A Systematic Review of Green HRM Determinants in African Infrastructure Development

Abstract

Africa's infrastructure boom requires a critical need for a balance between development and environmental sustainability. This systematic literature review identifies the key determinants, enablers, and constraints of the Green Human Resource Management (Green HRM) adoption in this crucial sector. Following the guidelines of PRISMA, 32 peer-reviewed articles were analyzed, spanning from 2010 to 2024. The findings reveal a critical disconnect top-down enablers, such as international donor conditionalities and national sustainability policies, are systematically undermined by pervasive on-the-ground constraints. These include poor institutional governance, a critical green skills gap, and severe financial limitations. To bridge this gap, this review outlines the resulting implications across three distinct dimensions: targeted policy interventions to incentivize environmental compliance, proactive corporate strategies to embed sustainability into the HR lifecycle, and structural institutional reforms within educational and regulatory bodies. Ultimately, this review emphasizes the gap between policy aspirations and implementation and concludes that an integrated, multi-stakeholder approach is essential to cultivate the sustainable workforce required for Africa's future.