Promoting pro-environmental behavior among one belt one road firms’ employees through the lens of green human resource practices

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The realization of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has opened up new horizons for economic development along with threats to climate change in Pakistan. It has intended to change the social and corporate landscape, which necessitates investigation regarding corporate green HRM practices and employee behaviors of the firms involved.

OBJECTIVE:

This study developed a theoretical framework and investigated the mediating impact of pro-environmental psychological climate (PEPC) between green human resource management (GHRM) and pro-environmental behavior (PEB) of the employees working under CPEC in Pakistan. Therefore, the core intent lies in recognizing those aspects of manipulating the pro-environmental behavior of the employees of the firms involved.

METHODS:

Based on the simple random sampling technique, data was collected from 388 employees using a quantitative approach. SmartPLS was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS:

The findings suggest that GHRM practices have an impact on organizations’ pro-environmental psychological climate and employees’ pro-environmental behavior. Furthermore, the pro-environmental psychological climate encourages employees to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors within Pakistani organizations working under CPEC.

CONCLUSION:

GHRM has proved to be a vital instrument for attaining organizational sustainability and pro-environmental behavior. The original study results are particularly valuable for employees of the firms working under CPEC as they motivate them to engage in more sustainability solutions. The study findings add to the body of GHRM practices and strategic management, and thus policymakers can better postulate, align, and exercise GHRM practices.

Keywords

Pro-environmental psychological climate China-Pakistan economic corridor sustainability environmental management

1 Introduction

Due to increased environmental awareness, sustainability has gained considerable attention from scholars and policymakers [1–3]. In this context, organizations around the globe have started to realize that environmental preservation is necessary for the sustenance of their organizations [4]. Thus, the rising environmental issues worldwide have prompted businesses to adopt eco-friendly measures at an accelerating rate [5]. These implementations can benefit organizations that promote themselves as “green and good enough”, and this ideology of greening businesses has led to the emergence of green human resource management (GHRM) [6]. The human resource contribution is remarkable in this respect. GHRM is essential in accelerating green efforts as it integrates environmental issues into HRM activities that identify, value, and promote environment-friendly principles, practices, and initiatives [7, 8].

Additionally, preliminary studies have recommended that organizations use GHRM to promote and stimulate employees’ green behavior to meet the green goals of their organizations [9]. This is true because GHRM symbolizes the responsibility organizations have to influence employee sustainable behaviors to reduce the environmental impact of their company operations [10]. According to sustainability research, employees’ environment-friendly behavior is essential to firms’ green endeavors [11, 12]. Employee pro-environmental behavior (PEB), often known as “green behavior,” is human conduct that reduces the adverse environmental effects of employees’ work-related activities and promotes sustainable performance in enterprises.

Besides GHRM practices, the role of organizational culture is essential to shape human behaviors effectively in order to create a pro-environmental psychological climate (PEPC) within the company [13]. Employees sense the value of the pro-environmental psychological climate through social interaction at work, which employs strict techniques, plans, procedures, and measures that support environmental sustainability practices [14]. Employees’ necessary knowledge about their surroundings and environment broadens their knowledge base and affects their behavioral patterns [15]. Hence, PEPC is inconceivably dependable on how GHRM practices are incorporated into an organization [14]. Likewise, when integrated with GHRM practices, this synchronization leads to better ecological consequences [16].

Along with PEPC, the desired eco-friendly behavior of employees to ensure sustainability practices is pivotal [15]. By engaging in pro-environmental activities to reduce resource waste and operating expenses, employees who recognize the significance of environmental issues will be better able to respond to such challenges [17]. Given these pervasive effects, it is understandable why so many academics have discovered and pushed for empirical studies to look into employees’ PEBs at work. Due to the recent surge in GHRM literature [18], the above mentioned authors believe that there is still a lack of understanding of how GHRM is viewed by workers and how it influences their beliefs, practices, and behaviors. Although it is recognized that there is a direct correlation between GHRM and PEB, it is crucial to understand how GHRM influences employees’ PEB, which in turn may affect an organization’s ability to perform sustainably. Therefore, this study aims to address these needs as literature gaps by investigating the impact of GHRM on PEB through the mediating mechanism of PEPC.

