Green Human Resource Management in Uzbekistan: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Practices, Contextual Pressures, and Implementation Pathways

Abstract

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is becoming more and more known as a strategic way to make environmental goals part of human resource policies and everyday work habits. This article builds on a qualitative systematic review that looks at the relevance, potential, and possible ways to implement GHRM in Uzbekistan. The review is prompted by the increasing environmental and economic pressures in the country, which include high water stress (123.03% of available freshwater resources in 2022), a mean annual PM2.5 exposure of 31.96 µg/m³, total greenhouse gas emissions of 227.49 MtCO2e in 2024, and a still modest renewable electricity output of 7.08% in the most recent World Bank dataset. In 2023, small businesses made up 51.2% of GDP, which means that sustainability practices at the workplace level are very important for both large and small businesses. In line with PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines, the study examined academic and institutional sources published from 2015 to 2026, ultimately selecting seventeen sources for the final thematic synthesis. The review integrates foundational GHRM scholarship with evidence pertaining to the climate, energy, and business contexts specific to Uzbekistan. The results show that five GHRM bundles are especially important for Uzbekistan: green hiring and selection, green training and development, green performance management, green pay and rewards, and employee green involvement that is supported by leadership. Cross-study evidence is strongest for training, leadership, and building a culture, while compensation is still the least developed area. The article contends that the Uzbek situation is not limited by the lack of sustainability discourse, but rather by inadequate translation from national green policy to organizational HR systems. Consequently, the optimal approach is not symbolic greening but a phased implementation, commencing with digital recruitment, cost-effective environmental training, straightforward green KPIs, and employee suggestion mechanisms. The paper adds to the field by putting global GHRM evidence in the context of a transition economy with increasing environmental stress and suggesting a useful framework for management research in emerging economies.