Supply Chain and Logistics Management Made Easy: Methods and Applications for Planning, Operations, Integration, Control and Improvement, and Network Design

Chapter 10. Reverse Logistics and Sustainability

Reverse logistics, an often overlooked process that can help companies reduce waste and improve profits, is as the name implies the reverse of what we’ve described so far in terms of planning and operations. It can be defined as the process of planning, implementing and controlling the efficient flow of recyclable and reusable materials, returns, and reworks from the point of consumption for the purpose of repair, remanufacturing, redistribution, or disposal

To take this a step further, with today’s environmental concerns, organizations need to try to integrate environment thinking into the entire supply chain process, forward and reverse. This includes product design, material sourcing and selection, ...