Purpose This study aims to examine how green human resource management influences low-carbon behavior and sustainable performance, while assessing the moderating and moderated mediation role of sustainable leadership within the context of Vietnam’s steel industry. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach was employed using survey data collected from 260 employees, managers and business owners in steel enterprises in Vietnam. Stratified sampling was applied, and hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings The results indicate that green human resource management significantly promotes employees’ low-carbon behavior but does not directly improve sustainable performance. Low carbon behavior fully mediates the relationship between green human resource management and sustainable performance. In addition, sustainable leadership strengthens the relationship between green human resource management and low-carbon behavior and exerts a significant moderated mediation effect on the indirect relationship between green human resource management and sustainable performance through low-carbon behavior. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by integrating ability motivation opportunity theory and social cognitive theory to explain the mechanism linking green human resource management, employee behavior and sustainable performance. It also provides empirical evidence from a high emission industry in an emerging economy, highlighting the critical role of leadership in translating green practices into sustainable outcomes.
Nguyen et al. (2026) studied this question.