40. Mansoor, A., Jahan, S., & Riaz, M. (2021). Does green intellectual capital spur corporate environmental performance through green workforce?. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 22(5), 823-839.
  41. Mishra, P. (2017). Green human resource management: A framework for sustainable organizational development in an emerging economy. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 25(5), 762-788. Doi: 10.1108/IJOA-11-2016-1079.
  42. Mousa, S. K., & Othman, M. (2020). The impact of green human resource management practices on sustainable performance in healthcare organisations: A conceptual framework. Journal of Cleaner Production, 243, 118595.
  43. Muluneh, M. G. (2021). Impact of climate change on biodiversity and food security: A global perspective – a review article. Agriculture & Food Security, 10(1), 36. Doi: 10.1186/s40066-021-00318-5.
  44. Naseer, S., Song, H., Adu-Gyamfi, G., Abbass, K., & Naseer, S. (2023). Impact of green supply chain management and green human resource management practices on the sustainable performance of manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(16), 48021-48035. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-25409-7.
  45. Nasir, M., Asad, N., Hashmi, H. B. A., Fu, H., & Abbass, K. (2023). Analyzing the pro-environmental behavior of pharmaceutical employees through Green HRM practices: The mediating role of green commitment. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(3), 7886-7903. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-22672-y.
  46. Paulraj, A. (2011). Understanding the relationships between internal resources and capabilities, sustainable supply management and organizational sustainability*: Antecedents, Sustainable Supply Management, and Sustainability Performance. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 47(1), 19-37. Doi: 10.1111/j.1745-493X.2010.03212.x.
  47. Piwowar-Sulej, K., & Iqbal, Q. (2023). Leadership styles and sustainable performance: A systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 382, 134600. Doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134600.
  48. Popkova, E. G., & Sergi, B. S. (2023). Current problems of the global environmental economy under the conditions of climate change and the perspectives of sustainable development (Vol. 73). Springer Nature. -- <a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=AxKrEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=The+global+economic+context+is+facing+unprecedented+challenges+related+to+climate+change+and+environmental+degradation,+forcing+industries+to+transition+to+sustainable+development+models+&ots=fjvexBVycR&sig=8zDRh9lA3h6rTSFcQ8hLyr2sG0o">https://books.google.com/books?hl=fr&lr=&id=AxKrEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=The+global+economic+context+is+facing+unprecedented+challenges+related+to+climate+change+and+environmental+degradation,+forcing+industries+to+transition+to+sustainable+development+models+&ots=fjvexBVycR&sig=8zDRh9lA3h6rTSFcQ8hLyr2sG0o</a>.
  49. Ren, S., Jiang, K., & Tang, G. (2022). Leveraging green HRM for firm performance: The joint effects of CEO environmental belief and external pollution severity and the mediating role of employee environmental commitment. Human Resource Management, 61(1), 75-90. Doi: 10.1002/hrm.22079.
  50. Ren, S., Tang, G., & E. Jackson, S. (2018). Green human resource management research in emergence: A review and future directions. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 35(3), 769-803. Doi: 10.1007/s10490-017-9532-1.
  51. Renwick, D. W. S., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2013). Green Human Resource Management: A Review and Research Agenda*. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(1), 1-14. Doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00328.x.
  52. Shahzad, M. A., Jianguo, D., & Junaid, M. (2023). Impact of green HRM practices on sustainable performance: Mediating role of green innovation, green culture, and green employees’ behavior. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(38), 88524-88547. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-28498-6.
  53. Subhaktiyasa, P. G. (2024). PLS-SEM for multivariate analysis: A practical guide to educational research using SmartPLS. EduLine: Journal of Education and Learning Innovation, 4(3), 353-365.
  54. Sun, J., Sarfraz, M., Ivascu, L., & Ozturk, I. (2023). Unveiling green synergies: Sustainable performance through human resource management, CSR, and corporate image under a mediated moderation framework. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(45), 101392-101409. Doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-29468-8.
  55. Syafri, W., Prabowo, H., Nur, S. A., & Muafi, M. (2021). The impact of workplace green behavior and green innovation on green performance of SMEs: A case study in Indonesia. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(5), 0365-0374.
  56. Taher, M. (2012). Resource-Based View Theory. In Y. K. Dwivedi, M. R. Wade, & S. L. Schneberger (Eds), Information Systems Theory (Vol. 28, pp. 151-163). Springer New York. Doi: 10.1007/978-1-4419-6108-2/_8.
  57. Tuyết, T. T. (n.d.). Green Growth in Agriculture in Vietnam: Awareness and Strategy for Development. -- Retrieved 16 September 2025, from <a href="https://www.academia.edu/download/113088887/2._tran_thi_tuyet_1_03012024122456.pdf">https://www.academia.edu/download/113088887/2._tran_thi_tuyet_1_03012024122456.pdf</a>.
  58. Xie, H., & Lau, T. C. (2023). Evidence-based green human resource management: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 15(14), 10941.
  59. Yong, J. Y., Yusliza, M., Ramayah, T., Chiappetta Jabbour, C. J., Sehnem, S., & Mani, V. (2020). Pathways towards sustainability in manufacturing organizations: Empirical evidence on the role of green human resource management. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(1), 212-228. Doi: 10.1002/bse.2359.
  60. Zhu, Q., Sarkis, J., & Lai, K. (2008). Green supply chain management implications for “closing the loop”. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 44(1), 1-18.

Nguyen Nhung, Mai Thuy, Nguyen Phung, Green Human Resource Management Practices and Sustainable Performance in Vietnam's Agriculture: The Mediating Role of Green Innovation and Green Culture in "Economia agro-alimentare" 3/2025, pp 167-197, DOI: 10.3280/ecag2025oa20856