Acta Univ. Bohem. Merid. 2024, 27(3):46-66 | DOI: 10.32725/acta.2024.012439


Green it Adoption as CSR – Insights from Indian it Companies

Nisha U1, Mohsina Amreen A1, S. Firdouse Jahan2
1 Department of Commerce - B.Com Marketing Management, M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai
2 Department of Business Studies, J.B.A.S College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai

In today's business landscape, the fusion of Information Technology (IT) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is redefining how companies balance growth with sustainability. A key element of this shift is the adoption of Green Information Technology (GIT) strategies, aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of IT processes. This study investigates the adoption of Green Information Technology (GIT) strategies within Indian IT companies as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. The research aims to map GIT adoption trends, identify key motivations and barriers, and assess the impact on organizational performance and CSR outcomes. A mixed-methods approach, combining surveys and case studies, was used to analyze data from 35 Indian IT firms.
Findings reveal that larger, financially robust companies lead GIT adoption, driven by sustainability commitments and internal readiness. Key strategies include energy-efficient data centers and cloud computing, though smaller firms face barriers like high costs and limited awareness. Government incentives and industry collaboration are highlighted as crucial enablers for wider GIT adoption.
Case studies of major IT firms—Infosys, Wipro, HCL, and TCS—demonstrate that early investment in green technologies leads to operational efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced corporate reputation. The study concludes that successful GIT implementation strengthens CSR, improves environmental stewardship, and enhances business competitiveness, particularly with government and industry support. This research provides actionable insights for policymakers and industry leaders, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in driving sustainable practices across the Indian IT sector.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental sustainability, Energy-efficient  data centers, Green Information Technology (GIT),  Indian IT companies
JEL classification: L86, M14, O33, Q56

Accepted: April 16, 2025; Published: April 28, 2025  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Nisha, U., A, M.A., & Firdouse Jahan, S. (2024).
Green it Adoption as CSR – Insights from Indian it Companies. Acta Universitatis Bohemiae Meridionalis27(3), 46-66. doi: 10.32725/acta.2024.012
Download citation

