Chapter-1: Introduction

Organizations are nowadays realizing that, in addition to focusing on financial profits, they must
consider all social and environmental impacts for their long term sustainability. Sustainability is
the ability to meet the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their needs. Organizations need to understand their responsibility towards social and
environmental risks and opportunities for all business decisions taken by them. This
simultaneous approach of delivering positive results for 3Ps- People, Planet and Profit- is
referred to as triple bottom line. HRM plays the critical role in embedding sustainability
strategy of the organization for creating the skills, motivation, values and trust to achieve a triple
bottom line. It ensures long term health and sustainability of both the organizations internal and
external stakeholders with policies that reflect equity, development and well- being; and supports
environmentally friendly practices. Thus there is a growing need for the integration of
environmental sustainability into human resource management (HRM) - Green HRM. In a
nutshell creating a green World where consumers and employees force change. In fact the HR
function can be renamed as People and Society.

Green human resources refer to using every employee touch point / interface to promote
sustainable practices and increase employee awareness and commitments on the issues of
sustainability. It involves undertaking environment-friendly HR initiatives resulting in greater
efficiencies, lower costs and better employee engagement and retention which in turn, help
organizations to reduce employee carbon footprints by the likes of electronic filing, car sharing,
job-sharing, tele-conferencing and virtual interviews, recycling, telecommuting, online training,
energy-efficient office spaces etc. The HR function will become the driver of environmental
sustainability within the organization by aligning its practices and policies with sustainability
goals reflecting an eco-focus. It involves undertaking environment-friendly HR initiatives
resulting in: 1) greater efficiencies, and 2) lower costs and better employee engagement and
retention.
Green management initiatives become an important factor in forward thinking business houses
around the world. Green HR initiatives help companies find alternative ways to cut cost without
losing their top talent; furloughs, part time work, etc. There is a growing need for strategic Green
HRM the integration of environmental management into HRM. HR professionals indicated that
encouraging employees to be more environmentally friendly in the workplace was the top
practice for their organizations. This means that organizations are encouraging their employees
to perform activities such as making double-sided photocopies, powering down computers after a
few minutes of inactivity, using energy-efficient bulbs for desk lamps, ensuring blinds are
lowered in the summer to conserve energy, donating / discounting used office furniture / supplies
to employees or local charity was the top environmentally responsible practice. Nowadays companies

Page | 1
are implementing EMS (Environmental Management System) a strategic tool, to gain competitive
advantage. This system provides better control of firms environmental impacts. It includes
commitment, policy, planning, implementation, measurement and evaluation, review and
improvement of HR systems that fit with organizations culture and long-term goals.

Chapter-2: Literature Review

The extant literature in the HR field on the topic of sustainability suggests that more and more
HR executives are keen to modulate their corporation as such to become exclusive
environmental champions. A great extent of empirical research highlights the impact of
environment management practices on performance of the organization using different
parameters (Iraldo, Testa, & Frey, 2009; Yang, Lin, Chan, & Sheu, 2010).

Literature has given importance to adoption of environmental practices as a key objective of

organizational functioning making it important to identify with the support of human resource
management practices. (Cherian & Jacob, 2012, p. 25). Haden, Oyler, and Humphrey (2009)
comprehend that the integration of environmental objectives and strategies along with the
strategic development goals of a company results in an effective environment management
system. Daily and Huang (2001) proposed that organizations essentially need to balance the
industrial growth as well as preservation of the environment because it has been confirmed that
by endorsing green practices, the companies may profit more than before (Murari & Bhandari,
2011).

The Human Resource Department of an organization plays a significant role in the creation of
their companys sustainability culture (Harmon, Fairfield, & Wirtenberg, 2010). It is identified
that the greater the strength of green human resource policies, the greater is the intensity of
adoption of environment management systems (EMS) and policies by the different companies
(Bohdanowicz, Zientara, & Novotna, 2011).

What is Green HRM?

