ECO-LEADERSHIP AND GREEN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AS DRIVERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68302/std2026.vol1.105Keywords:
Critical Infrastructure Resilience, Eco-Leadership, Environmental Security, Green Human Resource ManagementAbstract
The main aim of this paper is to examine the role of eco-leadership and Green Human Resource Management as key drivers for strengthening environmental security and the resilience of critical infrastructure. In the context of increasing environmental risks, climate challenges, and the growing need for the protection of natural resources, organizations responsible for managing critical infrastructure face the necessity of integrating sustainable management practices and innovative leadership models.
The study examines the concept of eco-leadership as a managerial paradigm oriented toward aligning organizational strategic objectives with the principles of sustainable development and environmental security. In particular, it emphasizes the role of Green Human Resource Management as a strategic instrument for fostering an organizational culture grounded in sustainability, environmental responsibility, and the effective governance of human capital.
Furthermore, the research explores the development of green competencies, mechanisms for enhancing employee motivation, the emergence of “green jobs,” and the critical importance of continuous training and organizational development in the construction of sustainable management systems. Within this framework, special attention is devoted to the contribution of the human factor to strengthening the resilience of organizations responsible for critical infrastructure, particularly in contexts characterized by environmental risks and crisis situations.
In conclusion, by identifying key challenges and best practices related to the implementation of eco-leadership and Green Human Resource Management, the paper derives recommendations for sustainable policies and managerial strategies that contribute to strengthening environmental security and critical infrastructure resilience
The paper uses a conceptual research approach based on a narrative review of literature and selected good practices to develop a model linking eco-leadership, Green Human Resource Management and security outcomes.
Downloads
References
[1] D. Sidova, “Human Security concerns relating to Environmental Issues” in Integration of the Western Balkans in NATO as a Guarantii for Regional Stability”. Skopje: Center for International and Development Studies Skopje. ISBN 978-608-245-725-3 2021, pp. 66-79.
[2] V. Vasilev, D. Stefanova and M. Icheva, “Green Human Resource Management as a Component of Sustainable Organizational Development in Environmental and Natural Economics” in Environment. Technology. Resources. Proceedings of 15th the International Scientific and Practical Conference, Vol. 1, 2024, pp. 402–407, [Online]. Available: https://archive-journals.rtu.lv/etr/article/view/4732 [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.17770/etr2024vol1.7966 .
[3] N. T. Pham, Z. Tučková and C. J. C. Jabbour, “Greening the hospitality industry: How do green HRM practices influence organizational citizenship behavior?”, Tourism Management, Vol. 72, pp. 386–399, June 2019, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517718303121?via%3Dihub [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.12.008 .
[4] P. Arabadzhiyski, V. Vasilev, D. Sidova, “Effective Human Resource Management and Environmental Security: Protection of Human Rights and Critical Infrastructure Sustainabilty” in Environment. Technology. Resources. Proceedings of the 16th International Scientific and Practical Conference, Vol. 5, 2025, pp. 23-28, [Online]. Available: https://archive-journals.rtu.lv/etr/article/view/5284 [Accessed April 20, 2026], https://doi.org/10.17770/etr2025vol5.8484 .
[5] S. Yıldırım and V. Vasilev, “The Future of Green Collar Workers: Green Transition in Employment” in Green Transition Impacts on the Economy, Society, and Environment, S. Yıldırım, D. Yıldırım, I. Demirtaş and V. Kandpal (Eds.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing. 2024, pp. 1-16, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/354189 [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3985-5.ch001 .
[6] A. B. Correia, M. Farrukh Shahzad, J. Moleiro Martins and R. Baheer, “Impact of green human resource management towards sustainable performance in the healthcare sector: Role of green innovation and risk management”, Cogent Business and Management, Vol. 11 (1), 8 July 2024, [Online]. Available: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311975.2024.2374625?scroll=top&needAccess=true#abstract [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2374625 .
