Cross-national analysis of GHRM practices in India and Sierra Leone as a catalyst for SDG localization

The study conducts a cross-national comparative analysis of Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices in India and Sierra Leone while situating the findings in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) localization. Using a qualitative content analysis of over 59 documents including policy reports, academic literature and organizational records, this study unveils how institutional, cultural and operational factors determine the effectiveness of GHRM in the Global South. The study combines Institutional Theory and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions to explain how Institutional Readiness and Cultural Legitimacy function as mediators for implementing green recruitment and training programs and organizational citizenship behavior under various governance environments. The study demonstrates that India’s formal regulatory systems, like CSR requirements and ISO standards, promote top-down GHRM institutionalization, whereas Sierra Leone’s traditional leadership systems along with community norms support culturally embedded GHRM practices that lack formal structure. Both situations show partial connection to national SDG agendas because informal work practices and insufficient HR expertise exist. This research introduces a new conceptual framework which emphasizes the simultaneous development of institutional and cultural elements that determine SDG-aligned HRM results. This study provides actionable advice for decision-makers and organizational executives who wish to integrate sustainability principles into HR systems while considering cultural and institutional diversity. Green HR transitions need increased contextual adaptability along with systemic coherence which can be achieved by combining formal policies with local legitimacy mechanisms.