The term Green HRM has become the buzz word within the business field at present and its
significance is increasing manifold with the passage of time. This term has also its secured
position as a hot topic in recent research works since the awareness on environmental
management and sustainable development has been increasingly rising day by day all-round the
globe. Today the topic Green HRM not only includes awareness toward environmental affairs,
but also stands for the social as well as economic well-being of both the organization and the
employees within a broader prospect.

Before proceeding further, first of all we take up the question, what is Green HRM?
Different authors have given different definitions for this term such as

Page | 2
Green HRM is the use of HRM policies to promote the sustainable use of resources within
organizations and, more generally promotes the causes of environment sustainability
- Marhatta & Adhikari
GHRM is directly responsible in creating green workforce that understands, appreciates, and
practices green initiative and maintains its green objectives all throughout the HRM process of
recruiting, hiring, training, compensating, developing, and advancing the firms human capital.
(Tactful Management Research Journal)

It refers to the policies, practices, and systems that make employees of the organization green
for the benefit of the individual, society, natural environment, and the business.
-Opatha & Arulrajah

Why Bangladeshi Firms Should Adopt Green HRM Practices?

Even though initially it may be difficult to initiate and implement the green HRM practices at the
first level, it can fulfill the prime objectives of an organization such are cost control, ensuring
corporate social responsibility, talent acquisition and gaining competitive advantage over the
rivals through environment consciousness and preservation of natural and ethical values. The
usual reasons why a firm should adopt green HRM practices are noted down below:

I. Preservation of natural environment: The elements of the environment which are not
created by human beings are called the elements of natural environment like trees,
forests, rivers, animals etc. Green HRM practices such as online advertising and
recruitment which uses less paper, creating less carbon emission on the office space,
training through electronic sources to reduce paper waste can keep the environment form
loss or negatively affected.
II. Ensure healthy working environment and raise employee morale: Making the
corporate space green with trees & plants, forbidding smoking on the office premises,
using less paperwork (which makes an employee hectic), providing natural fruits &
vegetables on HR meetings- all these can create a healthy and habitable working
environment which in turn, can raise the speed and morale of the workers.

III. Gain competitive advantage through ensuring corporate social responsibility (CSR):
Corporate social responsibility is now-a-days a part of companys core responsibilities
which no company can ignore. Therefore, a firm can gain competitive advantage over its
rivals by ensuring green management practices in a well-performed manner.

IV. Save cost: Creating a sound working environment can reduce employee fatigue,
absentism and turnover. The result is reduced cost. Again using less paper and
disseminating and recording the information via online can reduce wastage and cost.

V. Increase company image: It is obvious that a company which has green

management/HRM practices will have a higher image than a company which has not.

Page | 3
 VI. Reduce intervention from the government and other law enforcing agencies:
Adoption of proper green management/HRM practices can reduce the chance of
intervention by the central/local govt. and other law enforcing agencies.

VII. Develop eco-friendliness and environmental learning among the employees:

Adoption of green HRM practices make the employees environment conscious and make
them eco-friendly which makes them a good corporate citizen in environmental
perspective.

VIII. Stimulate innovation and growth: Green HRM practices encourages new innovative
ideas and practices that facilitates growth in quality and enhancement of methods and
processes.

IX. Facilitate learning and shape behavior: Such practices help to facilitate
green/environmental consciousness among the employees and refine or shape their
behaviors to develop eco-friendly attitudes in their personal and work lives.

X. Maximize use of resources and reduce waste: Green HRM practices can help a firm to
maximize its natural resources through the use of recycled products and reduce waste to
an optimum level.

Profile of Citi Bank

Citi bank is the leading global financial services company which has about 200 million customer
accounts and has operations in more than 160 countries. Citibank delivers a collection of banking
services which includes lending and investment services to customers, small businesses, large
companies and governments. Citibank has shown growth and prosper in those areas where it has
operated and its leaders have brought success to different places. Citibank is regarded as the
Worlds Global Bank.