In the same manner, the authors believe that such investigation is mandated for the organizations particularly working under CPEC in Pakistan, where environmental problems and difficulties are currently of great significance to businesses. Though, CPEC is more to bring harmony, affluence, and well-being to the people of both nations while capitalizing the strategic geo-positing of Pakistan [19]. It is also expected that industrialization, on the other hand, will greatly enhance employment prospects in Pakistan [20], but authors anticipate that this industrialization would bring harm to humans and biodiversity since such huge mega infrastructural development projects have their impediments on economic, socio-cultural, and ecological well-being of the locals. That is why mega projects have long-term implications for the economy, society, and global ecosystems of a country or region, possibly affecting several generations [12].

As per current climate change reports, the adjacent areas to CPEC project routes in Pakistan are extremely vulnerable to climate change [21]. These ecological issues, for instance, metropolitan air contamination, unnatural weather change, water shortage, and loss of biodiversity such huge problems can jeopardize the area because of severe environmental degradation [22] that demand effective strategic planning in the pursuit of greening by the participating firms [23]. Carrying forward the research gap highlighted by Farrukh et al. [5], there is a dearth of research regarding factors that influence PEBs in the Pakistani environment. Therefore, we infer from these arguments that non-ecological practices under such mega infrastructural development projects can cause intense environmental challenges within and outside the firms that need to be addressed timely through effective GHRM practices. As a result, the current study developed and employed the stakeholder theory for a conceptual framework and relied on data collected from employees of the enterprises working under CPEC.

Stakeholder theory emphasizes the importance of considering the interests of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the environment, in organizational decision-making. Stakeholder theory has its roots in the organizational literature of the 1960 s, even though Freeman is frequently credited with formalizing the theory Laplume, Sonpar [24]. Indisputably or indirectly, stakeholder theory includes three different types of views: descriptive/empirical, instrumental, and normative. The idea is intended to be expressed in descriptive or empirical ways that describe and explain how businesses or their managers operate. Green HRM, on the other hand, is a strategic approach that aims to promote sustainability by integrating environmental concerns into human resource management practices. One way in which these two concepts intersect is through the creation of a pro-environmental psychological climate within the organization. A PEPC is characterized by employees’ beliefs and attitudes that support sustainability, leading to a positive workplace culture that values the environment. This, in turn, can promote pro-environmental behavior among employees, such as energy conservation, waste reduction, and recycling. By adopting a stakeholder perspective and implementing GHRM practices, organizations working under CPEC can cultivate a PEPC and encourage pro-envirionmental behavior among employees, contributing to both environmental sustainability and organizational success.

2 Literature and hypotheses development

2.1 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Chinese investment in Pakistan has reached around USD 62 billion thanks to the China– Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) [19] and is projected to reach USD 100 billion by 2030. Additionally, CPEC has a great potential to attract many foreigners and business interests to Pakistan (CPEC, 2018). Due to CPEC’s well-established worldwide significance, many scholars are concentrating on exploring new issues that could complicate its future and looking for solutions. CPEC is a crucial component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is a contemporary 21st-century version of the Silk Road. Depending on its completion and maturity, this megaproject’s anticipated construction cost of roughly 46 USD billion will last for almost 16 years (2014–2030). In addition, Zia, Malik, & Waqar [25] view CPEC as a flagship, mega, and high-level project with a focus on shifting Pakistan’s position from Geography Oriented Contingency (GOC) into a Strategically Economy Oriented Contingency (SEOC). At the same time research [26] claims CPEC as the hub of such mega opportunities with numerous infrastructures, fiscal growth, trade zones, and local connectivity plans. As infrastructure development poses a significant contribution to the progression of business and economic growth of the country [12]. Former researchers and officials have confirmed that the CPEC project cuts job loss by means of creating millions of employment opportunities [27], carries novel occupations, and offers innovative venture prospects [28], delivers openings for large-scale businesses and small businesses, and generates profits for local publics. These economic, political, and social stability aspects are pivitol for the successful completion of such mega development project that deal holistically with the environmental phenomenon (both internal and external) with its all constituents, including all stakeholders, systems, processes, culture, society, behavior, and people.

2.2 GHRM and pro-environmental psychological climate

Employees’ collective comprehension of the organization’s goals, policies, procedures, strategy, and values for sustainability activities constitutes the pro-environmental psychological climate [29]. By adopting GHRM, the company informs workers of its commitments to the environment beyond just profit reasons and seeks to include them in environmental choices and activities [7]. Employees who are not held personally accountable for sustainable actions are typically not encouraged to engage in green initiatives [14]. Therefore, an organization should actively engage in green jobs via green job design and appraisal, pay them fairly for their sustainable accomplishments, train them to increase their understanding of the environment, and encourage their participation in green activities [30, 31].

