Editorial

Human resource practices aligned with Sustainable Development Goals

Nelesh Dhanpat, Karel J. Stanz

Copyright: © 2024. The Author(s). Licensee: AOSIS.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This special edition of the South African Journal of Human Resource Management was dedicated to exploring Human Resource Practices Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is growing academic interest in research focused on sustainability and sustainable development (Berrone et al., 2023; Grainger-Brown & Malekpour, 2019; Lozano & Barreiro-Gen, 2023; Secundo et al., 2020). A key question that emerges is how organisations can effectively engage with the SDGs and contribute to their realisation (Grainger-Brown & Malekpour, 2019). This collection sets out to highlight research that examines human resource (HR) practices, in the South African context could be aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to assist in realising these goals. Established in 2015, the SDGs presents a global vision to eradicate poverty, promote environmental sustainability, ensure individual well-being, and foster peace and prosperity by 2030 through 17 goals (United Nations, 2015). As such, this edition aimed to highlight the role human resource management (HRM) plays in realising these goals within organisations.

The need for research in this area has become increasingly important. Human resource management and the SDGs are linked through the shared element of the human factor, as individuals’ attitudes, behaviours directly influence social, environmental and organisational practices (Chams & García-Blandón, 2019). Several of the SDGs are directly linked to HRM, such as those promoting decent work, gender equality and reducing inequalities, while others have an indirect influence. Previous studies (e.g. Chams & García-Blandón, 2019) indicate the growing recognition of HRM’s role in driving sustainable development. This collection aims to address these gaps and encourage HR professionals to integrate sustainable development into their everyday roles, through HR practices that enable employee outcomes, with a specific focus in the South African context.

Brewster and Brookes (2024) suggest that research on SDGs being realised through HR practices will be fruitful if HR practitioners are able to make a significant contribution to society in achieving the SDGs meaningfully. As such, HR practitioners could play a significant role in embedding the SDGs into organisational frameworks. Their influence, in the workplace, could extended to shaping policies that promote gender equity, provide decent work and enhance employee well-being, while advancing social responsibility, environmental care, and providing equitable working conditions.

The call for submissions were released in May 2024. The call garnered considerable attention across various academic institutions and disciplines. Although most articles submitted originated from South Africa, other counties included Pakistan, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe. As can be seen in Figure 1, a consistent flow of submissions was processed until August 2024 resulting in a total of 25 articles to be accessed for focus and scope.

FIGURE 1: Timeline and flow of submissions.

In this special collection, a total of nine articles were accepted for publication, each contributing valuable insights aligned with specific SDGs, evident in Figure 2. Most articles accepted originated from South Africa with another being from Namibia. The articles originated from the following universities namely, University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria, University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, University of Fort Hare, University of KwaZulu-Natal, North-West University and University of Namibia.

FIGURE 2: Timeline of acceptance of submissions.

In total, nine articles in this edition provide insights linked to specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting diverse aspects of sustainable HR practices. The SDGs covered reflect a diverse range of topics, with Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being being the most frequently addressed, appearing as a core focus in four studies. These studies explore the mediation effect of HR expertise in the boardroom on the relationship between implementing sustainable HR practices and market value, mental well-being in the workplace, social support, organisational justice among public service employees in South Africa, factors influencing work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic and Meaning of work for South African women during the pandemic. Additionally, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth (focused on South Africa) features two studies, placing emphasis on the transition from graduate to professional, the development of work identity, and challenges associated with toxic leadership and ethical leadership. Two studies focus on Goal 10: Reduced Equalities, advocating for effective performance management strategies for security personnel in higher education and examining how harmonisation shapes outcomes among support service labour in selected South African higher education institutions. Finally, Goal 4: Quality Education is addressed with a study on preparing graduates for the job market using a strength-based skill development approach.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that this special collection will be of interest to a wide audience. In the South African context, research on achieving the SDGs, particularly with an HR focus, remains in its early stages, if not in its infancy. Exploratory work in sustainable HRM has sought to define the sustainability phenomenon and highlight its relevance to HRM (Qamar et al., 2023). This collection of articles contributes to this growing field, offering insights into how HRM can support the realisation of the SDGs and further advancing research on sustainable HR practices.

Acknowledgements

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

N.D. was the main researcher and was responsible for conceiving ideas, conducting fieldwork, as well as writing most of the article. K.J.S. co-authored the article, providing some of the statistics as well as addressing the copy editor’s concerns.

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, K.J.S., upon reasonable request.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are the product of professional research. It does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder, agency or that of the publisher. The authors are responsible for this article’s results, findings and content.

References