Green human resource management across literature review: performance, patterns, contents and challenges of an emerging research

Purpose Green human resource management (GHRM) is a new management approach that aims to rethink the concepts related to human resources to modify the organizational culture and promote the adoption of sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach This study aims to assess the quality and impact of the literature on GHRM and present a conceptual map identifying the main theoretical approaches, methodologies, contexts and challenges of the studies on GHRM. The study covered 379 articles on GHRM published until 2022. Complementary indicators from Scopus, SCImago and others were collected. Findings Results indicated that the studies on GHRM have grown exponentially (R2 = 0.964) and have performed better than the average of the general production of authors, journals and areas of knowledge related to GHRM. The conceptual map showed a great diversity of approaches, which makes it difficult to compare and generalize results. Despite this diversity, we highlight the use of Ability–Motivation–Opportunity and Resource-Based View theories, Structural Equation Modeling – Partial Least Square to validate models and hypotheses and a large number of empirical studies carried out in emerging, semi-peripheral and peripheral countries. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is that it only considered articles and reviews on GHRM indexed in Scopus, which may have influenced the results if other databases had been included. Practical implications The main practical contribution refers to the dissemination of the topic, which may arouse the interest of more researchers, managers and professionals in relation to GHRM. Originality/value This paper is interesting for researchers, managers, practitioners and students and can contribute to directing new studies and disseminating GHRM practices in organizations with the help of Environmental Policy.