This study aims to examine the effects of HRD-driven ESG practices on organizational sustainability and employees' organizational citizenship behavior, and to empirically analyze the mediating effect of organizational pride and the moderating effect o...
This study aims to examine the effects of HRD-driven ESG practices on organizational sustainability and employees' organizational citizenship behavior, and to empirically analyze the mediating effect of organizational pride and the moderating effect of ESG perception in these relationships. The research questions were as follows: First, how do HRD-driven ESG practices affect organizational sustainability and organizational citizenship behavior? Second, does organizational pride mediate the relationship between HRD-driven ESG practices and organizational sustainability and organizational citizenship behavior? Third, does employees' ESG perception moderate the indirect effects of HRD-driven ESG practices on organizational sustainability and organizational citizenship behavior through the mediation of organizational pride?
To achieve the research objectives, data were collected from 447 employees of domestic private companies over approximately one week from October 19 to October 24, 2025, through an online survey. Prior to the main survey, a pilot test was conducted with 30 participants to examine item comprehension and response convenience, and the final questionnaire was developed after revision and supplementation. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 28.0, and the research model was tested through structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to verify the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments, confirming convergent validity, discriminant validity, and the fit of the measurement model.
The analysis results showed: First, regarding direct effects, HRD-driven ESG practices demonstrated a significant positive relationship with organizational sustainability, but no significant relationship was found with employees' organizational citizenship behavior. Second, regarding indirect effects, organizational pride partially mediated the relationship between HRD-driven ESG practices and organizational sustainability, and fully mediated the relationship between HRD-driven ESG practices and employees' organizational citizenship behavior. Third, the results of the moderated mediation analysis indicated that ESG perception significantly moderated the relationship between HRD-driven ESG practices and organizational pride. However, the moderated mediation effects of ESG perception on the indirect relationships between HRD-driven ESG practices and organizational sustainability as well as employees’ organizational citizenship behavior through organizational pride were not statistically significant.
These research findings suggest that ESG management should be understood not only from institutional and strategic dimensions but also from an HRD perspective that encompasses employee learning and emotional approaches. This study expanded the theoretical foundation of ESG-HRD integrated research by empirically identifying the pathway through which HRD-driven ESG practices lead to organizational performance and organizational behavior mediated by employees' emotional responses. Additionally, it demonstrated that employee participation-based HRD strategies are essential for organizations to internalize ESG practices into organizational culture and employee experience. This study emphasizes the effectiveness of HRD-centered ESG practices and the importance of employees' emotional factors and intrinsic motivation, establishing a theoretical foundation for subsequent research on building sustainable organizations. Future research is recommended to attempt more sophisticated model verification that considers industry characteristics and individual-level variables more broadly, along with analyses utilizing diverse data.