Reverse logistics as a means of organizational instrumentalization of sustainable development

Abstract

The reverse, reverse or green logistics is an area of growing importance in business administration as it related to a logic behind forward in the management of physical flows of products and packaging, from the consumption points towards the production sites in order to implement a systemic logic of recycling, reuse and waste materials in their own supply chain. Based on these discussions, the book "Reverse logistics and sustainability" addresses the supply chain from a closed circuit, in which the reverse logistics complemenra traditional logistics and now has a strategic role in the life cycle of products, to reconnect residues from post consumer stage a new production cycle or 'final disposal in safe places and subject to less environmental risk. Result of a research developed by five authors from different technical areas, the work brings a wide and eclectic vision, both on the theoretical foundations of reverse logistics and its business impact in promoting sustainable development, as on the operational foundations of logistics reverse, with reference to some sectoral case studies which lead to waste control. Organized into six chapters totaling 193 pages, the book has wide relevance in management studies for bringing a systemic view on the reverse logistics, which is characterized in detail as an operational tool for companies to promote sustainable development through a set procedures associated with the steps after-sales and post consumption, in order to facilitate the expansion of the life cycle of a product based on the reuse of waste. Figure 1 - Logistics Circuit: Traditional and reverse Source: Shibao et al. (2010). In the first chapter, "Fundamentals of reverse and integrated logistics", the book makes a significant conceptual grasp of reverse logistics on the set of operations and actions that aims to increase the functional optimization of waste as new raw materials, given the positive business and societal impact with operational impacts on issues of environmental, legal and economic. By bringing the fundamentals of reverse logistics, the chapter discusses the main theoretical, historical and legal frameworks of the area to show on the one hand, the ecological and economic viability and, on the other hand, the operational applicability of distribution channels reverse connected to the circuit reverse aftermarket flows (companies) and post-consumer logistics (customers). In the second chapter, "Reverse management of municipal solid waste in Brazil," the increasing waste production by modern society is discussed in order to show the problems in different municipalities in waste management, since there is a systemic lack of services selective collection, separation of waste to industrial reprocessing as raw material, or even disposal of solid waste to suitable sites, properly in landfills. Given the pernicious context of lack of waste management in Brazil, regulatory frameworks of municipal solid waste management, and administrative frameworks of transportation, storage and packaging are brought by way of illustrating the reverse logistics as a planned activity in the national environmental policy and necessary to advance sectorally the proper management of solid waste, not only because it brings environmental benefits but also economic, due to the reduction of entrepreneurial costs. In chapter three, identified by the title of "Reverse logistics of medical waste", the paper addresses the role of public administration in promoting sustainability, with reference to its role in reducing the environmental impact and risk to social welfare through the enforcement of a hospital management reverse logistics limited to a Waste management Plan of Health Services (PGRSS). Thus the hospital reverse logistics it is an effective policy of sustainability as it brings positive impact to the environment with development in the promotion of public health, which is why the PGRSS has a central role in reverse management of medical waste hospitals, in order to clearly identify the flows of reverse supply chain waste, in which are inserted a plurality of actors, such as suppliers, generators, transporters and operators of the final destinations in the same context. In the fourth chapter, "Reverse logistics of medical waste: the case of Minas Gerais", the objective of the research on the chain of waste services was to analyze the reverse management of medical waste from hospitals in that state, given that the entrepreneurial characteristics of the state of Minas Gerais in management create a benchmarking fitness in the Health Theme, just to replicate the good experiences in a national context in which hospitals have the type patterns all or nothing, with both, presence, as , complete absence of hazardous waste management. The identification of the reverse logistics chain of hospital waste in Minas Gerais and the description of each waste management-related practices were exemplary to show that the Unified Health System (SUS) can reduce environmental costs, prevent biological, chemical, sharps and radioactive and thereby prevent damage to public health through a PGRSS and therefore waste management of health services. In the fifth chapter, "Reverse logistics and sustainability," the book back to a theoretical discussion, emphasizing the linkage of ecological and economic gains to the concept of corporate sustainability, in which the growth of reverse logistics has been an important strategy for loyalty to the brands based on socio-environmental responsibility, increased profitability in business and to create a more competitive market positioning. The growth of reverse logistics has been leveraged by many organizations through strategic partnerships with a plurality of stakeholders - actors with specific interests - before a backdrop of broad awareness that has engendered the changing habits of the people and the business productive transformation, with a reverse cycle recovery of waste or scope of the product life cycle. In Chapter 6, "Sustainability in waste management", the concept of sustainability is explored in the light of the dominant ideological paradigm of sustainable development, environmental impact indicators as well as the theories of environmental education and environmental management in organizations in order to show the role of reverse logistics in waste management as an area of business front maneuver the complex challenges posed by environmental degradation of a materialistic society. In view of the discussions and theories about the sustainability of three assessment tools for sustainable development - method of ecological footprint (Ecological Footprint), sustainability panel (dashboard of sustainability) and barometer of sustainability (baromenter of sustainability) - are highlighted to show which areas for use of reverse logistics in front waste management for systemic study of environmental impact. The six presented chapters present an overview of the importance that the book has to an academic audience and unskilled, to address the issue of corporate sustainability based on reverse logistics didactic way and with technical language, but very affordable, demonstrating the benefits to businesses and consumers in both the ecological scenario and in the economic dimension. Although reverse logistics is an innovative component recently worked in the supply chain of organizations from the vision of an integrated cycle with traditional logistics, we are still lacking computerized tools that may assist in support of making decisions on the progress of production processes and therefore keeps gaps for future advances in the integration of more organic residues reverse flow to normal product flow distribution. Based on these discussions, it is concluded that the book meets the objectives it pursues, being an important educational tool to publicize knowledge on the topics of sustainability and reverse logistics in undergraduate and graduate programs, since it has a coherent and fluid debate promoted by experts in the field, which is material in technical training and policy of public administration professionals and private in Brazil. reference Shibao, Facio Ytoshi; Moori, Roberto Giro; SANTOS; Mario Roberto. "Reverse logistics and corporate sustainability." Proceedings of the VIII Seminar Administration. London: FEA-USP, 2010. TADEU, Hugo Ferreira Braga; SILVA, Jersone Tasso Moreira; BOECHAT, Claudio Bruzzi; CAMPOS, Paulo Silva Marcius; PEREIRA, André Luiz. Reverse logistics and sustainability. London: Cengage Learning, 2012, 193P.