The Circular Supply Chain Initiative in MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics envisions and explores how companies can leverage supply chain circularity to contribute to their sustainability goals, with a special focus on waste. We help identify and assess circular innovations for retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers within omni-channel business networks.
We also leverage MIT’s innovative spirit to generate supply chain circularity propositions that are cutting-edge in the retail industry. Circular omni-channel strategies are a current focus area including:
- How can we utilize omni-channel networks to enable supply chain circularity?
- What are the barriers to implementation and how do we overcome them?
To address these questions we are exploring circular supply chain models for recyclables, reusable packaging, and reusable products. These models help CPG companies better understand how they can close the loop, reducing single-use packaging waste and long-term packaging impact, and engage customers.
Some companies are facing the challenge of circular flows, and we’re helping them to face this challenge!
Are you interested in advancing circular supply chains? Contact us at eponce (at) mit.du to get involved.
Key Publications
Bateman, A., Ponce, E. and Borrella, I. Linear to Circular: Reshaping Supply Chains for a Sustainable Future. MIT Supply Chain Blog. 2020. Read more here.
Natali, P., Greene, S., & Toledano, P. How much carbon dioxide is actually in your products? MIT Supply Chain Blog. 2019. link
Chena,W., Kucukyazicib,B., Jesus Saenz, M. On the joint dynamics of the economic and environmental performances for collective take-back systems. International Journal of Production Economics 218 (2019) 228–244. link
Bukhari, M., Carrasco-Gallego, R. and Ponce-Cueto, E. Developing a national programme for textiles and clothing recovery. Waste Management & Research. 2018, Vol. 36(4) 321–331. link
Chen, W., Kucukyazici, B., Verter, V., Jesús Sáenz, M. Supply chain design for unlocking the value of remanufacturing under uncertainty. European Journal of Operational Research, Volume 247, Issue 3,
2015, Pages 804-819. link
Efendigil, T. Modelling Product Returns in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain Under Uncertainties: A Neuro Fuzzy Approach. Journal of multiple-valued logic and soft computing 23(3):407-426, 2013.
Ponce, E. & González-Manteca, J. Impact of Emerging Environmental Regulations on the Reverse Logistics System for Portable Batteries in Spain. Environmental Issues in Supply Chain Management: New Trends and Applications. 2012. link
Carrasco-Gallego, R., Ponce-Cueto, E. & Dekker, R. Closed-loop supply chains of reusable articles: a typology grounded on case studies. International Journal of Production Research, 50:19, 5582-5596. link