Green human resource management: a comparative qualitative case study of a United States multinational corporation

Figures & data

Table 1 Case study protocol.

Case study steps

1. Identification of research focus and scope

2. Identification of individual subsidiaries to become ‘multiple cases’

3. Further development of research questions

4. Identification of appropriate research instruments and protocols, including qualitative data gathering techniques such as semi-structured interviews and focus groups

5. Identification of ‘appropriate’ participants: a vertical and horizontal slice of the case studies with experience of environmental and human resource management/development initiatives

6. Data collection period – UK Ltd – September – November 2010

7. External transcript preparation – UK Ltd

8. Data analysis: within-case at single subsidiary level – UK Ltd

9. Coding and development of overarching themes – UK Ltd

10. Data collection period – Sweden Ltd – February 2012

11. External transcript preparation – Sweden Ltd

12. Data analysis: within-case at single subsidiary level – Sweden Ltd

13. Coding and development of overarching themes – Sweden Ltd

14. Cross-case analysis – UK Ltd and Sweden Ltd

15. Data collection period – Germany Ltd – May 2012

16. External transcript preparation – Germany Ltd

17. Data analysis: within-case at single subsidiary level – Germany Ltd

18. Cross-case analysis – UK Ltd, Sweden Ltd and Germany Ltd

19. Coding and development of overarching themes

20. Literature comparison: identification of similarities and differences

21. Reaching closure: literature and data saturation achieved

22. Dissemination: report and article development

Table 2 Interview respondents.

Job role	UK	Sweden	Germany
Category: head office staff
European Environment Director	–	–	1
HR Director	1	1	1
CSR Director	N/A	N/A	1
Head of Environment Department	1	N/A	N/A
Environment Manager/Consultant	1	1	–
Senior Manager Training	–	–	1
Operations Manager/Consultant	1	1	–
Assistant CSR	N/A	N/A	1
Category: restaurant managers
Restaurant Business Manager/Franchisee	3	3	3
Restaurant Assistant/Shift Manager	11	–	1
Category: frontline staff
Restaurant Trainer	1	–	1
Restaurant Frontline Staff	–	8	8
Total participants	19	14	18

Table 3 Interview protocol and questions.

Interview protocol

Introduce the interviewer/s and participant/s

Outline the research process

Outline the purpose of the research, including aims and objectives

Discuss potential research outcomes, ethical issues and obtain consent

Outline structure of the interview/focus group

Research themes and specific questions

Organisation Strategic Priorities and Context

1. What are the major strategic issues or challenges facing the organisation at a national and local level, including environmental and human resource management/development (examples might include cultural, operational, systems)?

2. Can you outline two or three examples (initiatives) of how the organisation is addressing the issues or challenges associated with environmental sustainability (national or local initiatives)?

3. To what extent are environmental and human resource management/development approaches influenced by key stakeholders (such as headquarters, local regulators)?

Organisation structure in relation to the environment and human resource management/development function

1. Where does the environment function ‘sit’ within the hierarchical organizational structure?

2. Why is the environment function situated in its current position?

3. What relationship does the environment function have with the human resource management/development; to what extent are they aligned?

Environmental and human resource management and/or development initiatives

1. Can you outline two or three human resource management/development initiatives that have been developed to address environmental challenges?

2. More specifically: what was the goal of the initiative? Was the initiative in response to a particular challenge? What has been your involvement with the initiative? What actions were taken to develop, implement and evaluate the initiative? What has been the impact of the initiative? What was your managers' involvement?

About you

1. What environmental practices are important to you?

2. What do you perceive as the main levers to achieve positive environmental impact (prompt behaviors, systems, processes, regulations etc)

Table 4 Overarching themes and interpretative codes.

Overarching theme (1)	Positioning and alignment of the environment and human resource management/development function
Interpretive codes	Overall commitment to environmental sustainability	Strategic positioning of the environment function	Specialist environmental role	Subsidiaries' approach to environmental sustainability	Human Resource function's relationship with the environment function
Exemplary interview/focus group quote	‘There are sustainability plans, strategies and activities on all levels of the organisation’ (Head office staff member, Germany Ltd)	‘The environment is about behaviors so it should sit within the HR functions’ (Restaurant Manager, UK Ltd)	‘This Green Champion role requires specialist knowledge but more importantly requires people with energy, passion, persistence and the right attitude’ (Head office staff member, Sweden Ltd)	‘Strategic organizational challenges vary at the national and local level across Europe. Green Champion have been piloted in the UK’ (Head office staff member, UK Ltd)	‘CSR has to be embedded within HR processes such as training, development and retention (Head office staff member, Germany Ltd)
Overarching theme (2)	Green employee engagement
Interpretative codes	Integration of environmental indicators into the performance measures at restaurant level	Role modelling leadership behaviours	Green champions	Challenges of stakeholder engagement	Staff development and training
Exemplary interview/focus group quote	‘If we can't measure it doesn't exist … performance is mainly about bottom lines, targets and goals’ (Business Manager, Sweden Ltd)	‘Shadow of the leader – people do what I do not what I say’ (Frontline staff member, Sweden Ltd)	‘Raise awareness of environment initiatives within restaurants, feeding news ideas and insights back to head office and – hopefully – improve our (environmental) performance’ (Head office staff member, UK Ltd)	‘unions have no interest in environmental issues’ (Fronline staff member, Sweden Ltd)	‘If you really want to develop a company towards sustainability you need to leverage the potential of the people’ (Head office staff member, Germany Ltd)

Table 5 Results comparison matrix.

Overarching themes	Interpretative code	Similarities and differences	UK	Sweden	Germany
Positioning and Alignment of the Environment and HR Function	Overall commitment to environmental sustainability	Similarities	Development of a range of initiatives and operational practices	Development of a range of initiatives and operational practices	Development of a range of initiatives and operational practices
	Strategic positioning of the environment function	Differences	Environment function aligned to the Human Resource function	Environment function aligned to the Communications function	Environment aligned to Corporate Social Responsibility function
	Specialist environmental role	Differences	Green Champion	Environmental Manager	Leadership at Senior Level
	Subsidiaries’ approach to environmental sustainability	Differences	Value-based	Defensive	Strategic
	Human Resource function's relationship with the environment function	Differences	Partner role	Support role	Educational role
Green Employee Engagement	Integration of environmental indicators into the performance measures at restaurant level	Similarities	Not fully integrated	Not fully integrated	Not fully integrated
	Role modelling leadership behaviours	Similarities	Recognized as important in employee engagement	Recognized as important in employee engagement	Recognized as important in employee engagement
	Green champions	Differences	Green Champion – established role in restaurants	Green Champion – early stage of implementation in restaurants	No specific initiative
	Challenges of stakeholder engagement	Differences	Variations in waste management and collection services	Union and Local Authority agreements; disengagement of younger generation of consumers and employees	Variations in waste management and collection services
	Staff investment	Similarities	Commitment to staff development	Commitment to staff development	Commitment to staff development
	Approach to staff development and training	Differences	Frontline workers and supervisors – apprenticeship scheme	Modular training for all staff members	Restaurant manager and supervisor training