Exploring the impact of green human resource management practices enabled by artificial intelligence on organizational sustainability: the mediating roles of digital literacy and green organizational climate

Abstract

This study investigates the associations between Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices and organizational sustainability, with a focus on the mediating roles of digital literacy and green organizational climate. Drawing on a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 3,600 professionals across diverse organizations. Using structural equation modelling, the results indicate that AI-Guided Eco-Feedback Systems and AI-Supported Green Training Programs are positively associated with sustainability outcomes, digital literacy, and green organizational climate. In contrast, AI-Enhanced Recruitment for Green Roles and AI-Managed Green Performance Appraisal are related to sustainability primarily through their associations with digital literacy and green organizational climate. Mediation analysis shows that both digital literacy and green organizational climate significantly transmit the relationships between AI-driven HRM practices and sustainability outcomes. The findings advance theoretical understanding by integrating AI into sustainable HRM discourse, supporting the Resource-Based View (RBV) and socio-technical systems theory. Practical implications highlight the importance of aligning AI initiatives with digital capacity-building and fostering a supportive environmental culture. The study underscores that digital literacy and green organizational climate are important organizational enablers of AI-related sustainability practices, providing guidance for Human Resource practitioners, sustainability strategists, and policymakers aiming to leverage AI for environmentally responsible business practices.