Exploration of the Impact of Green Recruitment and Selection on Fostering Environmental Consciousness and Sustainable Leadership Within a Private HE Institution in South Africa

Abstract

The escalating environmental degradation, fuelled by industrialization and unsustainable resource use, has intensified global and organizational focus on sustainability. In this context, green recruitment and selection (GRS) has emerged as a strategic human resource management practice that embeds environmental values into organizational processes. Despite the private higher education (PHE) sector's growing environmental footprint and pivotal role in advancing sustainable development in South Africa, empirical studies on GRS in this setting remain scarce. This study investigates the influence of GRS on fostering environmental consciousness and sustainable leadership within a South African PHE institution. Employing a quantitative, exploratory design, data were collected from 324 employees using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire and simple random sampling. Reliability was established via Cronbach’s alpha, while validity relied on content validation. Analysis utilized SPSS 29.0 and structural equation modelling (SEM), with significance tested at p < 0.05. Results reveal that GRS significantly predicts environmental consciousness (β = 0.638, p < 0.001) and sustainable leadership (β = 0.653, p < 0.001). Environmental consciousness, in turn, strongly predicts sustainable leadership (β = 0.659, p < 0.001). Demographic insights indicate stronger sustainability perceptions among younger employees, those with shorter tenure, and academic staff. Integrating environmental criteria into recruitment and selection helps PHE institutions build a sustainability-focused workforce, strengthen leadership legitimacy, and support national and global environmental goals. This study advances African GHRM scholarship by offering evidence-based insights for embedding sustainability in HRM practices, thereby promoting long-term organizational resilience.