Do companies influenced by smart cities pay more attention to green governance? Mechanism and optimal spatial correlation

Smart cities are a way for China to construct an innovative and environmentally conscious nation. The paper examines the impact of smart cities on corporate green governance and provides a theoretical foundation for formulating and executing smart city policy in China. Based on panel data from Chinese A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2008 to 2020, this study constructs a multiperiod double-difference model to examine the influence of smart cities on corporate green governance. Additionally, it uses a spatial double-difference model to investigate the spatial spillover effect of smart cities on neighboring areas. The findings indicate that smart cities effectively enhance corporate green governance. Analyzing the influencing mechanisms reveals that resource allocation efficiency, technological innovation, management environmental awareness, and regional environmental enforcement efforts act as mediators. Furthermore, the study reveals that the impact of smart cities on promoting corporate green governance is more pronounced in regions with lower levels of marketization and resource-based cities. Moreover, the research explores the spatial spillover effects of smart cities, with an effective radius of approximately 350 km. The optimal spatial correlation zone for green governance of businesses in neighboring areas in relation to smart cities is within a range of 250–350 km. This is manifested by the significant promotion of green governance in neighboring area businesses facilitated by smart cities.