SIMPLIFIED INSIGHTS ON SUSTAINABLE HRM

SHWETA TRIPATHI *
Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi- Delhi.
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi.
*Corresponding Author Email: stripathi@maitreyi.du.ac.in
Dr. POOJA TALWAR
Associate Professor, Department of Commerce, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi.
Email: pooja.talwar@sbs.du.ac.in
SHAIFALI
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi.
Email: skashyap@maitreyi.du.ac.in
Dr. RITIKA CHAUDHARY
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, University of Delhi
Email: cs.ritikachaudhary@gmail.com

Abstract
The concept of sustainability is gaining attention in the HR field, and it's influencing the creation of a sustainable
HRM approach to employees. However, experts have paid very little attention towards attainment of sustainability
goals through human resources of the organisation. Despite the current spike in interest of scholars in this area,
the literature on the subject is scattered and varied. The study is primarily descriptive in nature and primarily
focuses on presenting the concept of sustainable HRM in a simplified way. Based on extant literature this study
provides DePrins’ model of sustainable HRM and dimensions of sustainable HRM. This study details five
dimensions of Sustainable HRM: justice and equality, sustainable HR practices, profitability dimension, employee
well-being and workplace spirituality. In addition, the paper contributes to the existing literature by outlining
direction for further research in the area of sustainable human resource management. Finally, the report offers
suggestions for HR strategies for sustainable organisations that could be fruitful.
Keywords: HRM Practices; Equity; Justice; Sustainability; Sustainable HRM; Sustainable HRM Dimensions;
Workplace Spirituality.

INTRODUCTION
Both developing and developed countries are already experiencing the severe effects of the
climate crisis. These repercussions are not sector-specific, and all industries are in jeopardy.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report,
extreme weather events such as droughts, pluvial and river floods, hurricanes, extreme weather
events, bushfires, and acidification of the oceans are becoming more common and severe
(IPCC-AR6). To avoid a terrible and irreversible outcome by reducing the effects of climate
change 196 countries pledged to reduce global GHG emissions. In 2015, the United States
made a pledge as part of the Paris Agreement.

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The COP26 is significant because participating countries pledged at COP21 in 2015 to reduce
carbon emissions so as to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and to make capital
available to accomplish the goals of the Paris Agreement, which is a lawful obligation on
climate change. Countries that agreed to cut emissions voluntarily set emissions reduction goals
in their countrywide policies, known as "Nationally Determined Contributions" (NDCs),
indicating how much emission is expected to be reduced each year through various green
initiatives. Furthermore, every five years, the countries promised to review and publish their
updated reduction strategies.
At the United Nations 26th convention on Climate Change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
unveiled a five-point strategy for India to assist the world get closer to 1.5 degrees Celsius
(CoP26). Prime Minister Modi offered five nectar ingredients known as Panchamrita (PIB,
2021) to effectively deal with the climate challenge, which include the following undertakings
by India:
1. By 2030, India's non-fossil energy output will be 500 gigawatts.
2. India plans to use renewable energy to meet 50% of its energy demands by 2030.
3. India intends to cut carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030.
4. India's economy will have cut its carbon intensity by 45 percent by 2030.
5. India will reach net zero emissions by 2070.
Expectations to meet the above-mentioned commitments are more likely to be passed on to the
Indian corporate sector's industries. Corporate social responsibility and sustainability are
becoming more important to firms even today, and HR is in a better position to help with both
the creation and implementation of a sustainability strategy. Now it’s a right time that
organizations should support environmental regulations in order for the globe to remain a
pleasant place to live. Organizations can make a beneficial contribution to the maintenance of
a cleaner and safer ecology by adopting a variety of important ecological activities. This
straightforward theoretical article examines a measure taken by businesses to promote
sustainable growth and environmental initiatives. Sustainable HRM requires that human
resources departments should implement green and ecologically friendly practices into their
businesses. Green HRM is a concept that expands on the fundamental understanding of this
term.
Objectives of the study
As the concept of Sustainable HRM is very recent and still evolving, this paper seeks to attain
following purpose:
1. To provide understanding of sustainable HRM concepts.
2. To provide understanding of DePrins’ model of sustainable HRM.
3. To shed insight on the various aspects of sustainable HRM
4. To provide suggestions for a smooth transition to sustainable HRM.

