Introduction

In the contemporary era, sustainability and social responsibility, particularly in environmental domains, have become central priorities for organizations. Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) has emerged as a novel approach aimed at aligning human resource activities with sustainability goals, playing a pivotal role in achieving these objectives. This study investigates the impact of GHRM on organizational attractiveness, with the mediating roles of environmental performance and organizational reputation, and the moderating role of green culture in Pagah Golestan Company. The research seeks to answer how GHRM can enhance organizational attractiveness by improving environmental performance and organizational reputation, and how green culture strengthens these relationships. By addressing these questions, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable HRM practices and their implications for organizational success.

Methodology

This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of methodology. The statistical population includes all employees of Pagah Golestan Company, totaling 270 individuals, from which 159 were selected as the sample size using simple random sampling. Standard questionnaires were used to collect data, ensuring the reliability and validity of the measurement tools. The reliability of the questionnaires was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, extracted variance, and composite reliability indices. Additionally, the validity of the questionnaires was assessed using convergent and divergent validity. For data analysis, descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS software, while inferential statistics were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Smart PLS software. This robust methodological approach ensures the accuracy and reliability of the findings.

Findings

The findings revealed that GHRM has a significant positive impact on organizational attractiveness (path coefficient = 0.134). This indicates that organizations focusing on GHRM can enhance employees' willingness to join and continue working with the organization by setting green goals and addressing social concerns. Furthermore, GHRM significantly positively influences environmental performance (path coefficient = 0.780) and organizational reputation (path coefficient = 0.327). These results suggest that organizations prioritizing GHRM can not only improve their environmental performance but also enhance their reputation by fostering a responsible and sustainable image. These findings align with previous studies, such as those by Rezaei and Bozorgpour (2021), Rajabpour and Afkhami Ardakani (2021), Omrani et al. (2022), Nisar et al. (2022), and Gill et al. (2021), which emphasize the role of GHRM in achieving sustainability goals. Environmental performance also showed a significant positive impact on organizational reputation (path coefficient = 0.509) and organizational attractiveness (path coefficient = 0.158). These findings indicate that organizations leading in pollution reduction, resource optimization, and environmental initiatives can create a positive and responsible image among stakeholders. This positive image not only increases customer and community trust but also enhances employees' willingness to join and continue their collaboration with the organization. These results are consistent with the findings of Omrani et al. (2022), who highlighted the role of environmental performance in building organizational reputation and attractiveness. Organizational reputation, in turn, significantly positively affects organizational attractiveness (path coefficient = 0.406). This suggests that organizations with a positive reputation can increase employees' willingness to join and continue their collaboration. This finding is particularly relevant in the competitive talent acquisition landscape, as employees are more likely to be attracted to organizations that are socially responsible and environmentally conscious. These results align with studies by Rashidi et al. (2022) and Omrani et al. (2022), which emphasize the importance of organizational reputation in attracting and retaining talent.

The moderating role of green culture was also examined in this study. The findings demonstrated that green culture, as a moderating factor, strengthens the impact of GHRM on environmental performance, organizational reputation, and organizational attractiveness. This implies that organizations that institutionalize green culture among their employees can amplify the positive effects of GHRM on environmental performance, organizational reputation, and organizational attractiveness. This finding underscores the importance of fostering a green culture within organizations to maximize the benefits of GHRM practices.

Discussion and Conclusion

This study, by confirming the positive impact of GHRM on organizational attractiveness and the mediating roles of environmental performance and organizational reputation, takes a significant step toward understanding the role of human resource management in achieving organizational sustainability goals. The findings highlight that GHRM not only contributes to improving environmental performance but also creates competitive advantages for organizations by fostering a positive and responsible image. From a practical perspective, this study suggests that organizational leaders implement GHRM policies and enhance environmental performance to project a responsible and sustainable image, thereby leveraging the competitive benefits of positive reputation and organizational attractiveness. Additionally, institutionalizing green culture within organizations can strengthen the positive impacts of GHRM.

The study also has important theoretical implications. It contributes to the literature on sustainable HRM by demonstrating the interconnectedness of GHRM, environmental performance, organizational reputation, and organizational attractiveness. By introducing green culture as a moderating variable, the study provides new insights into how organizational culture can enhance the effectiveness of GHRM practices. These findings can serve as a foundation for future research exploring the role of GHRM in different organizational contexts and its impact on other organizational outcomes, such as employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. However, this study has certain limitations. First, it is limited to a specific organizational context, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research could replicate this study in different industries and cultural settings to validate the results. Second, the study employs a cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to establish causal relationships. Longitudinal studies could provide deeper insights into the causal mechanisms underlying the relationships explored in this study. Third, the study focuses on a limited set of variables. Future research could examine additional mediating and moderating variables, such as leadership styles, organizational size, and industry type, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the effectiveness of GHRM. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of GHRM in enhancing organizational attractiveness through improved environmental performance and organizational reputation. It also highlights the critical role of green culture in amplifying the positive effects of GHRM. By adopting GHRM practices and fostering a green culture, organizations can not only achieve their sustainability goals but also gain a competitive edge in attracting and retaining talent. It is hoped that these findings will serve as a foundation for future research and contribute to improving organizational performance in the realm of sustainability.