Executive’s IT Background and Carbon Emission

This study examines the impact of executives’ IT background on firm-level carbon emissions using Chinese data. Empirical findings indicate that a one-standard-deviation rise in the presence of IT-background executives corresponds to a 5.53% reduction in carbon emission intensity. We confirm the robustness of this finding through various robustness checks. The influence of IT-background executives on corporate carbon emission behavior operates largely through two channels: energy consumption and green innovation. The effect is especially pronounced in firms that exhibit weaker internal governance, face higher financial constraints, have lower product competitiveness, or operate in more market-oriented regions. This research shows how IT-background executives leverage technology ethically for emission reduction.