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METHODOLOGY
This study is primarily descriptive in nature. For information on the sustainable HRM concept
dimensions, development, significance, and suggestions many sources such as websites, blogs,
published material on sustainable HRM and related research articles were consulted, and due
credit was provided at the end.
Sustainable Development Concept
These days the concept of sustainable development is gaining attention among policy makers,
industry experts, consumers, and researchers. In the late twentieth century, the emergence of
the notion of sustainable development may be linked to a growing awareness of impending
ecological disaster. Sustainable development has its roots in the Brundtland Report. The
Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development in 1987 as "action and development
of organisations in such a way that, in meeting the needs of the present, they do not jeopardise
future generations' ability to meet their own needs" (WCED, 1987, p. 43). Elkington (1997)
outlined the three pillars of sustainable development (named the Triple Bottom Line): concern
for the environment (planet), concern for social equality (people), and concern for economic
prosperity (profit). The term concern for the environment refers to an ecosystem's restricted
ability for regeneration. Concern for economic prosperity refers to the improvement in standard
of living obtained through efficiency in generation of output, while concern for social equity
refers to the right of all stakeholders to access resources and the establishment of transparent
interactions that emphasise the distribution of value creation. The concept of sustainability
includes durable outcomes and inclusive growth of all stakeholders.
Sustainable Development was considered as a paradigm change in human resource
management in the current era. It was because, in the past, human sustainability had been
overlooked in some way (Pfeffer, 2010). Initially, organisations viewed sustainable
development as either a new way to gain competitive advantage through strategic management
or as an optional responsibility to incorporate stakeholder demands under the umbrella of CSR,
both of which ultimately led to competitive advantage, and both were accomplished through
HRM. (Boudreau and Ramstad, 2003). The time for Sustainable development has arrived.
Environmental regulations should be supported in order for the globe to remain a pleasant place
to live. Organizations can make a beneficial contribution to the maintenance of a cleaner and
safer ecology by adopting a variety of important ecological activities.
Sustainable HRM
The Brundtland Report of the United Nations defined sustainable development as
"development that meets the requirements of present generations without jeopardising future
generations' ability to satisfy their own needs" (Brundtland, 1987, p. 41). Sustainable
development necessitates taking into account the ecology, the industry, and society all at the
same time. The majority of sustainability research has concentrated on environmental
sustainability and has been related to corporate social responsibility initiatives, ignoring the
social aspect.

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The word "sustainable HRM" is a recent addition to the HR vocabulary. Because the field is
still in its inception stage, there is no established definition for the idea. Ehnert (2009) describes
sustainable HRM as "the pattern of planned or emerging human resource strategies and
practices intended to enable organizational goal achievement while simultaneously
reproducing the HR base” in her work on the subject (p. 74). Also, Kramar (2014, p. 1084)
defines sustainable HRM as " the pattern of planned or emerging HR strategies and practices
intended to enable the achievement of financial, social and ecological goals while
simultaneously reproducing the HR base over a long term." According to Ehnert et al. (2014),
sustainable HRM is a design strategy for the employment relationship as well as a contribution
to long-term business development. Sustainable HRM is all about ensuring sustained
availability of human resources through various HR practices that will assist organisations in
attainment of sustainability goals. Thus, Sustainable HRM involves reproducing the HR base
over a long period of time that is more sustainable and committed towards attainment of
sustainability goals.
Harmon, et al. (2010) mentions that the HR department of organisation really does have the
potential to play a important role in the development of the company's sustainability culture,
but the HR function is still uneasy with the way its role is viewed in organisations, and
conflicted about its ability to impact it (Cohen, 2010). The application of HR strategies to
cultivate a workforce with the trust, ethics, abilities, and motivation required to produce a
profitable triple bottom line can be viewed as Sustainable Human resource management
Sustainability within the organisation will result in following benefits:
 Long-term prosperity and value generation
 Improved performance in terms of social, economic, and ecological goals.
 Enhancing a company's brand and image
 Increased accountability and greater transparency
 Improving employee and societal quality of life
 Increases staff trust and reliability
For financial, regulatory, or ethical reasons, HR plays a vital role in companies that embrace a
sustainability strategy. As a result, HR should help with the creation and accomplishment of
ecological and social goals while balancing these goals with conventional financial
performance measures. Keeping this perspective in mind, an HR manager should play a key
role in ensuring that workers adopt the strategy in a consistent manner across the organisation.
Review of Literature on Sustainable HRM
Sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM) has gained significant attention in recent
years as organizations recognize the need to integrate environmental, social, and economic
considerations into their HR practices. This review explores key themes and findings in the
existing literature, shedding light on the evolving landscape of Sustainable HRM.

