Jaanjati Shodh August 2015 - January 2016 ISSN 2454-8197

GREEN HRM: “CAN IT PRESERVE THE HABITATIONS OF TRIBAL PEOPLE?”

Jianguanglung Dangmei

Research Scholar, Department of Business Management

Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Amarkantak, M.P

E-mail:joeldangmei@gmail.com

Contact No.: +918989826292

Abstract

Green HRM is the use of HRM policies to promote the sustainable use of resources within

organizational businesses and more generally promotes the cause of environmental

sustainability. The range of these activities is perceived highly relevant and the range of possible

green human resource interventions is much wider. There is an increasing growing need of

integrating environment management system into Human Resource Management (HRM) i.e.,

Green HRM practices of how corporations can develop human resource policies for promoting

environment management initiatives on the impacts of mining and industrialization. This paper

examines the nature and implications of Green HRM initiatives and its practices towards

environmental sustainability which could in turn benefit the livelihood of tribal people. An

attempt is made to promote the importance of Green HRM and tries to link its implications on

preserving the habitations of the tribal populated areas.

Keywords: Green HRM, Green HR policies, Tribal Habitations.

Citation: Dangmei J. (2015). Green HRM: “Can It Preserve The Habitations of Tribal People?” P.85-88. Jaanjati Shodh Aug 2015–Jan 2016. ISSN 2454-8197.

Jaanjati Shodh August 2015 - January 2016 ISSN 2454-8197

Introduction

There is an increasing growing need of integrating environment management system into Human

Resource Management (HRM) i.e., Green HRM practices of how corporations can develop

human resource policies for promoting environment management initiatives due to the impacts

mining in the tribal-dominated and heavily forested areas. Green HR involves two essential

elements i.e. environment friendly HR practices and preservation of knowledge capital. By

adopting the Green HR practices in the management philosophy, HR policies, training people

with environmental issues and implementation of laws related to environment protection, the

Green HRM will become an important role in the industry to promote environmental

sustainability (Jain G, 2015) which can benefit the livelihood of the tribal people.

1. Green HRM & Green HR policies:

The concept of Green HRM has come forth with the introduction of Green Movement. Green

Movement is a political movement which advocates four important principles:

(i) Environmentalism,

(ii) Sustainability,

(iii) Non-violence and

(iv) Social justice.

Dunphy (2000) further state that it linked the implementation of ecological sustainability with

human sustainability. It is the process whereby companies deal the environment by developing

environmental management strategies (Lee, 2009) in which companies require to balance

between industrial growth and protecting the natural environment so that future generation may

survive (Daily and Huang, 2001). Green HRM is the use of HRM policies to promote the

sustainable use of resources within business organizations and more generally promotes the

cause of environmental sustainability (Rani S & Mishra K. 2014). Green HR policies are directed

towards encouraging an environmental corporate culture and concentrate on collective and

individual potential to bring about green behavior (Muster V., & Schrader Ulf, 2011). Green HR

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policies focus on acquiring individual knowledge about environmental competences of

employees by giving specific trainings and education programs and applying appraisal tools or

reward system accordingly (Govindarajulu & Daily, 2004; Madsen & Ulhoi, 2001; Ramus,

2001). Environmental trainings at the workplace might include, for instance, environmental law

issues, instructions for new devices, or corporate codes of conduct, which help to advance

employees’ environmental performances (Bird, 1996; Daily & Huang, 2001; Madsen & Ulhoi,

2001). The economic performances is considered as the indicator of company success in the past

but it is no longer logical as financial outcomes need to be followed by minimization of

ecological damages and increase caring to social and environmental aspects (Rani S. & Mishra

K., 2014).

2. The Impact of Mining and Industrialization in Tribal Habitations:

The tribal people depends their occupation entirely on the environment settings. Their

culture are strongly influenced by the opportunities and limitations offered by the physical

environment. The tribals depend on the forest and forest-lands not only for its natural vegetation

but also as a source of livelihood. Therefore, forest environment plays a vital role in their

economic life. The economic activities are also solely depended on the forest that can be

understood in the following ways: forest serves as a source of shelter, food and drink, game and

pasture – it also serves them in supplying indigenous medicine and raw materials for domestic

items and hut-making (Meena B. & Jangu S., 2012).

