Green Human Resource Management Practices in Enhancing Sustainability in Manufacturing Firms: Evidence from Imo State, Nigeria

This study examined how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices enhance sustainability outcomes in manufacturing firms in Imo State, Nigeria. Grounded in the Resource-Based View and the Theory of Planned Behavior, the study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design, utilizing structured questionnaires to gather responses from employees of manufacturing firms. The study population consists of 501 employees across various subsectors in the Anambra, Enugu, and Abia industrial corridors. A sample size of 141 is calculated using the Taro Yamane formula with a 5% error margin. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequency distributions) are used to summarize GHRM practice adoption (green recruitment/selection, green training & involvement, green performance management & rewards) and sustainability outcomes (environmental, economic, and social). Pearson Product–Moment correlation coefficients test the hypothesized relationships between GHRM practices and sustainability performance. The paper contributes context-specific evidence from Anambra, one of Nigeria’s most industrialized states, while extending contemporary GHRM practice that links HR levers to measurable sustainability outcomes. Policy and managerial implications are drawn for scaling GHRM in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Recent national and scholarly evidence shows the motivation and significance.