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1. Conceptual Foundations of Sustainable HRM
Researchers (Jackson & Ruderman, 1999; Kramar, 2014) emphasize the importance of aligning
HRM practices with sustainability goals. Sustainable HRM involves integrating environmental
and social concerns into recruitment, training, and performance management processes. This
aligns with the broader organizational strategy for sustainable development.
2. Linking HRM and Environmental Performance
Studies (Paillé et al., 2014; Renwick et al., 2013) have explored the impact of HRM practices
on environmental performance. Findings suggest that environmentally conscious HR practices
positively influence employees' eco-friendly behaviors and, consequently, contribute to overall
organizational sustainability.
3. Strategic Integration of Sustainable HRM
Schuler and Jackson (1987) introduced the idea of strategic integration, emphasizing the need
to align HRM strategies with business objectives. This concept is extended by Jackson et al.
(2014), who propose an aspirational framework, highlighting the dynamic nature of
Sustainable HRM and its potential to contribute to long-term organizational success.
4. Employee Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Research by Rupp et al. (2013) investigates the impact of CSR on employee attitudes and
behaviors. Employees' perceptions of CSR initiatives influence their job satisfaction and
commitment. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for organizations aiming to foster
sustainability through positive employee engagement.
5. Organizational Responses to Environmental Demands
Delmas and Toffel (2008) delve into how organizations respond to environmental demands.
Their study identifies a spectrum of responses, from reactive compliance to proactive strategic
initiatives. The role of HRM in driving and supporting these responses is a key area for further
exploration.
6. Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable HRM
Boiral (2017) contributes to the literature by examining challenges and opportunities in the
context of green bonds. The cost of debt is explored as an outcome of sustainable practices,
raising questions about the financial implications of Sustainable HRM.
From conceptual foundations to practical implications, researchers highlight the need for
strategic alignment, employee engagement, and proactive responses to environmental
challenges.
DePrins’ model of sustainable HRM
According to De Prins (2011) by establishing a clear connection between the firm's strategic
plans and the environment, sustainable HRM aims to strike a balance between the usage and
dignity of human capital inside a business. Human resource development requires long-term

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planning and alignment with a company's strategic plans and CSR policy. She proposes four
different approaches to the concept of sustainable HRM.
Sociological perspective- The sociological method tries to "socialize" human resource
management practices. This type of human management is long-term in nature and seeks for
consistency, with the employer's, employee's and society's interests all being explicitly linked.
When placed into concrete terms, work engagement policies, health policies, and societal
characteristics like diversity, age-consciousness, and family-friendly personnel policies are all
useful themes.
Psychological perspective- The psychological approach is based on what issues are significant
to employees. If people are at the core of the sustainability process then, De Prins (2011) argues
that understanding and nurturing what motivates and distinguishes them is critical. Work-life
harmony, flexibility, independence, self-growth, opportunities for growth, employability, and
decision making participation are thus important topics in this approach.
Strategic perspective- HR techniques aimed at improving organisational performance as well
as financial performance are included in the strategic perspective that also evaluates the
efficacy of these initiatives (Boxall, Purcell, and Wright 2007). It has become the standard
method of personnel management in large corporations. This perspective is in line with
Friedman's belief that an organization's obligation should be to its owners rather than external
stakeholders (Kramar, 2014).
Green Perspective- The fourth strategy is "green HRM," which focuses on how employees
and management interact with the environment, which is a component of the triple bottom line.
Encouraging green innovation, sustainability awareness training, encouraging ecologically
conscious habits, and rewards based on sustainable practices.
Need for Sustainable HRM
1. Strategic HRM focussed on improving business outcomes or financial outcomes so as
to improve the wealth of shareholders. In pursuit of improving business outcomes
wellbeing of employee that was core purpose of HRM was completely ignored
2. Industries were experiencing High attrition rate and absenteeism rate.
3. Further due to ever deteriorating climate crises there was need to incorporate
sustainable development goals with organisational goals
4. The principal issues of the time were an insufficient supply of finite resources, such as
natural and human resources, as well as resource exploitation and consumption rather
than development and reproduction.
5. Skill Obsolescence due to technological changes

