Leadership Integrity and Green Strategic Human Resource Management as Drivers of Sustainability Performance in Higher Education Institutions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly expected to advance sustainability agendas while simultaneously maintaining academic excellence, institutional legitimacy, and organizational resilience. Within this context, leadership integrity and Green Strategic Human Resource Management (GSHRM) have emerged as critical organizational mechanisms for enhancing sustainability performance. Nevertheless, empirical and theoretical scholarship examining these relationships within developing and post-conflict contexts, particularly in Southeast Asia and Timor-Leste, remains limited and fragmented. This systematic literature review synthesizes empirical evidence published between 2020 and 2026 concerning the interrelationships among leadership integrity, GSHRM, and sustainability performance in HEIs. The review further identifies major theoretical, methodological, and geographical gaps while proposing a conceptual foundation for future research in underexplored contexts. A systematic review methodology following PRISMA guidelines was employed using three major academic databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed studies focusing on HEIs, leadership integrity, GSHRM, and sustainability performance were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 30 eligible studies were critically analyzed. The findings reveal that leadership integrity significantly influences the adoption and effectiveness of GSHRM practices, which in turn enhance institutional sustainability performance across environmental, social, and organizational dimensions. Furthermore, GSHRM frequently functions as a mediating mechanism linking ethical leadership behaviors to sustainable institutional outcomes. Despite growing scholarly interest, the existing literature is predominantly concentrated in Europe, North America, and East Asia, with limited empirical attention given to Southeast Asia and fragile educational systems such as Timor-Leste. This review contributes to the literature by integrating Resource-Based View (RBV) theory with sustainability and strategic HRM perspectives in higher education research. Practically, the study offers strategic insights for university leaders and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainability-oriented governance and human resource practices in developing-country HEIs. The review also establishes a future research agenda emphasizing context sensitive and empirically grounded investigations in emerging and post-conflict educational environments.