The hospitality industry plays a crucial role in economic and social development by creating jobs and promoting economic structural transformation in many countries, including Vietnam. However, despite these significant contributions, the hospitality industry also negatively impacts the environment, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable development within this sector. This study emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership and green human resource management (GHRM) in fostering employee green behavior and in-role green performance to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the hospitality industry. A research model extending Social Exchange Theory and GHRM was developed to examine employee in-role green performance. A self-administered survey was conducted with 573 employees working in four- and five-star hotels in Vietnam. The findings validate the application of Social Exchange Theory in examining the effects of GHRM policies on employee green behavior and in-role green performance. Additionally, this study provides recommendations for hotels to enhance their policies toward achieving SDGs.