Unveiling the potential of sustainable HRM in achieving organizational sustainability: conceptual insights and research gaps

Purpose This study aims to provide a systematic review of the literature on sustainable HRM, examining its conceptualization, determinants and relationship with organizational sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The review included 174 papers published between 2000 and 2024, in peer-reviewed scholarly journals of Scopus and web of science database. Keywords related to sustainable HRM and organizational sustainability were utilized, and the selection process involved filtering for relevance, language and document type. Findings Our study reveals that Sustainable HRM practices significantly contribute to positive sustainability outcomes for organizations. Despite the increasing interest in this area, the literature needs more cohesion, conceptual clarity and practical maturity. Many potential mediators, moderators and outcomes related to sustainability still need to be explored, indicating significant research gaps. These findings are crucial for understanding the current state of Sustainable HRM literature and the areas that require further investigation. Practical implications Our study enriches the existing literature by clearly understanding the relationship between Sustainable HRM and organizational sustainability. It offers valuable insights for future research directions and contributes to developing more effective HRM strategies to pursue sustainable development goals. This original and valuable contribution to the HRM and sustainability field will pique the interest of scholars, researchers and practitioners. Originality/value The study enriches the existing literature by clarifying the relationship between Sustainable HRM and organizational sustainability, offering future research directions and contributing to more effective HRM strategies in the pursuit of sustainable development goals. This original and valuable contribution to the HRM and sustainability field will pique the interest of scholars, researchers and practitioners.