GHRMs are more likely to increase employee perception of the environment [31]. According to Thomas A Norton et al. [14], a company sustainability policy fosters employees’ pro-environmental psychological climate. Dumont, Shen, and Deng [32] investigate how GHRM affects the psychological green environment of employees. The organizational GHRM may have an impact on the construction of a pro-environmental psychological climate since the organizational emphasis on policies further reinforces climate building [33].

We could infer from these results that GHRM might be required for PEPC promotion. Employees who work in a green environment with green co-workers will observe that their good attitudes toward green values influence one another. Thus, it stands to reason that PEPC and GHRM are likely positively correlated.

H1: Green human resource management practices positively influence the pro-environmental psychological climate.

2.3 Pro-environmental psychological climate and pro-environmental behavior

PEBs were described by Kollmuss and Agyeman [34] “as conscious efforts made by a person to reduce the damaging effects of those actions on the environment”. The terms ‘green psychological climate’[32], ‘pro-environmental organizational climate’ [35], ‘green organizational climate’ [36], and ‘green work climate’, are utilized indistinctly. Organizational climate has been identified in the literature on organizational behavior as a widely contested study topic and an essential perspective to view employees’ attitudes and behaviors at work [37–39]. In this regard, Norton et al. [14] discover favorable correlations between employees’ impressions of the climate and their ecological behaviors. Employees perceive the organization’s “green” orientation positively due to its environmental policies and practices. As a result, they believe that their employer supports their environmentally friendly behavior. This supports the idea that contextual elements and regulations impact how employees perceive their work environments and the organizations they work for [14]. The psychological environment of sustainability inspires employees to act in favor of the environment. Engagement among employees fosters proactively and deeper comprehension of the green objectives [40]. Employees who clearly understand and support the company’s environmental goals are encouraged to act responsibly [41]. As a result, the following hypothesis can be drawn:

H2: There is a positive association between pro-environmental psychological climate and pro-environmental behavior.

2.4 GHRM and pro-environmental behavior

Green HRM practices implementation starts with selection and recruitment and continues with training and development, employee engagement, performances, and reviews, with an emphasis on several aspects. HRM practices may always be used to improve environmental performance. Employee perceptions of green HRM are used in this study since individual experiences and personal interests might drive personnel to respond differently to initiatives [42]. The green HRM could even motivate employees to get involved in practices that benefit a firm’s sustainable growth (e.g., electronic documents, immersive unified communications, free learning, or energy-saving executive management) and improve employees’ cognitive abilities and willingness to their organizations’ ecological narratives, and then effectively address these issues [32]. Green HRM focuses more on workers’ environmental values throughout the recruitment process, which attracts individuals that prioritize environmental sustainability [33]. Environmental sustainability developmental strategies, for instance, could be integrated with the nature of job description [43]. Green interview questions and inquiries on an organization’s sustainability can then be used to better choose candidates having green aptitude and expertise. Green HRM training can help employees become more environmentally conscious [44], develop their environmental skills and capabilities [45], strengthen their sense of responsibility and motivation for environmental sustainability, as well as increase their participation and involvement in green behaviors. Green HRM considers employees’ environmental performance when deciding whether to promote or award them. Employees who practice green conduct, for instance, can indeed be rewarded with incentives, raises, and special presents, making them more likely to support to and engage in green practices [7]. Green HRM focuses primarily on employee involvement in climate issues and should encourage and reward employee suggestions for environmentally friendly policies.

To sum up, green HRM incorporates “green” elements into these processes, including hiring, training, performance reviews, employee empowerment, and rewards, all of which have the potential to influence employees’ attitudes and encourage green behavior at work. Workforce are expected not only to comply with the firm’s green commitment and objectives if they believe their company is implementing a clearly stated and a well-organized set of guidelines that clearly state the company’s commitment to and objectives for sustainability. Consequently, we speculate that:

H3: Green human resource management practices are positively related to employees’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.5 The mediating role of pro-environmental psychological climate

Employees’ opinions of green HRM may have an impact on their proactive green actions. In fact, it is believed that pro-environmental psychological climates can be significant social and psychological elements that influence how employees recognize or behave in support of green HRM. Psychological climate and green climate are combined to create a pro-environmental psychological climate. Employees’ perceptions and interpretations of organizational environments are referred to as psychological climate [36, 46]. The pro-environmental psychological climate is already characterized as an environment that pertains to firms who employ a variety of pro-environmental policies in order to accomplish sustainable goals [36]. As a result, an individual’s view of a firm’s pro-environmental strategies, practices, and behaviors which represent the firm’s environmental principles, is exhibited through effective green HRM practices.