India has a lot of mineral wealth in the ground. Iron, bauxite, gold, lead, zinc, manganese, coal

and copper are some of the dozens of minerals found in almost half of its landmass. Most of the

mineral concentrations happen to be in areas of the south, central and northeastern states of

Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, areas that are home to a majority of India's

tribal peoples. There has been a rising fear over the heavy investment into mining sector in India

as the best prospects lie in the tribal-populated and heavily forested areas. International firms like

De Beers and Broken Hill Properties, both with controversial human rights and environmental

company practice records in countries like South Africa and Papua New Guinea respectively,

have acquired huge prospecting rights in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. Rio Tinto, another large

and controversial mining company, has diamond and gold prospecting rights in Madhya Pradesh

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(Mok K, 2008). Mining is highly productive and profitable but it is also polluting, unsafe,

disruptive, and in many cases, outside regulatory regimes. More than three quarters of the 2.6

million people are displaced by mining from 1950 to 1991 have yet to be rehabilitated. There is a

need to address the deep and disturbing problems of environmental degradation coupled with the

large scale loss of homes and livelihoods of tribal peoples in India’s rapidly ballooning mining

industry, and in its latest mining policy (Acharya K., 2008).

3. Significance and Implications of Green HRM:

Green HRM practices do not necessarily have to take place within the organization only. It is

especially important for the Green HRM practitioners to transform aspirations and good

intentions into actual everyday behavior if they have high expectations concerning their

environmental performance. According to Sharma and Gupta, Environment Management (EM)

as an element of Green HRM, training and development should focus on development of

employees’ skills, knowledge and attitudes about environment conservation and EM initiatives.

The activities should include training people working methods in how to conserve energy, reduce

waste, diffuse environmental awareness and provide opportunity to engage employees in solving

environmental problems. It will also enhance the ability of the employees to develop proactive

attitudes towards environmental issues (Carter & Dresner, 2001). Focus on the avoidance of

negative behaviors towards environment can be obtained through compensation and rewards for

environmentally responsible employees. It has been found that employees are motivated by

rewards and remain environmentally responsible (Daily &Huang, 2001).

There is an argument that the support of top management, environmental trainings, team

work, employee empowerment and reward system are the essence for carrying out environmental

management systems successfully (Daily & Huang, 2001). And the range of these activities is

perceived highly relevant and the range of possible green human resource interventions is much

wider (Renwick, 2008). So, the Green HRM practices should be able to cover the preservation of

habitations of the tribal people too.

Organizations should adopt Green staffing procedures to further promote Green HRM practices

across the world. Green Staffing involves hiring individuals with Environment Management

skills, mindsets, and behaviors (Sharma N., & Gupta N). In Green Staffing, job analysis

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procedures generally focus on environmental aspects such as environmental reporting duties and

responsibilities; identification and influencing of candidates with EM related experiences; EM-

centered testing (e.g., knowledge of risks, harmful substance, potential emissions, etc.), and

interviewing techniques that enable managers in identifying candidates that fit environment

centered jobs (Renwick et al., 2008). Such practices will ensure that the selected candidates

should possess personality and attitudinal attributes that prevent waste, show creativity and

innovative ideas of the environmental sustainability

An important way in which employee involvement and participation can be encouraged within

the organization is to seek entrepreneurs within the company who are socially or ecologically

oriented known as eco-entrepreneurs, then Green HRM practices will become the driver of

environmental sustainability within the organization by aligning its practices and policies with

sustainability goals reflecting an eco-focus (Jain G, 2015). The responsibility of the present

generation HR Managers is to incorporate the Green HR Philosophy in corporate mission

statement & HR-Polices (Shaikh, 2010). Finally other Green HR policies and implementation of

laws related to environmental protection will probably able to promote Green HRM in

preserving the habitations of the tribal people.

Conclusion:

From the above review it is to be acknowledged that the importance of Green HRM practices is

vital to promote employer and employee attitude and morale towards environmental

sustainability and this may help in arriving at a great deal of benefit for the tribal people. The

people in the organizations must realize the importance of Green Movement and Green HRM.

Green HRM practices can contribute to the conservation and preservation of our natural

environment which will ultimately ensure environmentally sustainable growth and development

of the tribals. Therefore, the Green HRM practices will be able to give hands towards

preservation of habitations of the tribal people. Thus, the future of Green HRM practices appears

promising for the tribal people.

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