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Dimensions of Sustainable HRM
According to SDG Index 2021, three Nordic countries that top the index are Finland, Sweden,
and Denmark whereas the ranking for India stood at 120. The SDG Index is a ranking of each
country's overall performance on the 17 SDGs, with each Goal given equal weight. Here is an
opportunity for Indian corporations to learn lessons from other countries that are performing
well on attainment of sustainable development goals. Jarlstrom, Saru, and Vanhala (2016) put
efforts to conduct qualitative study in Finland to develop understanding on the concept of
sustainable HRM from the perspective of top managers in Finland. HR Barometer developed
by Finnish Association of Human resource management was used to capture descriptive
responses of top managers on sustainable HRM.
In their study they identified four dimensions of sustainable HRM as: Justice and Equity, Fair
HR practices, Holistic thinking, and Well-being of employees. Besides this we also propose
one more dimension of workplace spirituality. .
Justice and Equity: Justice and equity part of sustainable HRM involves those areas that relate
to compliance with existing laws, promoting and managing diversity, ethical principles, and
managers' exemplary behaviour. Adherence to national laws and regulations is regarded as the
minimal standard for responsible and sustainable human resource management. As a result,
adhering to institutional rules does not always imply that a company is long-term viable.
Besides following the law, the function of collective bargaining is a key component of HRM
sustainability wherein unions have got a significant role to play.
Furthermore, it is vital to value diversity and ensure that personnel at all levels of the
organisation are treated equally. Treating employees with justice and fairness implies that the
rules, obligations, and rights should be the same for everyone in the firm. As a result, equity
and fair treatment provides the basis to develop the concept and definition of Sustainable HRM.
The managers regarded themselves as role models in their own behaviour. As a result, the only
way available for managers to develop feelings of fairness and equality among employees is to
model them through their own actions. That implies if you expect your staff to follow a green
mode of transport for commuting to office then you must do the same.
Promoting ethical thinking among employees of an organization is necessary in furtherance of
justice and equity. It is essential to adopt ethical practices in any situation where management
is making judgments under duress. Jarlstrom, Saru, and Vanhala (2016) find that management
of Finland companies invest in leadership to ensure that their organization's leadership is of the
highest calibre. Further, they give due consideration to demands of both employees and the
company.
Sustainable HR Practices- Employees of the organization are going to play a significant role
in attaining sustainable goals that mainly includes economic, social and environmental goals.
Top management must understand that HR executives do not "work in a vacuum" if firms are
to successfully adopt sustainability policies. First it is necessary to ensure sustainability within
the organisation for an organisation to become a sustainable organization. Only when an

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organization is a sustainable organisation internally it can be said to be contributing towards
Sustainable development goals.
The transparent HR practices dimension covers aspects that relate to recruiting and resource
distribution, development of available talent, compensating, career planning, employee
participation, and flexibility practices (Jarlstrom, Saru, and Vanhala, 2016).
Recruitment and resource allocation requires best possible allocation of human resources (the
appropriate person in the right job), as well as the long-term planning of human resource quality
and quantity.
On the subject of human resource recruitment and allocation, the managers discussed the best
possible allocation of human resources (the appropriate person in the right job), as well as the
long-term planning of human resource quality and quantity.
Competence development and its management signifies that the company is concerned about
skill development of its workers. Competence development is a critical component of the
sustainability viewpoint since it not only keeps the business competitive, but it also keeps
individual employees competitive in the job market. Managers will be able to deliver economic
responsibility as a result of competency development.
Compensation system - A clear and sustainable compensation structure is critical. To ensure
justice and equity rewards should be applicable equally to all employees, not just top
management. The incentives and job tasks must be coordinated.
Career planning and development possibilities as offered by organizations can match the
objectives and ambitions of employees in terms of their careers (Cao, Chen, & Song, 2013).
Furthermore, firms are expected to provide the best and most promising available opportunities
for career growth and advancement. This will restore employee enthusiasm, morale and reduce
intention to quit (Lin, 2017).
Career planning is seen as a critical human resource strategy for retaining employees, and
successful career planning is the most important component in preventing employee turnover
(Jiang & Klein, 2002). That’s why proper career planning was also cited as a dimension of
sustainable HR management (Jarlstrom, Saru, and Vanhala, 2016).
Employee Participation – Encouraging employee participation and proper two-way open
communication is an essential requirement to ensure availability of sustained human resources.
Participation can aid in the development of a company's open communication culture. When
employees are involved in the design and structure framework of their jobs, they are more
likely to be satisfied. Further, it is necessary that all aspects related to communication,
information sharing and organisational action should be made transparent. How HRM
contributes towards CSR goals, in that employees participation has got a significant role to
play.
Flexibility management employees’ consideration for issues such as work hours, leaves,
incentives, telework, holidays, and retirement by recognising the need for flexibility and
ensuring work life balance. Organisations that provide more flexibility to assist employees