Citibank is the consumer and corporate banking division of leading financial services company
Citi group. The bank has its headquarter in new York. Citibank focuses substantial resources on
growth in emerging markets. Citibank is one of the worlds leading financial services company.
In Asia the bank has more than 33 million customer accounts across 12 different markets which
comprised of more than 600 branches and more than 2,500 ATMs.

Citis mission

Citi works diligently to serve individuals, communities, institutions and nations. With 200 years
of experience meeting the worlds toughest challenges and seizing its greatest opportunities, we
strive to create the best outcomes for our clients and customers with financial solutions which are
simple, creative and responsible. An institution connecting over 1000 cities, 160 countries and
millions of people, we are your global bank, we are Citi.

Page | 4
About Citibank, N.A Bangladesh
Citibank, N.A is a multinational bank started its operations on 24 June, 1995 after obtaining
license from Bangladesh bank in January 1995. The bank had its representative office established
on the year 1987 but it launched its complete operations in 1995 in the capital city Dhaka.

Since 1987 Citis operations include mostly on Corporate and commercial banking services
under the Institutional clients group (ICG). The services provided by Citibank include treasury
management, transaction services, foreign exchange and structured finance to corporate clients,
governments and financial institutions. This has been proving its clients the highest standards of
financial services backed by advanced technology and innovative product solutions. The bank
also provides remittance services to the foreign employees throughout the world.

Citibanks operations include corporate banking, global transaction services, Financial

Institutions and sales and training (Treasury) under the global corporate and investment banking
(CIB) umbrella. Other departments are Operations and technology (O&T), Credit
administrations, Trade and Operations, Financial Control, Human Resources Compliance.

Organizational Structure

Citibank, N.A. is one of the leading multinational banks in Bangladesh. Over the years, it has
been very consistent in its performance as it has been able to satisfy its clients by fulfilling the
clients needs. This would not been possible without the loyal and dedicated workforce of the
bank, which is one of the major assets of Citibank, N.A. Bangladesh.

Citibank, N.A. pursues the Open-desk- policy where subordinates and the supervisors sit in the
same floor and in the same areas. This strategy encourages the dedication and motivation of
employees as the employees or the subordinates think that they are given importance by their
bosses or superiors. Citibank, N.A. also allows empowerment by encouraging opinions from
different members of the workforce. The bank also maintains clean desk policy which states
that employees should leave no papers or documents on the desk while leaving their workplace.
This is a vital strategy which is being implemented by Citibank, N.A. as they want to secure the
privacy of their clients.

Work ethics

Citibank, N.A. gives greater emphasis to employees to show ethics in their work. The
supervisors allow the subordinates to confess if the subordinates have done any mistakes or not.
However, in here there is less number of employees who rarely possesses such work ethic.
Majority of the employees in the Citibank, N.A. tries to maintain the work ethic and they do
reveal to their supervisors if they have made any mistakes so that there is a mutual understanding
between the supervisors and the subordinates.

Understanding among departments, colleagues and supervisors

Page | 5
The bonding among the subordinates, entry level officers or the mid-level managers is very good
across different departments at Citibank, N.A.

Types of work

Most of the task in the Citibank, N.A. involves clerical work. Performing the same clerical work
sometimes leads to monotony in the minds of the employees. Nonetheless, the monotony does
not remain long as the supervisors have to meet the deadlines from Bangladesh bank which is a
challenge. The supervisors or the heads of different units rarely engages in clerical tasks s they
have to setup strategies, make decisions and engage in meetings with clients as well as with the
representatives of Bangladesh bank. Moreover, the Relationship Manager rarely engages in
clerical tasks as they work in front office so they have to interact with customers frequently so
they are able to satisfy the needs of the customers. Also, the employees working in other
departments like Human resources compliance, Corporate and Investment banking have to use
their interpersonal, analytical communication and appraisal skills to complete their tasks.

