Extending the NRBV and SCT frameworks: the strategic role of green intellectual capital and HR systems in achieving environmental performance

Purpose This study examines how green intellectual capital (GIC) enhances environmental performance (EP) through two human-centred mechanisms: green human resource management (GHRM) and employees’ pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) in Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Grounded in an integrated natural-resource-based view (NRBV) and social cognitive theory (SCT) framework, data from 448 SME employees were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Findings GIC has a significant positive effect on GHRM, PEB and EP. GHRM partially mediated the GIC–EP relationship, whereas PEB did not. This challenges the assumption that voluntary individual behaviours alone drive environmental outcomes, highlighting the role of structured HR systems. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design and non-probability sampling limit causal inference and generalisability of the findings. Future research should employ longitudinal designs, probability-based sampling and cross-country comparisons to address these limitations. Practical implications Managers should embed GIC into formal HR practices, such as green recruitment, training, appraisal and reward systems, to institutionalise sustainability. Policymakers can support this through targeted tax incentives, green certification programmes and industry-specific HRM toolkits for SMEs. Originality/value This study is among the few to integrate GIC, GHRM and PEB in a single mediation framework, extending NRBV and SCT by revealing how formal organisational systems, rather than voluntary behaviours alone, convert green knowledge into performance outcomes in an emerging economy SME context.