The effect of green human resources on green social capital with the mediating role of green organizational culture and environmental knowledge

Introduction
Some organizational managers believe that investing in environmental issues is unnecessary (Wang, 2019: 667). Environmental challenges can be considered as opportunities to gain green social capital (Xuemei et al., 2022: 100). Social capital refers to the connections between individuals or organizations (Agyapong et al, 2017: 130). Social capital increases cooperation and participation within the community, leading to a collective consciousness and greater inclination to protect natural resources (Harjanti & Noerchoidah, 2017: 73). One of the factors that can affect green social capital is green human resource management. In the green domain, human resources can act as a precursor to green social capital (Jose et al., 2021: 5). Green human resource management is defined as the alignment between traditional HR practices (such as training and performance evaluation) and environmental policies and goals (Teixeira et al., 2016: 171). Research shows that in the context of green human resource management, green organizational culture can play a mediating role. Green organizational culture can be defined as the values, beliefs, and behaviors of an organization’s employees regarding the environment (Mirahsani et al., 2024: 5). One of the outcomes of green human resource management is the enhancement of employees' environmental knowledge. The success in implementing green human resource management policies and green social capital depends on employees' environmental knowledge (Kajol et al., 2021: 66). Employees' environmental knowledge, fostered by the implementation of green human resource management, can pave the way for green social capital. The steel industry is one of the most important sectors in many countries. This industry ranks high in terms of pollution creation and is considered one of the most resource-intensive industries. In Iran, the steel industry is no exception, and due to the current environmental pollution situation, it is regarded unfavorably by society. In Esfahan province, the steel industry is significant and influential. Given Esfahan’s environmental conditions, government managers and society demand that the steel industry pay attention to its social responsibility, avoid environmental pollution, and use natural resources appropriately. Therefore, the primary research question is whether green human resource management impacts green social capital with the mediating role of green organizational culture and environmental knowledge.
 
Material and Methods
This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in methodology. The statistical population includes the 450 employees of Sepahan Industrial Company. To determine the sample size, the rule of thumb was used (5Q<n<15Q). Given that the questionnaire used in this research consists of 24 questions, 240 questionnaires were distributed. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The questionnaires used for this study include Zaid et al.’s (2018) questionnaire for green human resources, Chang’s (2015) green organizational culture questionnaire, Manur et al.’s (2022) environmental knowledge questionnaire, and Delgado et al.’s (2014) green social capital questionnaire. Content and construct validity methods were used to assess validity. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure reliability. The data were analyzed using Smart- PLS software.
 
Findings
The hypotheses were tested using Smart - PLS. To test the main hypothesis, which includes the effect of green human resource management on green social capital, the significance coefficient (t-value) was greater than 1.96, and the hypothesis was confirmed.
 
Table 1: The result of the test of main research hypothesis
 
Sobel’s test using the bootstrapping method was used to test the mediating hypotheses, with the results
 Show in Table 2.
Table 2: The result of the test of mediator research hypotheses
 
Discussion and Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate that green human resource management influences green social capital. Green social capital refers to an organization's ability to preserve and improve the environment and environmental sustainability. Green human resource management seeks a balance between human needs and environmental preservation. One of the main effects of green human resource management on green social capital is fostering environmental responsibility. Given that the organization's employees are the primary drivers of resource production and consumption, green human resource management implements programs and policies that help reduce harmful environmental impacts. These include encouraging the use of renewable energy, reducing air and water pollution, proper waste management, efficient use of natural resources, and supporting biodiversity conservation.
The results of this study indicate that green human resource management influences green social capital through the mediating role of green organizational culture. Green organizational culture, by influencing the internal environmental values, beliefs, and behaviors within an organization, can play a role in the implementation and performance of green human resource management and, ultimately, affect green social capital. This green organizational culture, with its emphasis on interpersonal connections, internal rules, and environmental values, directly impacts the evolution of green human resource management. It also reassures employees that the organization is committed to environmental sustainability and environmental values, increasing their ability to engage in green human resource management initiatives.
The results also show that environmental knowledge plays a mediating role in the relationship between green human resource management and green social capital. Environmental knowledge, as a mediating factor, plays a key role in the connection between green human resource management and green social capital. Green human resource management seeks to encourage employees' environmental activities through sustainable policies and approaches. These policies include training, raising awareness, and enhancing environmental knowledge.
Based on the research findings, the following recommendations are proposed:

To create a green organizational culture and develop green human resources, it is suggested that recruitment tests be conducted electronically (virtually) to reflect that Sepahan Industrial Company prioritizes environmental issues.
Moreover, to cultivate a green mindset among candidates, environmental competencies and knowledge should be highlighted in job advertisements.