How does the innovation of digital and green technology integration promote corporate environmental performance

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This study explores the relationship between digital green technology innovation (DGTI) and corporate environmental performance (CEP) utilizing a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2022. The primary finding indicates that DGTI exerts a significant positive influence on the enhancement of CEP. Investigation of potential mechanisms drawing from the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework shows that DGTI’s effect on CEP is more pronounced for firms that are faced with heightened stakeholder environmental engagement such as high media monitoring, public environmental monitoring and green investors, and those firms having leadership that includes female managers, managers with political connections, and managers with research and development backgrounds. Moreover, higher technical knowledge complexity, particularly in digital-related fields amplifies the positive impact of DGTI on CEP. Exploratory innovation within DGTI that expands the boundaries of existing knowledge elements outperforms exploitative innovation in enhancing CEP. Overall, this study highlights the environmental returns of digital and green technology integration in promoting green development, providing encouraging evidence that the green transformation supported by digital technology benefits a more sustainable future.