On the other hand, a green psychological climate has been linked in studies to positively influence employees’ green behavior. Workers’ interactions with their employers influence the psychological climate, so they can assess the value of organizational activities, processes, and policies that they see or hear about [47] particularly green HRM. Workers may understand and assimilate quite a leadership style after a company has a robust HRM mechanism, or they can decide how they view such environmental strategies for the particular organization. Employees gradually form opinions about firms’ green psychological climates because of this cognitive process. Individuals recognize a firm more concerned not just with financial benefits but with individuals’ environmentally friendly activities and decisions whenever a firm adopts a variety of HRM practices [7].

To put it more simply, firms have adopted green HRM but will integrate such “green” aspects across management functions whilst also defining environmental responsibilities in job design and assessments, promoting green behaviors, and encouraging employee participation in green behaviors. Each of these tactics may make workers become more aware of the word “green” and feel a positive green psychological climate. We contend that employees’ perceptions of a pro-environmental psychological climate may influence their commitment to go far beyond their normal responsibilities. According to previous studies [48], the environment of an organization may predict employee behavior and performance to a certain degree. Employees, for example, may raise their entire effort in anticipation of possible environmental health and safety issues. According to Parker’s [49] literature assessment, psychological climates seem to be associated with employee outcomes such as job burnout, work satisfaction, and productivity. The connection among both employees’ perceptions of the existence of green regulation as well as eco-friendly behaviors, including proactive and task-related green behaviors, and green work climate perceptions constitutes psychological mechanisms that link such policies with behaviors. We hypothesize the following in light of the arguments above:

H4: Pro-environmental psychological climate mediates the relationship between green human resource management practices and employees’ pro-environmental behavior.

3 Method

3.1 Measurements

Based on a recent study, we designed a structured questionnaire as a research tool and tailored it to the current situation. The questionnaire was divided into three segments: the first part presented the brief overview and purpose of the study, the second segment featured demographic information about the respondents, and the third segment included questions about the components of the research framework. The twenty-six green HRM practices were assessed throughout this investigation using the measuring items from [33]. Chou [50] provided a five-item scale to assess the psychological climate that is pro-environment, which we used and slightly adjusted for this study. We have used the eleven items from the survey to gauge pro-environmental behavior [51]. To educate, inspire, and acquaint the staff with environmental principles, we distributed the declarations among them.

3.2 Data sampling and collection methods

The firms engaged in the CPEC project are considered to be the study population. It is thought to be a major project because of the CPEC’s $71 billion USD investment to boost Pakistan’s socioeconomic growth. CPEC is projected to produce a considerable number of employment openings, ranging from 600,000 to 1,000,000, between 2015 and 2030, with the required exceptional and skilled workforce [52]. Careful research is necessary to identify issues with human resource development (HRD) that are consistent with the historical perspective of HRD. Along the same lines, the population of the study has been determined to be the CPEC project enterprises.

According to Chinese authorities, Pakistan lacks the skilled workforce needed for current systems and technology. The data also show that Pakistan only employs a modest number of Chinese officials [52]. As a result, the officers’ grade employees of these CPEC-participating enterprises make up the sampling unit for the underlying study. The employees of these businesses can act sustainably while changing outside information to promote innovation through the efficient execution and successful completion of this unique, large-scale project. The sample size is 388 based on the recommendations made by Lindner, Murphy, and Briers [53] on sample size.

To collect data, we used Google Docs in an online format. When compared to offline methods, such as on-site briefings, discussions, including evaluations, the existing situation’s online overview proved straightforward and useful for gathering data. In this manner, the researchers agree that the web assessment approach is appropriate for ongoing research. During late August and early September 2021, data was collected. For ongoing investigation, the self-selected simple random procedure was used to pick the sample. Ferber [54], likewise, agreed that the survey’s question items needed to make sense and apply to the study’s participants for the sample to be adequately representative of the entire population [55].

