The evolving role of sustainable human resource management

Purpose This study aims to examine how Sustainable Human Resource Management (SHRM) is changing and how it affects businesses in different sectors. This review analyzes how SHRM incorporates environmental, social, and economic sustainability into workforce management by drawing insights from key influential studies. It highlights important trends like data-driven decision-making, corporate social responsibility (CSR), green human resource management (HRM) and sustainable leadership. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review approach, this paper examines recent studies on SHRM in a variety of industries, including as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), health care, construction and tourism. This study looks at how businesses apply sustainability ideas to HRM procedures and how these adjustments affect sustainability and company performance. Findings The results demonstrate how SHRM practices influence organizational efficiency and long-term sustainability. Green HRM policies like environmentally friendly recruitment, the use of sustainability training and environmentally sustainable employee engagement practices indicate positive transformation. At the same time, SHRM is paramount to CSR, ethical employment practices and leadership policies oriented toward sustainable development. The focus of this research has also shown the impact of SHRM on sustainability reporting and how decision-making can be enhanced through the use of business intelligence tools. Moreover, sustainable initiatives to foster tourism, as well as innovations in health care or other SMEs, are possible through SHRM. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to systematically examine the evolving role of SHRM across multiple industries. By synthesizing insights from ten key studies, it provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how SHRM integrates sustainability principles into workforce management. This research offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners on the impact of SHRM on corporate sustainability, ethical employment and organizational innovation.