Does the size of the firm matter in determining the adoption of green economy practices in India?

Purpose This article aims at analysing the factors influencing the adoption of green economy practices across different sizes of firms in India. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on the World Bank Enterprise Survey 2022, covering 9,376 firms in India. The Poisson Count Regression Model has been used to analyse the factors affecting the adoption of green economy practices. Findings About 83 % of firms reported adopting at least one green practice in their business related to energy conservation, water management, pollution control and waste management and recycling. Research results reveal a significant association between the size of the firm and adoption of green economy practices. The impact of enterprise characteristics varies by firm size. For instance, female ownership positively affects adoption in large firms but negatively in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, lean operations, research and development (R&D) spending and international quality certification positively influence green practices adoption for both SMEs and large firms. Perceived business obstacles show similar implications on green practices adoption by size of firms except access to finance, business licencing, tax rate and law and order affect SMEs while labour regulations, tax administration and political instability affect large firms. Practical implications This paper suggests implications for strengthening the adoption of green economy practices across firm sizes and provides opportunities for future research. Originality/value This study is based on a unique dataset derived from the World Bank Enterprise Survey 2022, which has included green economy indicators for the first time. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2023-0918 .