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combine work and personal obligations will have a competitive advantage in the future.
Flexibility in HRM can affect long-term sustainability by allowing employees to work longer
and stay healthy.
Profitability - The profitability component of sustainable HRM, which is linked to
organisational effectiveness, includes subjects such as HRM and strategy integration, proactive
action, long-term planning, and HR managers' business knowledge. Long-term planning is an
important part of long-term HRM (Ehnert 2009; Kramar 2014). HRM must assist strategy to
create a relationship between HRM and strategic business goals, and HRM difficulties should
be discussed early in the strategy creation process. In order to grasp the progress of
sustainability, HR leaders must also gain a business understanding. HR leaders, in particular,
may be able to improve the employer brand by increasing the visibility of the sustainability
conversation in their organisations.
The significance of holistic thinking in sustainable human resource management, which
involves an organisation’s goals, mission, economic ability, and environment can’t be
overlooked. This approach emphasises HR managers' ability to play strategic partner role and
contribute to an organization's overall social responsibility (Jamali et al., 2015)
Regardless of how HRM and strategy are combined, building sustainable strategies is a
dynamic process that requires executives to exercise caution in order for the company to be
adaptable.
This profitability aspect of HRM is associated to the economic aspect of sustainable HRM
(Carroll 1991; Kramar 2014)
Employee Well Being
Employee well -being component of sustainable HRM involves showing respect towards
employees and caring for them. This dimension also involves catering to emotional needs of
employees such as safeguarding work relationships with supervisors and Co-workers besides
physical well-being. Work–life balance, aging workforce, and the diverse requirements of
employees at various phases of their careers are all factors that affect employee well-being
(Kramar 2014)
Employees should be supported to manage working hours between professional and personal
lives. Both mental and physical pressures should be addressed, and both should be minimised.
Jarlstrom, Saru, and Vanhala (2016) in their work emphasised that employee wellbeing and
working conditions should be shared responsibility between the organisations and its
employees.
Workplace Spirituality
The dominant corporate model, according to Zsolnai (2015), fosters self - interest, self-
improvement, and a materialistic vision of man, resulting in a decline in social well-being and
significant destruction of the environment. Researchers agree that materialism's domination, as
shown in today's commercial milieu, encourages self-centeredness, which leads to ethically

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irresponsible and insensitive behaviour toward societal demands. In organisational settings
when materialistic mechanisms were applied, employees were found to be less likely to adopt
citizenship behaviour.
Spirituality is defined as a connectedness to one's inner life and an understanding of universal
ideals that goes beyond egoism and strengthens empathy for all living things (Zsolnai and Illes
2017). Workplace spirituality, according to Petchsawang and Ducho(2009), is defined as a
feeling of connectedness to and compassion toward others, as well as experiencing thoughtful
inner consciousness in the attainment of meaningful work that promotes spirituality. The term
"workplace spirituality" is defined in a variety of ways, but all of them share the following
characteristics:
1. Finding personal purpose and fulfilment at work,
2. Feeling connected to others, and
3. Being aligned with the workplace's ideals (Gatling et al. 2016).
Nowadays, it is thought that in order for companies to adapt to ever-increasing worldwide
concerns related to sustainability issues, it is necessary that they develop a triple bottom line
that contributes to the social and environmental benefits while earning profits which is
impossible to do without taking spirituality into account (Stead and Stead 2014).
The majority of working hours for any employee are consumed at the workplace. Rather than
considering employees as machines that give maximum results, there is a need to treat
employees as living spirits with mind and soul. Organisations should be viewed as a place
where employees' spirits can be nurtured. It is only through spiritual transformation at
individual level and organisational level true spirituality can be attained.
According to Stead & Stead (2014), Sustainability has spiritual underpinnings. According to
Afsar and Badir (2017), spirituality at the workplace contributes to sustainability by instilling
a feeling of common, caring for others, caring for the earth, and propagating the concept that
one's current actions will have an impact on society's future and future generations.
The focus of businesses swings away from attainment of financial goals in the short term to the
organisations' long-term economic, social, and environmental performance as a result of
sustainability (Boley and Uysal 2013).
According to Jukierwicz and Giacalone (2004), organisations that encouraged spirituality in
the workplace grew more quickly, had greater rates of return, and increased their efficiency
than organisations that did not. Individual level effects such as improved physical and mental
health, advanced personal growth, and greater sense of self-worth have been linked to
workplace spirituality, according to (Krahnke, Giacalone, and Jurkiewioz, 2003)
Suggestions to ensure smooth transition to sustainable HRM
Sustainability is something that cannot be ignored by Indian Corporates. Now there is a need
to work in the direction of sustainability beyond the legal requirement prescribed for CSR.
Where organisations look towards sustainable goals as their own obligation.

