Technological Innovation and Corporate Sustainability Performance: The Mediating Role of Green Accounting Information Disclosure in China
Keywords:
technological innovation, corporate sustainability performance, green accounting information disclosure, ESG performance, ChiNext marketAbstract
This study investigates the impact of technological innovation (TI) on corporate sustainability performance (CSP) and examines the mediating role of green accounting information disclosure (GAID) among Chinese ChiNext-listed firms. Using panel data covering 6,154 firm-year observations from 2015 to 2024 obtained from the CSMAR database, the study employs firm- and year-fixed-effects models with robust standard errors and applies a three-step mediation approach. The results show that technological innovation has a significant positive effect on corporate sustainability performance. In addition, technological innovation significantly enhances green accounting information disclosure, which in turn positively affects sustainability performance, indicating a partial mediating effect. These findings suggest that technological innovation improves sustainability outcomes both directly and indirectly through enhanced disclosure practices. This study extends the Triple Bottom Line framework by incorporating technological innovation and highlights the role of signaling mechanisms in sustainability research. The results provide practical implications for firms to integrate innovation with sustainability strategies and for policymakers to promote institutional frameworks supporting both innovation and transparent environmental disclosure.
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