[7] P. Arabadzhiyski, “Контрол на трудовите ресурси, обществените поръчки и финансите на малките и средните предприятия, осъществяващи охранителна дейност в Република България“ [Control of labor resources, procurement and finance SMEs carried security in the Republic of Bulgaria/ Kontrol na trudovite resursi, obshtestvenite porachki i finansite na malkite i srednite predpriyatia, osashtestvyavashti ohranitelna deynost v Republika Bulgaria], Collection of Scientific Reports of XXVI International Scientific Conference for Young Scientists, ISSN 1314-4669, p. 301, June 22-23, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://eprints.nbu.bg/id/eprint/4209/1/Statiq_rotated%20%281%29-2-9.pdf [Accessed April 15, 2026].
[8] D. Stefanova, C. Popescu and V. Vasilev, “Green Transition and Human Resource Management–Sustainable Development Through Effective Management of Green Collar Workers” in Aligning ESG Goals with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals Planning, Malik, F.A., Kushwah, S.V., Aslam, M.S., Reyed, R.M., Haghi, A.K. (Eds.) World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham, 10 January 2026, pp. 265-282 [Online]. Available: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-01715-4_14 [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01715-4_14 .
[9] Z. Grzymała and A. J. Wójcik-Czerniawska, “Building Green Skills in the Workforce as an HR Role in the Circular Economy” in Exploring Human Resource Innovations in E-Economy, A. Wojcik-Czerniawska (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2026, pp. 121-140, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/406210 [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4307-5.ch005 .
[10] J. Loew, J. Mayer-Prinz, S. Spieß, M. Wagner and Y. Jiang, “Employee Green Behavior and Sustainability-Related Tensions in Teams”, Manag. Rev., Vol. 37 (1), 25 March 2026 [Online]. Available: https://www.imrpress.com/journal/MRev/37/1/10.31083/MRev52 [Accessed April 10, 2026], https://doi.org/10.31083/MRev52241 .
[11] V. Vasilev, I. Efremovski and Z. Gigauri, “Sustainable Human Resource Management and Development Through Innovative Approaches and Practices” in Exploring Human Resource Innovations in E-Economy, A. Wojcik-Czerniawska (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2026, pp. 461-474, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/406226 [Accessed April 15, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4307-5.ch017 .
[12] N. Ilieva and V. Vasilev, “Green Human Resource Management and Sustainable Development: Insights from Bulgarian Organisations”, Education of Economists and Managers, Vol. 71 (1), 8 October 2024, pp. 7–16, [Online]. Available: https://econjournals.sgh.waw.pl/EEiM/article/view/4547 [Accessed April 15, 2026].
[13] J. Y. Yong, M. Y. Yusliza, T. Ramayah and, O. Fawehinmi, “Nexus between green intellectual capital and green human resource management”. Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 215, 1 April 2019, pp. 364-374, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S095965261834037X [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.306 .
[14] M. Ziółkowska, “Green Competencies as an Element of Sustainable Development”, Studies and Work of the Collegium of Management and Finance, Vol. 196, 2 July 2024, pp. 161–170, [Online]. Available: https://econjournals.sgh.waw.pl/SiP/article/view/4475 [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.33119/SIP.2024.196.12 .
[15] A. Matura and R.Singh, “Driving environmental stewardship: Exploring the impact of green HRM on voluntary green behaviors in higher education institutions”, Sustainable Futures, Vol. 11, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188826001231?via%3Dihub [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2026.101766 .
[16] C. Cabral and R. L. Dhar, “Green Competencies: Insights and Recommendations from a Systematic Literature Review”, Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 28 (1), 19 January 2021, pp. 66–105, [Online]. Available: https://www.emerald.com/bij/article-abstract/28/1/66/513475/Green-competencies-insights-and-recommendations?redirectedFrom=fulltext [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-11-2019-0489 .
[17] I. Gigauri, V. Vasilev and D. Sidova, “The Role of Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Good Practices From Georgia and Bulgaria” in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Family Business for Women’s Empowerment, I. Gigauri (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2025, pp. 165-176, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/371712 [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.33119/SIP.2024.196.12 .
