Investigating the Mediating Role of Learning Goal Orientation in the Relationship Between Green Human Resource Policies and Environmental Performance

This study aimed to examine the effect of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on employees’ green behavior (EGB) through the mediating roles of learning goal orientation (LGO) and moral identity (MI) and the moderating role of coworker support among employees of insurance companies in Kermanshah, Iran. This applied correlational study employed a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The statistical population comprised all 290 employees of insurance companies in Kermanshah, who were selected using a census method. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires, including a six-item SRHRM scale by Orlitzky and Swanson, a six-item EGB scale by Bissing-Olson, a four-item coworker support scale by Sears et al., a five-item MI scale by Aquino and Reed, and an eight-item LGO scale by Button et al. Data analysis was conducted using LISREL software. SEM results showed that SRHRM had a positive and significant effect on EGB (path coefficient = 0.621, p < 0.01). LGO (indirect effect = 0.425, p = 0.010) and MI (indirect effect = 0.256, p = 0.010) significantly mediated this relationship. Coworker support moderated the effects of SRHRM on both LGO (ΔR² = 0.0046, p = 0.0131) and MI (ΔR² = 0.0125, p = 0.0009). SRHRM can foster employees’ voluntary green behaviors by enhancing learning motivation and internalizing ethical values, especially in supportive social environments, thereby improving organizational sustainability and competitiveness.