Purpose This study explores the role of institutional pressures and top management support in digital corporate social responsibility (CSR) adoption. It also investigates the impact of digital CSR on social trust and corporate sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 279 managers of Jordanian companies. Smart PLS was utilized to analyze the research model and test hypotheses. Findings The results reveal that coercive pressures, normative pressures, memetic pressures and top management support significantly impact digital CSR adoption. The results also show that digital CSR significantly impacts social trust and corporate sustainability. Originality/value This study provides worthwhile insights into the literature on drivers of digital CSR, social trust and corporate sustainability in unprecedented crises. This study enriches the literature on the relationship between institutional theory and innovative IT solutions adoption theories. The review of prior research confirms an absence of empirical examinations of the causal relations among institutional forces, digital CSR, social trust and corporate sustainability.