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Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: Evidence from Chinese listed companies

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  • Song, Yuegang
  • Du, Chongmiao
  • Du, Peiliang
  • Liu, Rong
  • Lu, Zhou

Abstract

This paper constructs a theoretical model to explain the impact of digital technology transformation on corporate environmental performance (CEP). Then, data mining technology is used to crawl the annual report data of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies from 2008 to 2021. With the help of text mining analysis, this study quantifies the digital transformation of enterprises and empirically analyses the impact of digital transformation on CEP. The results indicate that digital transformation has significantly improved CEP. The evidence remains valid after a series of robustness tests, including replacing core variables, eliminating the impact of external major events, improving sample quality and instrumental variable regression. Mechanism verification shows that Digital transformation (DT) enhances CEP through ‘green technology upgrading’, ‘increasing external media attention’ and ‘enhancing internal management control’ effects. Heterogeneity analysis shows that DT has a more significant positive impact on non-private, industry technology-intensive, high regional environmental regulation, high energy consumption and high emission CEP, Internet business models are less conducive to improving corporate environmental performance than other digital technologies. Further tests show that resource reallocation improves the industry’s environmental performance and is an important channel for DT to play a catalytic role.

Suggested Citation

  • Song, Yuegang & Du, Chongmiao & Du, Peiliang & Liu, Rong & Lu, Zhou, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:201:y:2024:i:c:s0040162523008442
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123159
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmed Alyahya & Gomaa Agag, 2025. "Improving Corporate Environmental Performance Through Big Data Analytics Implementation: The Role of Industry Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Abbassi, Wajih & Chen, Yifan & Chen, Lifeng, 2024. "Outward foreign investment performance, digital transformation, and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    3. She, Yanan & Wang, Huan & Zhen, Shangsong & Peng, Yue & Wang, Wei & Liu, Yunqiang, 2025. "Two-way empowerment or one-way game? The impact of data factor endowment matching on enterprises’ green efficiency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    4. Mai, Ruidong, 2025. "Digital transformation and corporate donations from the perspective of legitimacy management," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    5. Chen Xu & Yu He, 2025. "The Impact of ESG Performance on Green Technology Innovation: A Moderating Effect Based on Digital Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-22, April.
    6. Xin Zhao & Shuyang Wang & Xiaoyu Wu, 2025. "Leveraging Board Experience Diversity to Enhance Corporate Green Technological Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-25, April.
    7. Zhang, Yuting & Chin, Tachia & Al-Wazer, Ragwa, 2025. "Good neighbors but bad employers? How corporate digital transformation affects incongruence between external and internal corporate social responsibility," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    8. Ge, Tao & Hao, Zixuan & Chen, Yuan & Chen, Zhanbo, 2024. "Energy intensity constraints and corporate investment strategies: Evidence from Chinese listed enterprises," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    9. Miozza, Mario & Brunetta, Federica & Appio, Francesco Paolo, 2024. "Digital transformation of the Pharmaceutical Industry: A future research agenda for management studies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    10. Mansour Alyahya & Gomaa Agag, 2025. "How Does Corporate Environmental Performance Contribute to Firm Performance and Customer Satisfaction? A Longitudinal Investigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-22, February.
    11. Lu, Meiling & Han, Qingchi & Hao, Qingmin, 2025. "Can digital transformation help alleviate corporate financial redundancy?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).

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