Managing workplace hazards and environmental contaminants for promoting green human resource management and health and safety in developing economies

Abstract

Background

At a global scale, the impact of the manufacturing sector on the environment has led to the increased demand for the sustainable practices and strategies that help the businesses achieve environmental, social, and economic objectives particularly within the context of developing economies.

Objective

This paper addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between employees and firms’ environmental performance in the manufacturing sector operating in a developing country, Pakistan—where the environmental focus is sparse and organizational structures rarely follow cross-functional systems.

Methods

Quantitative research was employed and SmartPLS technique was used to test the theoretical model with a valid response rate of 77 percent of senior and middle-level managers of manufacturing firms.

Results

Results revealed the significance of green HRM as direct effect with all constructs. And internal environment management mediates the relationship (β = 0.158; t­-value = 3.458; p < 0.05; lower level = 0.077; upper level = 0.258) between green HRM and green health and Safety.

Conclusion

For sustainable performance, firms must transform their human resource into an environmentally responsible asset. Our findings provide practical implications for the managers of manufacturing firms where ethical monitoring of environmental management must be the prime concern of these firms.