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The Impact of Digital Transformation on ESG Performance: The Role of Supply Chain Resilience

Author

Listed:
  • Meixuan Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Zongsheng Huang

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

Abstract

With the development of digital technologies, the impact of digital transformation on corporate performance in environmental, social responsibility, and governance areas warrants further research. This study aims to delve into how digital transformation may impact a company’s ESG performance from the perspective of supply chain resilience. We collect non-financial listed companies in China’s A-shares from 2009 to 2022 as research samples. The results show that digital transformation can significantly improve the ESG performance. Digital transformation can enhance supply chain resilience, namely by reducing supplier and customer concentration to improve a company’s ESG performance. We also reveal that non-heavy polluting companies, high-tech companies, and companies in the eastern regions are more sensitive to digital transformation in terms of ESG performance. This paper contributes to examining the relationship between digital transformation and corporate ESG performance, providing both a theoretical foundation and practical recommendations for guiding companies in achieving digital transformation and improving their ESG performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Meixuan Zhang & Zongsheng Huang, 2024. "The Impact of Digital Transformation on ESG Performance: The Role of Supply Chain Resilience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:17:p:7621-:d:1470096
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hongna Tian & Yueru Lu & Huan Liu & Jingtao Chen, 2026. "Hacking the resilience code: How digital intelligence improves manufacturing industry resilience?," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-28, March.
    2. Jie Li & Ning Ding & Sambock Bock Park & Zhu Zhang, 2025. "How Does Digital Transformation Impact ESG Performance in Uncertain Environments?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-30, May.
    3. Xin Xu & Meiya Sun, 2025. "Digital Transformation, Internationalisation and ESG Performance of Multinational Companies," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(5), pages 2709-2725, July.
    4. Yu, Yang & Chan, Hau-Ling & Cho, Erin, 2026. "Enhancing ESG performance through digital transformation: Recent development, cases and relationships," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    5. Jing, Li & Qianqiang, Li & Yantai, Chen & Qi, An, 2025. "How digital transformation facilitates ESG performance to heavy polluting enterprises:A panel fsQCA based on national big data comprehensive pilot zones," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    6. Hantao Liu & Xiaoyun Zhang & Yang He, 2025. "Digital Transformation and ESG Performance—Empirical Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-23, July.
    7. Mohammed Alquraish, 2025. "Digital Transformation, Supply Chain Resilience, and Sustainability: A Comprehensive Review with Implications for Saudi Arabian Manufacturing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-33, May.
    8. Yang, Lian-Xing & Zhang, Yin-Ting & Chen, Mo-Lei, 2025. "Impact of temperature variability on supply chain resilience in China: Mechanisms and insights," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).

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