Title: Reverse logistics sustainability performance: from a systematic review to an assessment framework

Authors: Maquele Antunes de Oliveira; Marina Hernandes de Paula e Silva; Orlando Henrique Batista Junior; Juliana Veiga Mendes; Luis Antonio de Santa-Eulalia

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil ' Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil ' Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil ' Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil ' École de Gestion, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada

Abstract: Concern about sustainability has increased companies' awareness of the importance of reverse logistics (RL) and its related opportunity as a competitive advantage. Despite the importance of this subject, the literature provides a limited number of frameworks on sustainability performance measurement in RL. There is a lack of studies in the literature that provide a clear overview about sustainable performance generating a practical model from it. To contribute to reducing this gap, this paper aims to propose a framework, classifying different indicators according to the triple bottom line (TBL) and through the RL stages - collection, analysis and classification, processing and final destination. A systematic literature review in the intersection of RL stages and sustainability performance was conducted to accomplish the objective. Results include indicators organised into a framework, covering the TBL and RL stages. Our findings also suggest the TBL social dimension is understudied in RL and that more studies indicating how to calculate the indicators are needed.

Keywords: sustainable development; operations management; performance indicators; triple bottom line; TBL.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2025.144676

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2025 Vol.50 No.3, pp.334 - 360

Received: 20 Jan 2022
Accepted: 04 Aug 2022
Published online: 27 Feb 2025 *

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