Corporate environmental commitment facing the ecological risks of Industry 4.0: Building a sustainable future through government commitment

Abstract

Industry 4.0 often requires increased consumption of energy and rare metals, and increases the waste of depreciated equipment, as well as the quantity of electrical and electronic waste. In this context, it is imperative that governments recognize the need to put in place policies, initiatives and incentives to foster the environmental commitment of industrial companies. Indeed, Tunisia illustrates the case of a developing country where government involvement has encouraged companies to implement CSR practices helping to reduce the sustainability risks in the new digital age. Based on a quantitative approach, we explore this relationship with 106 managers who participated in the questionnaire. The results confirmed, firstly, the negative impact generated by the integration of 4.0 technologies on corporate environmental commitment. Secondly, the results show that government involvement in the form of coercive and normative pressure plays a decisive role in reducing the risks of digital technologies in terms of sustainability. This research has relevant implications for public policy and scientific research.