References

  1. Anthony Jr, B. (2019). Green information system integration for environmental performance in organizations: An extension of belief-action-outcome framework and natural resource-based view theory. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 26(3), 1033-1062. DOI:10.1108/BIJ-05-2018-0142 Go to original source...
  2. Agarwal, S., & Malhotra, A. (2015). Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review and Conceptual Framework of CSR Practices in Indian Organizations. Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 19(4), 283-293.
  3. Bansal, S., Garg, R., & Sharma, S. K. (2018). Barriers to Green Information Technology Adoption in Indian Organizations: A Multi-Method Approach. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 132, 36-46.
  4. Bhaskar, U., & Sinha, A. (2016). Green Information Technology (IT) Practices in Indian Organizations: A Conceptual Framework. Procedia Computer Science, 89, 484-490.
  5. Focke, M. (2022). Do sustainable institutional investors influence senior executive compensation structures according to their preferences? Empirical evidence from Europe. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(5), 1109-1121. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2257 Go to original source...
  6. Gholami, R., Sulaiman, A. B., Ramayah, T., & Molla, A. (2013). Senior managers' perception on green information systems (IS) adoption and environmental performance: Results from a field survey. Information & management, 50(7), 431-438. DOI:10.1016/j.im.2013.01.004 Go to original source...
  7. Gupta, A., & Sharma, S. K. (2019). A Framework for Assessing Sustainable IT Initiatives in Indian IT Industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 228, 1288-1304.
  8. Hwang, B., Huang, C.-Y., & Wu, C.-H. (2016). A TOE Approach to Establish a Green Supply Chain Adoption Decision Model in the Semiconductor Industry. Sustainability, 8(2), 168. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8020168 Go to original source...
  9. Jayakrishna, K., & Rejitha, R. (2016). Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in Indian IT Companies: An Empirical Study. Procedia Economics and Finance, 37, 152-158.
  10. Junior, B. A., Majid, M. A., & Romli, A. (2018). Green information technology for sustainability elicitation in government-based organisations: an exploratory case study. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 10(1), 20-41. DOI:10.1504/IJSSOC.2018.092648 Go to original source...
  11. Khuntia, J., Saldanha, T. J. V., Mithas, S., & Sambamurthy, V. (2018). Information Technology and Sustainability: Evidence from an Emerging Economy. Production and Operations Management, 27(4), 756-773. https://doi.org/10.1111/poms.12822 Go to original source...
  12. Krishnadas, R., & Pillai, R. (2021). Institutionalizing green IT: The role of organizational culture. Technovation, 102, 102209.
  13. Kumar, R. (2021). Sustainable development and green information technologies in emerging markets. Sustainable Computing: Informatics and Systems, 31, 100603.
  14. Luthra, S., Mangla, S. K., & Jakhar, S. (2020). Green IT adoption: Influencing factors and consequences. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 158, 120164. Go to original source...
  15. Molla, A. (2008). GITAM: A Model for the Adoption of Green IT. ACIS 2008 Proceedings - 19th Australasian Conference on Information Systems. http://surl.li/eefvkt
  16. Mouakket, S., & Aboelmaged, M. (2023). Factors Influencing Green Information Technology Adoption: A Multi-Level Perspective in Emerging Economies Context. Information Development, 39(4), 699-719. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669211048489 Go to original source...
  17. Nanath., K., & Radhakrishna Pillai, R. (2021), Towards a framework for sustaining Green IT initiatives: an empirical investigation. Information Technology and Management, 22(3), 193-206. DOI - 10.1007/s10799-021-00332-w Go to original source...
  18. Ramus, C. A., & Montiel, I. (2005). When are corporate environmental policies a form of greenwashing? Business and Society, 4, 377-414. Go to original source...
  19. Rothenberg, S. (2018). Linking Environmental Management to Sustainable IT: Theoretical Grounding and Empirical Findings. Information Systems Frontiers, 20(2), 343-358.
  20. Russell, S. and Griffiths, A. (2008), "Chapter 4 The role of emotions in driving workplace pro-environmental behaviors", Zerbe, W.J., Härtel, C.E.J. and Ashkanasy, N.M. (Ed.) Emotions, Ethics and Decision-Making (Research on Emotion in Organizations, Vol. 4), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 83-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1746-9791(08)04004-2 Go to original source...
  21. Sarkis, J., & Zhu, H. (2008). Information technology and systems in China's circular economy: Implications for sustainability. The Journal of Systems and Information Technology, 10, 202-217. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.1122865 Go to original source...
  22. Schmidt, N. H., Erek, K., Kolbe, L. M., & Zarnekow, R. (2010). Predictors of green IT adoption: Implications from an empirical investigation. Göttinger Wirtschaftsinformatik, 12. Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220892916_Predictors_of_Green_IT_Adoption_Implications_from_an_Empirical_Investigation
  23. Vethirajan, C., Ponnusamy, S., & Baskaran, S. (2020). Corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Indian IT sector. Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, 13(2), 133-146.
  24. Vikyath, M. (2022). The Role of CSR in Public Infrastructure Development: Insights from the Indian IT Sector. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29(5), 1174-1185.
  25. Vykoukal, J., Beck, R., & Wolf, M. (2011). Impact of pressure for environmental sustainability on grid assimilation-empirical results from the financial services industry. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 17(1). DOI:10.3127/ajis.v17i1.573 Go to original source...
  26. Yadav, G., Kumar, A., Luthra, S., Garza-Reyes, J. A., Kumar, V., & Batista, L. (2020). A framework to achieve sustainability in manufacturing organisations of developing economies using Industry 4.0 technologies' enablers. Computers in Industry, 122, 103280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2020.103280 Go to original source...

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.