The topic of environmental sustainability is generating increased concern among business
executives, governments, consumers, and management scholars. As these stakeholders
struggle with the challenges and opportunities presented by an array of environmental
issues, HRM scholars and practitioners alike have been relatively slow to engage in the
ongoing discussions and debates. Through this special issue on Green HRM, we seek to
stimulate the field of HRM to expand its role in the pursuit of environmentally
sustainable business. In this introduction to the special issue, we first provide an
overview of the articles that appear in the special issue. Next we present a detailed
discussion of research questions that arise from a consideration of several functional HRM
practices, including performance management; training, development, and learning;
compensation and rewards; and organizational culture. We conclude by describing
opportunities for research at the intersection of strategic HRM and environmental
management. If pursued with vigor, research addressing this extensive agenda could begin
to establish a healthy field of Green HRM scholarship.
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