Liu Dongyan, Sun Ni, Zhu Xiugang
School of Business, Anhui Xinhua University, Hefei, 230601, China.
School of Economics, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 201899, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):22861. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-06029-2.
In the context of economic globalization, the logistics industry, as a key link connecting production and consumption, is facing many challenges, and at the same time, ESG scores are gradually becoming a key indicator of the ability to measure the sustainable development of enterprises. Most of the existing literature focuses on a single dimension to explore the impact of ESG on logistics companies, and fewer analyze how ESG scores can empower listed logistics companies to achieve high-quality development from the perspectives of digital transformation and green innovation at the same time. In addition, in terms of research methodology, existing studies in the literature are deficient in systematic data analysis and scientific construction of models, and lack comprehensive robustness tests. This article focuses on how ESG ratings can empower listed logistics companies to achieve high-quality development and explores this issue from two perspectives: digital transformation and green innovation. This paper conducts an empirical analysis based on the data of listed companies in the logistics industry, and the results of the study show that there is a significant positive correlation between ESG scores and both the size and operational efficiency of logistics companies. Further mechanistic tests show that ESG scores can promote innovation in logistics enterprises, and when disaggregated, they are found to be effective in promoting digital transformation and upgrading as well as green innovation. Meanwhile, the robustness and reliability of the study's conclusions are fully demonstrated through a comprehensive robustness test, including various aspects of variable measurement, sample selection, and endogeneity issue treatment. This study not only enriches the theoretical framework about high-quality development and ESG scoring of logistics enterprises at the theoretical level, but also provides a scientific decision-making basis for managers of logistics enterprises in practice. In addition, the research results also provide important reference value for government regulators and investors and help promote sustainable development and standardized management of the logistics industry.
在经济全球化背景下，物流业作为连接生产与消费的关键环节，面临诸多挑战，同时，ESG评分正逐渐成为衡量企业可持续发展能力的关键指标。现有文献大多聚焦单一维度探讨ESG对物流企业的影响，较少从数字转型和绿色创新两个角度同时分析ESG评分如何赋能上市物流企业实现高质量发展。此外，在研究方法方面，文献中的现有研究在系统数据分析和模型科学构建上存在不足，且缺乏全面的稳健性检验。本文聚焦于ESG评级如何赋能上市物流企业实现高质量发展，并从数字转型和绿色创新两个角度探讨这一问题。本文基于物流行业上市公司数据进行实证分析，研究结果表明，ESG评分与物流企业规模和运营效率均存在显著正相关。进一步的机制检验表明，ESG评分能够促进物流企业创新，细分来看，其在促进数字转型升级以及绿色创新方面均有成效。同时，通过包括变量测度、样本选择和内生性问题处理等多方面的全面稳健性检验，充分证明了研究结论的稳健性和可靠性。本研究不仅在理论层面丰富了关于物流企业高质量发展和ESG评分的理论框架，还在实践中为物流企业管理者提供了科学决策依据。此外，研究结果也为政府监管部门和投资者提供了重要参考价值，有助于推动物流行业的可持续发展和规范管理。
