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The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesise the body of knowledge related to sustainable humanitarian supply chains across disaster relief as well as those of logistics of development aid. The output of this paper is a set of research propositions that will help advance theory building and validation for the management of sustainable humanitarian supply chains. This systematic review identifies and categorises sustainable humanitarian supply chain management (SHSCM) themes, with a particular emphasis on theoretical development based on a categorical analysis of research articles. The thematic analysis reveals that sustainability in humanitarian supply chains encompasses a wide range of aspects, such as supply network configuration, coordination, and partnership, as well as performance measurement. However, theoretical studies typically do not integrate all sustainability dimensions. In particular, social sustainability factors are largely absent from current models of SHSCM, despite their inherent significance in humanitarian contexts. The categorical analysis explains how aspects related to the identified themes impact and pose opportunities for SHSCM. Insights from this systematic review can support humanitarian supply chain sustainability knowledge with policy-driven research directions. These policies can help achieve a greater level of sustainability in humanitarian supply chain management. The originality of this study lies in the development of detailed categories of sustainability studies, in its analytical focus on SHSCM theories, and in the development of research propositions to provide insights to researchers on how to advance theory and conduct impactful research on the topic of SHSCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations require that producers organize and pay for treatment and recycling of waste arising from their products at end of life. EPR has been effective in implementing some aspects of circular economy. In Europe, 35% of e-waste and 65% of packaging waste have already been recycled (or reused in some cases). This article analyzes the challenges of implementing EPR and provides useful insights for what has worked well and what challenges remain. Identifying and addressing these challenges will be crucial for framing legislation that will move industry and society toward a more circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the factors that make businesses postpone integrating the performance dimension of sustainability in global agrifood supply chains. Based on literature-based conceptual reasoning, the article conceptualizes a double company lens distinguishing between substantial supply chain management and mere public relations endeavors as a major obstacle for businesses pursuing comprehensive supply chain performance in global agrifood chains. We point out that many supply chain performance attributes represent, in fact, credence attributes that cannot be verified by the consumer, hence entailing an information asymmetry between the company and its consumers. Rational business responses to this situation tend to focus on symbolic actions and communication efforts by means of sustainability reports and other brand-enhancing marketing tools that may be decoupled from substantial operations and supply chain improvements. The research propositions developed have partly been corroborated by a content analysis of annual and sustainability reports of four major agrifood companies (Nestlé, PepsiCo, Unilever, and Mondelez International). The conceptual arguments and empirical analysis presented in the article may serve as the basis for managers and academics to develop innovative inter- and intraorganizational business processes that reconcile trade-offs between various agrifood supply chain performance dimensions, thus pushing the performance frontier outward, and that provide the necessary transparency for overcoming the currently adverse setting of incentives inherent in the food production, processing, retailing, and consumption system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster response operations aim at helping as many victims as possible in the shortest time, with limited consideration of the socio-economic context. During the disaster rehabilitation phase, the perspective needs to broaden and comprehensively take into account the local environment. We propose a framework of sustainable humanitarian supply chain management (SCM) that facilitates such comprehensive performance. We conceptualise the framework by combining literature from the fields of sustainable and humanitarian SCM. We test the framework through an analytic induction process by means of multiple case studies of four relief organisations. Our framework suggests that supply chain design needs to be aligned not only to relief organisations’ enablers, but also to the population's long-term requirements as well as any socio-economic and governmental contingency factors. A good fit between these dimensions leads to sustainable performance. The framework provides an instrument for relief organisations to achieve sustainable performance in the disaster rehabilitation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]