Artificial Intelligence and Green Human Resource Management: Navigating the Challenges

Introduction

Early waves of industrialization were attributed to the concerns of global warming (Bradu et al., 2022; Sharma et al., 2022). A significant increase in climatic change and warming trends did pose global threats, such as wildfires, hot waves, and droughts, which caused a mountable loss to the global economy. Gradually, concerns for cleaner production policies and environmental protection stimulated organizations to be environmentally aware while meeting the demands of the market & consumers and the law (Pham et al., 2020). In the face of environmental degradation, humanity is inclined towards sustainability under the banner of satisfying the needs of the present generation without comprising the rights/needs of the future generations (Ogbeibu et al., 2023). The adoption of sustainability became ubiquitous within business (DesJardins, 2016), thereby creating an environment-sustainability bandwagon where organizations seemed responsible for sustainable outcomes addressing the socio-environmental effects of their business decisions (Ababneh, 2021). This bandwagon effect advocated changes in the organizational stance on the adequate adaptation of environmental practices. The need to address global concerns about nature and natural resources in an environmentally protective manner has marked the era of the digit-globe (digitalized globalization).

With the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0), humanity has progressed towards technology embedded lives (Yong et al., 2022). IR 4.0 has created a new world of enormous possibilities for humanity, the planet they inhibit and its resources (Ogbeibu et al., 2023). Smart technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the blockchain, and the internet of things (IoT) are transforming the governance system, manufacturing and production processes and the entire management system (Bradu et al., 2022). These technologies have brought large-scale changes across organizations and industries with production automation and digitalized industrial processes (Ababneh, 2021). Thereby, endorsing sustainability 4.0 through renewable energy and resource efficiency (Javaid et al., 2022). Following these trends, by 2025, organizations plan to move 60% of their IT estate to cloud (Baig et al., 2023).

Recently, the IR 4.0 driven sustainability has been the center of research (Bradu et al., 2022; Hassoun et al., 2022; Javaid et al., 2022; Polas et al., 2022). Adding fuel to the fire is the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda of sustainable development goals (SDGs). For sustainable development of the planet, its resources and societies, the UN has proposed 17 SDGs aiming at global sustainability concerns that seek contributions from both ends, i.e., businesses and the government (Yong et al., 2022). Among these goals, SDG # 12 i.e., responsible consumption and production signifies the role of the business community in achieving sustainable development. Under SDG # 12, Target 12.6 promotes sustainable business by encouraging organizations towards the adoption of sustainable practices and sustainability-data inclusive reporting (UN, 2023). Organizations such as Atmonia (Iceland), Mittemitte (Germany), Phenix (France), Armadioverde (Italy), Leko Labs (Luxembourg), Ducky (Norway), Karma (Sweden), Effa (Ukraine), and Notpla (UK) are endorsing Target 12.6 by integrating sustainability and environmental goals into business strategy and policies (Valuer, 2022). With a growing number of organizations, industries, and nations adopting and endorsing sustainable business initiatives, a green bandwagon effect has emerged (S. Ahmad, 2015). Ababneh (2021), however, argued that there’s more to it than meets the eye.