Strategic Pathways to Economic Sustainability: The Mediating Role of Green HRM Between Green Leadership and Advocacy in Tourism and Hospitality

Abad Alzuman, Sultan Mohammed Alkhozaim, Emad Mohammed Alnasser, Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy (), Fuad Mohammed Alhamdi, Omar Alsetoohy and Samar Sheikhelsouk
Additional contact information
Abad Alzuman: Management Department, College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Sultan Mohammed Alkhozaim: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Collage of Tourism and Archaeology, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
Emad Mohammed Alnasser: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Collage of Tourism and Archaeology, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia
Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy: Tourism Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Egypt
Fuad Mohammed Alhamdi: Department of Management, College of Business Administration in Hawtat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
Omar Alsetoohy: Hotel Management Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Egypt
Samar Sheikhelsouk: Business Administration Department, Faculty of Commerce, Menofia University, Shebin Elkom 32512, Egypt

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-26

Abstract: The research investigates the mediating influence of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices—including environmentally focused recruitment, training, and performance management—on the relationship between green leadership and employees’ green advocacy within Saudi Arabia’s hospitality and tourism industry. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire administered to supervisors and managers working in five-star hotels, producing 544 valid responses for analysis. The conceptual framework was examined using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the WarpPLS 0.7 software to rigorously assess both the measurement validity and structural associations. The analysis demonstrated that green leadership exerts a positive and significant impact on GHRM practices as well as on employees’ willingness to advocate for environmentally responsible behaviors. Furthermore, GHRM initiatives were found to strengthen employees’ pro-environmental engagement and serve as a partial mediating channel between green leadership and green advocacy. Overall, the findings highlight that institutionalizing sustainable HRM approaches is a fundamental route through which leadership enhances environmental accountability and promotes the long-term economic viability of the hospitality sector. The study concludes by underscoring its theoretical and managerial implications, emphasizing how leadership-guided sustainability actions can foster an organizational culture grounded in ecological responsibility.

Keywords: economic sustainability; green leadership; GHRM; green recruitment; green training; green performance management; green advocacy; tourism and hospitality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/21/9671/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/21/9671/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:21:p:9671-:d:1783415

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().