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

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.