Performance evaluation and Employee promotion

Employee performance is assessed by the unit head and the head of the department. The
performance is a big factor while evaluating an employee. However, in Citibank, N.A. promotion
is not completely based on individual performance; it also depends on the performance of the
unit where the employee is working as well as how effectively the employee is communicating
with the unit head and the department head. There are cases where employees get promotion as
they maintain good connection with their bosses and department head.

Green HRM practices at Citi

Citibank, N.A. is very much conscious bout keeping its activities in the level that is very much eco-
friendly and that do no harm to the environment. They are adopting Green policies regardless of
departments across different countries it is operating. Among various initiatives to go green
movement, the most important one that Citibank is adopting is to be much more technology
orientation. In case of recruiting employees, they are doing every steps through on-line from job
analysis to vacancy fulfillment, Citibank is adopting both intranet and extranet that reduces the use of
paper a lot.

But sometimes it is very difficult to do some tasks without paper-pencil, as it a banking

institution. Several different trainings are arranged by Citibank from time to time in order to
orient the employees to reduce paper work and encourage them to be Green-minded. In Citi
culture health is considered as an important issue and to keep a sound and fit health various
poster work, health cautions are also provided from time to time. In Citibank its like growing as
a family in a healthier way towards achieving its goals maintaining a continuous policy which is
updated from time to time incorporating Green Human Resources Management. Citi bank
already follows the following policies in order to bring about a green environment for its
betterment now and future.

Page | 6
 Steps Polities
Job Analysis Citi includes environmental obligations of employees are a must in order to
fulfill the vacancies.

Selection Citi Bank tries to select those applicants who are environment conscious.

Induction Citi has a rich culture to make the employees acquainted with the green
movement followed by it.

Training Citi Bank arranges periodical training in order to make employees more
motivated to Green movement.

Performance Citi always tries to evaluate the performance of employees in green related
Evaluation criteria to encourage the employees to be more eco-friendly.

Rewards Citi follows the policy that it gives extra incentives to the employees who
Management contribute to the organization in a green way.

Chapter-3: Implementation of Green HRM on

General HRM Functions

As a new expansion of general HRM, Green HRM can be feed into usual HRM functions.
Several functions involving regular HRM practices in which green HRM can be implemented
could be the following in general.

I. Online advertisement and invitation of application via online: The unbelievable

advancement of technology has made it easier for the firms to post their job
advertisement to the online job sites and their own websites. Even it is now possible to
submit the resume for a candidate online. This process is quick, efficient, easy and cheap.
The candidates just need online access. Another advantage of online application is that
the potential candidate can search and gather the information he/she needs from the
company website which would not be possible otherwise.

II. Green recruitment and selection of candidates: The companies can pick the
resumes/CVs of suitable candidates and download them. Later, they can print whenever
needed. The selection tests can also be as much paperless as possible like behavioral
observation, interview, presentation in which less paper is needed. Moreover, preferences
could be given to the candidates who are more environment aware and friendly or who
have strong motivation to keep the office and environment green or natural as it is.

Page | 7
 III. Green orientation: The induction and socialization process can be designed in a way
that facilitates the inclusion of new employees into the process of green consciousness.
Orientation programs should uphold the organizations attitude for green issues like
health and safety, green workplace, healthy and clean local area etc.

IV. Green performance management and evaluation: Overall performance management

system should be developed including green target in Key Performance Areas (KPA) and
Key Performance Index (KPI). Green performance goals and green behavior indicators
should be the key areas of performance appraisals at all levels. Examples of such goals
might be to create awareness and achievement among the employees, encouraging the
subordinates to facilitate green environment learning etc.