4 Analysis

The hypothesized correlations are examined using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) [55, 56]. PLS-SEM is a two-stage testing method; in the first stage, the validity and reliability of the measurement model are tested [57]. Whereas in the second stage significance of the hypothesized path is tested [56]. Table 1 shows the details of descriptive statistics.

Table 1
Descriptive statistics

Demographic profile Respondents (388) Valid %

Gender

Male 313 82

Female 75 18

Age

30 years and below 50 13

31–40 96 25

41–50 165 42

Above 51 77 20

Education

12 and below 42 11

14 105 26

16 281 46

18 or above 107 17

Experience

5–10 years 46 12

11–16 years 135 34

17–21 years 165 43

Demographic profile	Respondents (388)	Valid %
Gender
Male	313	82
Female	75	18
Age
30 years and below	50	13
31–40	96	25
41–50	165	42
Above 51	77	20
Education
12 and below	42	11
14	105	26
16	281	46
18 or above	107	17
Experience
5–10 years	46	12
11–16 years	135	34
17–21 years	165	43

4.1 Evaluation of measurement model

For analyzing the validity and reliability of the measurement model, this study investigated convergent validity, composite reliability, and discriminant validity. For assessing convergent validity, we calculated the factor loadings and average variance extracted. The threshold values for these two indicators are 0.70 and 0.50, respectively. Further, the threshold value for composite reliability (CR) is 0.70. Moreover, to establish discriminant validity, we used HTMT ratios. According to Hair et al. [58], the HTMT ratio should be below 0.85. Results in Tables 2 and 3 show that all the cut-off values of reliability and validity are achieved; hence the study model is ready for the next stage.

Table 2
Validity and reliability

Indicator FL α CR AVE

Pro-environmental behavior 0.918 0.924 0.605

PEB1 0.729

PEB2 0.770

PEB3 0.767

PEB4 0.727

PEB5 0.860

PEB6 0.714

PEB7 0.730

PEB8 0.841

PEB9 0.846

Pro-environmental psychological climate 0.806 0.815 0.559

PEPC1 0.805

PEPC2 0.727

PEPC3 0.781

PEPC4 0.739

PEPC5 0.682

Green human resource management 0.968 0.973 0.548

GHRM1 0.717

GHRM2 0.713

GHRM3 0.731

GHRM4 0.691

GHRM5 0.812

GHRM6 0.781

GHRM7 0.767

GHRM8 0.795

GHRM9 0.797

GHRM10 0.761

GHRM11 0.698

GHRM12 0.676

GHRM13 0.670

GHRM15 0.742

GHRM16 0.753

GHRM17 0.709

GHRM18 0.742

GHRM19 0.741

GHRM20 0.737

GHRM21 0.713

GHRM22 0.717

GHRM23 0.778

GHRM24 0.710

GHRM25 0.765

GHRM26 0.751

Indicator	FL	α	CR	AVE
Pro-environmental behavior		0.918	0.924	0.605
PEB1	0.729
PEB2	0.770
PEB3	0.767
PEB4	0.727
PEB5	0.860
PEB6	0.714
PEB7	0.730
PEB8	0.841
PEB9	0.846
Pro-environmental psychological climate		0.806	0.815	0.559
PEPC1	0.805
PEPC2	0.727
PEPC3	0.781
PEPC4	0.739
PEPC5	0.682
Green human resource management		0.968	0.973	0.548
GHRM1	0.717
GHRM2	0.713
GHRM3	0.731
GHRM4	0.691
GHRM5	0.812
GHRM6	0.781
GHRM7	0.767
GHRM8	0.795
GHRM9	0.797
GHRM10	0.761
GHRM11	0.698
GHRM12	0.676
GHRM13	0.670
GHRM15	0.742
GHRM16	0.753
GHRM17	0.709
GHRM18	0.742
GHRM19	0.741
GHRM20	0.737
GHRM21	0.713
GHRM22	0.717
GHRM23	0.778
GHRM24	0.710
GHRM25	0.765
GHRM26	0.751

Table 3

Discriminant validity (HTMT ratio)

	GHRM	PEB	PEPC
GHRM
PEB	0.511
PEPC	0.407	0.645

4.2 Structural model evaluation

The bootstrapping function of Smart PLS software is used to test the significance of hypothesized relationships. The results presented in Table 4 show that all the hypothesized relationships for H1, H2,H3 and H4 are supported for instance there is a positive and significant relationship between GHRM and PEPC (t-value=11.583, p-value=0.000), which leads to the acceptance of H1 of this study.

