Investigating the role of strategic human resource management in enabling circular economy integration

Purpose This study investigates the integration of the circular economy (CE) in Human Resource Management (HRM) in Indian organizations, focusing on identifying and prioritizing critical HR factors for adopting sustainable initiatives Design/methodology/approach An exploratory two-phase methodology was employed. The Delphi technique refined a list of 31 potential factors, narrowing them down to 15 critical ones, which were prioritized using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach Findings The analysis reveals that functional factors, particularly leadership commitment, organizational culture, change management, and cross-functional collaboration, are crucial for driving circular economy practices in HRM. Control systems are necessary for compliance, but insufficient for innovation and societal transformation required for successful CE integration. Research limitations/implications Policymakers should emphasize top management support and leadership commitment. The study encourages improving workers’ CE knowledge and skills through training initiatives to foster a sustainability-driven culture in Indian companies. Originality/value This paper offers a novel compilation of refined HR characteristics facilitating CE implementation within HRM. It organizes these elements into discrete groups, determining their hierarchical importance and creating a framework for further research on business policy, sustainability, HRM, and CE.