The impact of green HRM on green innovative work behaviour: the mediating role of green knowledge management in higher education institutions

Purpose The study aims to investigate the impact of green human resource management on green innovation work behaviour, with green knowledge management serving as a mediator in the context of higher education institutions. The study also focuses on 8th, 9th and 12th sustainable development, which emphasizes “decent work”, “industry innovation” and “responsible consumption and production”. Design/methodology/approach The study is quantitative in nature and uses “partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM)” for data analysis. A total of 242 responses are collected for data analysis. Furthermore, the study includes descriptive analysis and uses SmartPLS 4.1 to analyse the data in which the measurement model, structural model and mediational model, PLS predict and importance and performance analysis (IPMA) to enhance the generalization of the results. Findings The findings of the research illustrate the direct relationships between “green human resource management” and green knowledge management”, “green knowledge management and green innovation work behaviour” and ‘“green human resource management” and green innovation work behaviour” with positive p-value. Furthermore, the mediating value among green human resource management, green knowledge management and “green innovation work behaviour” also shows a direct relation with the positive p-value. Also, the result of IPMA shows that “green human resource management” and “green innovation work behaviour” have the strongest relationship. Originality/value The current study explores the intricate interplay between green management and knowledge dynamics. This study extends the framework to higher education institutions in Uttarakhand, which is an underexplored sector for sustainability transactions.