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However, there is growing pressure to treat CSR as a business activity, with each programme
expected to generate revenue. This puts too much pressure on CSR and diverts attention away
from what it should be doing.
The goal of CSR activities is to match a company's social and environmental initiatives with
its commercial purpose and values (Rangan, Chase, & Karim, 2015). Instead, most
organisations take a multifaceted approach to CSR, ranging from pure philanthropy to
environmental sustainability to the active pursuit of shared value.
However, there is growing pressure to treat CSR as a business activity, with each programme
expected to generate revenue. This puts too much pressure on CSR and diverts attention away
from what it should be doing.
The goal of CSR activities is to match the organization's social and environment related
initiatives with its commercial purpose and values (Rangan, Chase, & Karim, 2015). Instead,
most organisations take a multifaceted approach to CSR, ranging from pure philanthropy to
environmental sustainability to the active pursuit of shared value.
● For this there is need to build up sustainable culture within the organization
● Need to invest in employee development and capability
● Need to align rewards and incentives with sustainable practices.
● Organisation goals should be defined in line with sustainability goals.
● To increase the perceived presence of Sustainable HRM, CEOs and top management will
understand that they must provide their HR departments with the necessary capabilities
and resources for enabling and engaging people for sustainability (Rompa, 2011).
● To effectively contribute to sustainable reforms, SD policy should aspire for both minor,
incremental successes and larger, more transformative wins.
● To embark on sustainability journey, HR professionals should develop understanding of
sustainability standards specified by prominent global platforms that includes: UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO),
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) and many others.
● Whatever standard or framework is chosen, the HR manager should assess and align all
HR core functions such as employee, recruiting, and training opportunities development,
workplace facilities, health, safety, and environmental protection well-being,
remuneration, company culture, and communications. Alignment will be a part of the
procedure. all aspects of the company's human resources infrastructure sustainably
support new ways of working

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HR plays a critical role in firms that embrace a sustainability strategy, whether for financial,
regulatory, or ethical reasons. HR should assist in the formulation and achievement of
environmental and social objectives while also balancing these goals with traditional financial
performance measurements. In defining business values and a long-term plan, the HR
department can be a key collaborator in evaluating what is required or doable.
HR should also play a crucial role in ensuring that the plan is carried out uniformly across the
organisation. Human resource management (HRM) is described as the use of human resource
practices to develop a workforce that possesses the trust, values, skills, and motivation
necessary to produce a profitable triple bottom line.

CONCLUSION
As economies across the world prepare themselves to deal with twin crises of climate change
and global pandemic. Organizations are also adapting to the various changes and challenges
that both the crisis presents. Such a situation pushes businesses to look beyond their bottom
line aims and outputs, as well as expanding their scope to encompass environmental and social
objectives as well as outcomes. The GRI has emerged as the most widely used set of criteria
for voluntary sustainability reporting.
As such, the GRI framework can be viewed as a guide to what should be done rather than just
what should be documented. Responsible workplaces, human rights, safety procedures, labour
regulations, performance development, diversity, employee compensation, and other HR-
related activities that support sustainability are all covered under the GRI framework. HR may
use the GRI's performance indicators to establish an initial plan and scorecard for its
sustainability efforts.
Sustainable practices give people a new, energising perspective on the world, which can lead
to creative solutions to a variety of business issues. Organisation must promote a system
wherein individuals can enhance their unique abilities in areas that primarily contribute to
social and environmental demands. In the process of attainment of sustainability goals, human
resources in any organisation are the most important contributor.
Individuals must enhance their unique abilities in areas that primarily contribute to social and
environmental demands in order for an organization's overall strategy, culture, systems, and
structure to promote sustainable growth. Human resources are regarded as the most valuable
asset in any business.
Human resources must be linked to achieve the organization's sustainability goals. Sustainable
HR initiatives add value to potential employees and encourage long-term investment in their
availability and viability, resulting in a high-quality, long-term workforce.

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