Supply Chain Digitalization and Corporate Carbon Emissions: A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on Pilot Policies for Supply Chain Innovation and Application

Technological progress and green, low-carbon growth are vital for sustainable economic development. Since supply chains are a major source of corporate carbon emissions and they face coordination challenges exceeding firm-level digitalization, China’s SCIAPP policy emphasizing cross-organizational green collaboration for low-carbon transformation applies to them. This study, using panel data from A-share listed companies (2013–2022), employs a difference-in-differences method to analyze how supply chain digitalization influences corporate carbon emissions within the framework of the Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot Program (SCIAPP). The results show that supply chain digitalization significantly lowers emissions, and the findings are robust to endogeneity tests and other robustness checks. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that firms with higher governance standards and advanced digital maturity gain the most in emission reductions, especially state-owned enterprises and manufacturing companies. Mechanism tests suggest that improvements in supply chain efficiency and increased corporate innovation drive this effect. Theoretically, the research extends the digitalization–emission relationship from individual firms to entire supply chains, proposing and confirming a dual-channel framework (efficiency and innovation) that combines transaction-cost and resource-based views. Methodologically, treating the implementation of the SCIAPP as a quasi-natural experiment yields strong causal evidence beyond mere correlations. The study highlights the importance of the SCIAPP in achieving dual carbon targets and tackling global climate challenges, providing empirical insights to help enterprises reduce emissions and promote high-quality, efficient development.