Table 4
Testing hypotheses

Original sample T-statistics P-values

GHRM ->PEPC 0.419 11.583 0.000

PEPC ->PEB 0.436 8.058 0.000

GHRM->PEB 0.346 7.786 0.000

GHRM ->PEPC->PEB->PEB 0.183 6.956 0.000

	Original sample	T-statistics
GHRM ->PEPC	0.419	11.583
PEPC ->PEB	0.436	8.058
GHRM->PEB	0.346	7.786
GHRM ->PEPC->PEB->PEB	0.183	6.956

5 Discussion

According to the findings of this article, manufacturing companies that apply GHRM practices must consider the key factor of cultivating a pro-environmental psychological climate which is critical for assisting employees in executing green plans and strategies and improving environmental performance. The findings [16, 59] reinforce that the creative synthesis of GHRM and pro-environmental psychological climate is required to achieve true and permanent environmental sustainability and improved environmental performance. At the same time, the presence of a pro-environmental psychological climate helps employees to better endorse pro-environmental behavior, which is in line with the study [15, 31]. Thus, both the direct and mediating impacts have been proven, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1

Theoretical framework.

Fig. 2

Structural model.

6 Conclusion

Megaprojects have a wide range of societal responsibilities during its lifespan. Megaprojects, particularly infrastructure developments, play critical roles in the financial and social landscape, and their social responsibilities and long-term viability have recently attracted a great deal of attention. The prolonged lifecycle and diversified partners of megaprojects have created unprecedented challenges in managing monetary, social, and environmental issues. The CPEC project has grown in importance not only in Pakistan but also around the world. As a result, the researchers decided to look into the impact of GHRM on green CSR in organizations working under CPEC.

The study also presents an integrated research framework through which firms can make efficient strategic green management decisions, opening up new research opportunities for future green management research. This framework included the predictors (i.e. green HRM) and outcome (i.e. pro-environmental behavior) of the CPEC firms. We contribute to the literature by including pro-environmental psychological climate as a first outcome in the correlation of antecedents and pro-environmental behavior, as well as the role of pro-environmental behavior in the relationship between antecedents and effects. The findings revealed that GHRM has a significant impact on green behavior. Furthermore, the proposed mediation, a pro-environmental psychological climate, had a positive impact on the relationship between GHRM practices and PEB. Massive projects have several societal responsibilities while they are in action. Major projects, particularly infrastructure projects, are crucial primarily in a socio-political context. In recent years, much attention has been paid to both their social obligations and long-term viability. Megaprojects face unprecedented financial, societal, and ecological problems due to their extended lifecycles and diverse partners. Not just in Pakistan but also internationally, the CPEC project has earned popularity. The researchers decided to investigate how GHRM procedures affect green CSR in a CPEC environment. Researchers designed and carefully examined that research framework recommended assessing the impact of green HRM practices in forecasting green behavior among employees of CPEC firms using a stakeholder approach.

6.1 Theoretical implications

Our study presents several significant contributions regarding the organization. The current investigation outcomes present various significant commitments to the assemblage of a firm’s behavior, ethics, and knowledge management in several ways. First, ecological apprehensions have expanded the job of the company in ensuring the environment [60]. We built and validated a framework wherein green HRM is favorably linked to employees’ pro-environmental behaviors, and a pro-environmental psychological climate mediates the association between GHRM and employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. The study’s findings backed up the hypothesized concept. Employees’ pro-environmental behavior was favorably influenced by GHRM practices. The finding is in accordance with the work of [16], which showed that GHRM boosted employee pro-environmental behavior.

This research adds to the body of knowledge in several ways. Firstly, this paper looked into the aspects that affect employees’ willingness to engage in green behaviors, which have been vital to the success of environmental programs [61]. Also, it adds to the little amount of evidence about employee incentives for pro-environmental behavior [51]. Secondly, our article contributes to the understanding of employees’ pro-environmental behavior, which is an area that demands more research contexts [32]. Furthermore, the study investigates the effect of green HRM practices on employees’ pro-environmental behavior which has gained little attention. Regarding assumptions as to its impact on employee job performance, the green HRM narrative is still very much in its infancy contexts. Also, the pro-environmental psychological climate, which has received a lot of attention in the environment psychological literature currently needs to be studied further in organizational contexts [32], since the role of pro-environmental psychological climate is very vital in devising employee green behavior. This finding of our study is in line with the study by Xie and Lu [62], who also claim that individuals with a better understanding of the environment are always more enthusiastic about PEB. According to the outcomes of this article, industrial companies working under CPEC must consider the key factor of cultivating a green innovation culture in both their products and processes while applying the GHRM practices.