V. Green learning and development: Training, learning and development process should
include programs, workshops, seminars, sessions and presentations that develop and help
employees to acquire knowledge in green management skills. The training learning
content should be developed to increase competencies and skills in environment
management. Extensive online and web-based training modules and tools can be used for
not only green management but also other functions as well. Issues like safety, energy
efficiency, waste management, recycling can be the core points of green training.
Training supervisors should use more on online course materials and case studies rather
than printed handouts, books and brochures to reduce the use of paper.

VI. Green compensation and reward: Compensation packages should include rewarding
green skills and achievement. Special bonuses might be given to the employees for extra-
ordinary effort to make the workplace clean, maintaining health and safety standards,
using less paper and so on.

VII. Maintenance of employee relations: The Company can promote the eco friendliness
to add value to companys products and services with efficient utilization of existing
financial, human and natural resources. Employees should be motivated for involvement
and participation in social and ecological initiatives to create a general healthy and
workable office space that results in sustainable, competent, efficient and socially
responsible employer-employee relationship.

VIII. Creation of a green leadership management: The Company can assign a top level
manager to can initiate and organize the green sustainability. He/she can include the
green issues in business and corporate plans.

IX. Green health and safety management: The green health and safety management is
really beyond the scope of traditional health and safety management function of HRM. It
not only includes the traditional health and safety management but also some more
aspects of environmental management of an organization. That is why nowadays many
organizations are redesigning post of health and safety manager as health, safety and
environmental manager. This includes a wider job scope when compared with
traditional post of health and safety manager in an organization. For example, it includes
biodiversity protection and community support initiatives etc. that include local
environment and people. The key role of green health and safety management is to ensure

Page | 8
 a green workplace for all. Green workplace is defined as a workplace that is
environmentally sensitive, resource efficient and socially responsible. At present there are
companies where traditional health and safety function was extended to include
environmental management/protection. These companies have continually endowed to
create various environmental related initiatives to reduce employee stress and
occupational disease caused by hazardous work environment

X. Green employee discipline management: Wehrmeyer stated explicitly that green

discipline management is a pre-requisite in corporate environmental management. In
ensuring green employee behavior in the workplace, organizations may need green
discipline management practices to achieve the environmental management objectives
and strategies of the organization. In this context, some companies have realized
discipline management as a tool to self-regulate employees in environmental protection
activities of the organization. These firms have developed a clear set of rules and
regulations which imposes/regulates employees to be concerned with environmental
protection in line with environmental policy of the organizations. In such companies, if
an employee violates environmental rules and regulations, disciplinary actions (warning,
fining, suspension, etc.) are taken against him/her

Challenges of Implementing Green HRM to ensure TQM

No policies and practices are free of challenges. On the other side of the story of benefits, there
are also a few challenges of using the practice in an organization. The challenges are mentioned
below:
I. There are some employees in every organization who are not equally motivated to adopt
green HRM practices.
II. Developing and maintaining a culture of green HRM is a lengthy and time consuming
process
III. At the initial stage of implementation, it requires a high investment and may bring a low
return.
IV. Recruiting and training employees about green HRM is a challenging job to do.
V. It is very difficult to appraise the green performance of employees behavior.
VI. It is difficult to transform employee attitude to green HRM from traditional HRM in a
short period of time.
VII. A major challenge for HR professionals is to select and develop future green leaders is to
create a green working structure, set up green working processes, providing green tools
and creating expected green thinking for their employees.

Page | 9
 Chapter-4: Findings

Green HR refers to making efforts to improve energy efficiency or reduce the pollution produced
by your home, business and general living habits. The main purpose of green HR is to reduce the
potential negative impact that energy consumption and pollution can have on the environment.
While environmentally friendly living is a positive ideal, there are several possible disadvantages
of green HR.

I. Conducting energy audit: Auditing the energy efficiency and energy conservation
activities and initiatives in the organization on a regular basis. This will create a mandate
sense of energy conservation within the organization helping in molding green
employees.