[18] Z. Afsharbakeshlo, M. Omidvar and I. Gigauri, “Green Transformational Leadership: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Suggestion” in Marketing and Resource Management for Green Transitions in Economies, J. Andrei, M. Vasić, L. Chivu and B. Kuzman (Eds.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2024, pp. 47-74, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/352724 [Accessed April 16, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3439-3.ch003 .
[19] KEEP, “Rеsilient, Sustainable and Innovative sociaL Entrepreneurship in Central Europe”, Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Central Europe, 9 February 2026, [Online]. Available: https://keep.eu/projects/32824/REsilient-Sustainable-and-I-EN/ [Accessed April 24, 2026].
[20] KEEP, “Enhancing the development of Centres of Vocational Excellence in the Danube Region by fostering competence and skill development, business-education cooperation and transnational networking”, Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube, 17 December 2025, [Online]. Available: https://keep.eu/projects/32520/Enhancing-the-development-o-EN/ [Accessed April 24, 2026].
[21] KEEP, “Green Skills Platform for Sustainable Employment Development”, Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG V-A Romania - Hungary, 16 March 2023, [Online]. Available: https://keep.eu/projects/22653/Green-Skills-Platform-for-S-EN/ [Accessed April 26, 2026].
[22] J. E. Thomas, D. A. Eisenberg, T. Seager and E. Fisher, “A resilience engineering approach to integrating human and socio-technical system capacities and processes for national infrastructure resilience”, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Vol. 16 (2), De Gruyter, 2019 [Online]. Available: https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstreams/8f951577-5a05-4f0e-ac0e-35a4c6388884/download [Accessed April 21, 2026].
[23] C. M. Govender, “Transitioning HRM to HSM - Human Self-Management Goes beyond Traditional HR” in Beyond Human Resources - Research Paths Towards a New Understanding of Workforce Management Within Organizations, G. Sánchez-Gardey, F. Martín-Alcázar and N. García-Carbonell (Eds.), IntechOpen, 7 May, 2021, [Online]. Available: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/76658 [Accessed April 21, 2026], https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96981 .
[24] EU Civil Protection Knowledge Network, EET course: boosting environmental response in emergencies, 15 April 2025, [Online]. Available: https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/stories/eet-course-boosting-environmental-response-emergencies [Accessed April 21, 2026].
[25] K. Micklitz, G. Wong and J. Howick, “Mindfulness-based programmes to reduce stress and enhance well-being at work: a realist review, BMJ Open, Vol. 11 (3), 2 May 2021, [Online]. Available: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e043525 [Accessed April 21, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043525 .
[26] L. Marrucci, T. Daddi and F. Iraldo, “Creating environmental performance indicators to assess corporate sustainability and reward employees”, Ecological Indicators, Vol. 158, January 2024, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2301631X?via%3Dihub [Accessed April 21, 2026], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111489 .
[27] J. L. Christina, R. Alamelu, M. Sathya and R. Purushothaman, “Reimagining Leadership and Organizational Culture in Digitally Native Firms: Distributed Leadership, Digital Trust, and Resilience Building in the E-Economy. in Exploring Human Resource Innovations in E-Economy, A. Wojcik-Czerniawska (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2026, pp. 255-296. [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/406218 [Accessed April 15, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4307-5.ch010 .
[28] A. Singh and H. Kumar, “Green HRM: Building a Sustainable Workforce for a Greener Future” in Exploring Human Resource Innovations in E-Economy, A. Wojcik-Czerniawska (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2026, pp. 201-216, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/406215 [Accessed April 15, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4307-5.ch008 .
[29] S. I. Evangeline, “Strategic Human Resource Innovations for Sustainable Organizational Futures”, in Exploring Human Resource Innovations in E-Economy, A. Wojcik-Czerniawska (Ed.), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2026, pp. 409-428, [Online]. Available: https://www.igi-global.com/gateway/chapter/406224 [Accessed April 15, 2026], https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-4307-5.ch015 .
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dafinka Sidova, Valentin Vasilev, Petar Arabadzhiyski
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