6.2 Practical implications

The research has significant implications for business leaders who want their workforce to embrace pro-environmental behavior and deploy green HRM practices for improved environmental performance at the corporate level. Previous research [12] recommended that firms emphasize green HRM practices (hiring, training, and involvement, performance management, empowerment and compensation) towards the optimal application of green policies. Therefore, the employees of firms working under CPEC need to embrace green HRM practices as predictors for green behavior.

Moreover, if employers aim to promote green practices to benefit people and organizations, they may implement the following GHRM strategies: Firstly, they can choose to only hire employees who possess knowledge about the environment as they are more likely to be receptive to green methods. Additionally, eco-friendly job descriptions and work designs should be incorporated in the recruitment and selection process. To assess a candidate’s level of environmental awareness, concern, knowledge, and dedication, they can be questioned about the environment during interviews. Performance requirements for hiring and promotion procedures should also take into account certain ecological aspects. Furthermore, businesses can provide staff training and development opportunities to help them understand green principles and practices [12, 31].

Additionally, employers must evaluate their staff members’ environmental behavior [32]. Managers must involve their staff in decision-making to increase their dedication to the environment and improve their environmentally friendly behavior. With the presence of a green environment, it will be easier for employees to suggest promoting low-energy work patterns. Finally, the “performance paradox” of megaproject execution is consistently clear, and in different structures. Prior research finds that the mega projects in developing countries largely overlook the role of human resource and HR development in the successful completion of the megaprojects. Even Pakistan lacks an unskilled skilled workforce. However, our study endorses the pivotal role of GHRM and aims to add value in this regard while prioritizing GHRM for the smooth execution of this very project.

6.3 Limitations and future research directions

The outcomes and ramifications of this examination ought to be deciphered inside the setting of the investigation’s impediments. In the first place, representatives self-reported their green behavior rather than the more objective administrator or peer ratings, perceptions, or recorded information. While it appears on a shallow level that self-report measures might be biased and Gifford and Nilsson [63] showed through meta-analysis that self-reported and target green practices could be compared (ρ=0.46), recommending that employees can reasonably survey their green direct. Second, a cross-sectional approach was employed to collect the data. Third, it is hard to determine causation in the study‘s hypotheses. A longitudinal research design is recommended for future studies. In addition, employees’ subjective responses were based on the assessment of green HRM practices. Likewise, we ought to be conscious about the possible distinction between discernment and truth of a firm’s GHRM corresponding to employee green behavior.

Lastly, the current research framework can be testified with various variables like organizational culture, organizational citizenship behavior, and sustainability. Future investigative studies ought to explore different variables as moderators, like green self-efficacy and environmental consciousness. However, green commitment, job satisfaction, and a green lifestyle are the suggested mediators for future researchers.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

The authors have no acknowledgments.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

The authors report no funding.

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Promoting pro-environmental behavior among one belt one road firms’ employees through the lens of green human resource practices

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

OBJECTIVE:

METHODS:

RESULTS:

CONCLUSION:

Keywords

1 Introduction

2 Literature and hypotheses development

2.1 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

2.2 GHRM and pro-environmental psychological climate

2.3 Pro-environmental psychological climate and pro-environmental behavior

2.4 GHRM and pro-environmental behavior

2.5 The mediating role of pro-environmental psychological climate

3 Method

3.1 Measurements

3.2 Data sampling and collection methods

4 Analysis

Table 4 Testing hypotheses Original sample T-statistics P-values GHRM ->PEPC 0.419 11.583 0.000 PEPC ->PEB 0.436 8.058 0.000 GHRM->PEB 0.346 7.786 0.000 GHRM ->PEPC->PEB->PEB 0.183 6.956 0.000

6.1 Theoretical implications

6.2 Practical implications

6.3 Limitations and future research directions

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Ethical approval

Conflict of interest

Funding

References

Table 4
Testing hypotheses

Original sample T-statistics P-values

GHRM ->PEPC 0.419 11.583 0.000

PEPC ->PEB 0.436 8.058 0.000

GHRM->PEB 0.346 7.786 0.000

GHRM ->PEPC->PEB->PEB 0.183 6.956 0.000