II. Green purchases: Buying raw materials that has undergone recycling, or purchases to be
made from green companies.

III. Initial Costs: Perhaps the greatest disadvantage of green HR is that it often requires a large
initial cost. For example, installing a new roof or new insulation to keep heat from escaping
your home would be considered a green home improvement, but it would cost a large sum of
money to get the work done. Similarly, buying a hybrid vehicle that gets good gas mileage
can reduce energy consumption, but hybrid vehicles often cost many thousands of dollars
more than similar vehicles without hybrid technology. Upfront costs present a large deterrent
to green HR.

IV. Inadequate Savings: The aim of green HR in many cases, such as building an energy-
efficient home or purchasing a hybrid vehicle, is to reduce environmental impact while
saving money in the long term. Green buildings and vehicles tend to use less energy, so initial
costs can often be recouped over time through energy savings. The problem is that the
savings generated by green HR are often less than expected; they do not make up for the
initial cost quickly enough to make them economically viable.

V. Competition: In the business world, green HR can be an attractive goal to gain goodwill and
consumer support, but unless green improvements are economically viable, it can put a
business at a competitive disadvantage. For instance, if one company decides to adhere to
strict, self-imposed pollution standards which require the installation of new technology and
workers, while another sets loose standards, the second company will be at an advantage
since they will have lower production costs. Even if national standards were imposed to force
businesses to go green, this could put them at a competitive disadvantage with respect to
foreign companies.

Page | 10
 VI. Marginal Impact: While green HR is focused on reducing harm to the environment, the
impact that any specific individual can have on the environment by green HR is often
negligible. The theory is that if everyone were to go green, it would have a significant and
noticeable impact, but not everyone can be convinced to go green and many believe that
doing so has no real impact outside of the economics. This makes green HR a personal choice
for many, which does not necessarily result in concrete economic or environmental benefits.

VII. Options: Some experts believe there are still not enough green alternatives for the endless
remodeling possibilities available to homeowners. They see limitations in colors, fixtures,
fabrics, and more.

VIII. Time: Green HR usually takes time. Time to pay off the investment, time to redeem tax
rebates, time to gather the appropriate materials required.

Chapter-5: Recommendations & Conclusion

According to the cease Green human Resource Project is working for the development of both
business and environment, I have few recommendations for it though are given one by one:
I. Elaborate on various green practices that can be incorporated for building a Green
workplace.
II. Improve the practices of environmental health on the basis of human resource
III. Might be helpful to create green workforce that can understand and appreciate green
culture in an organization.
IV. Attracting high-quality staff is a key HR challenge in the war for talent
V. Improve the performance of management
VI. Training and development is a practice that focuses on development of employees skills,
knowledge, and attitudes, prevent deterioration of EM-related knowledge, skills, and
attitudes. Employees aware of different aspects and value of environment management.
VII. By providing reward it can improve performance of employees.
VIII. Should I more careful for the health of environment by considering business
development?

Page | 11
Conclusion
Green HR efforts have mainly focused on increasing competency within processes, reducing and
eliminating environmental desecrate, and restoring HR products, tools, and procedures
consequential in greater efficiency and lower costs. The results included: electronic filing,
teleconferencing and virtual interviews, ride sharing, job sharing, recycling, telecommuting,
online training, and developing more energy efficient office spaces. Society becoming more
environmentally conscious, businesses are starting to include green proposals into their everyday
work environment. Environmentally friendly HR proposals resulting in greater efficiencies,
lower costs and create an atmosphere of better employee engagement, which in turn helps
organizations to operate in an environmentally sustainable fashion. The rising concept of green
human resource management carries a great significance for both organizations and employees
with the help of this report, researcher has attempted to focus on the responsiveness and
implementation of green HR practices in organizations. Organizations today in organization are
well versed about the green HR concept that has been put advance to help them to keep the
environment green but still few organizations are not able to put it in to practices in different
functional areas of Human resource Management. This study has also helped to identify the areas
like training and development, performance appraisal system and some regular activities where
non implementation of this concept of Green HRM takes place.

Page | 12