Reverse logistics and environmental management

Reverse logistics, an essential area of ​​conventional logistics, is recognized as a strategic tool in the market and crucial for corporate environmental management, aligned with environmental certification criteria, such as NBR ISO 14001. Environmental certifications, adopted by companies and organizations to improve their environmental performance, guarantee compliance with environmental policies and facilitate commercial relationships with markets that require such certifications. Benefits such as employee motivation, improvement of the company's image and preventive environmental actions are highlighted by Oliveira and Serra (2010) as results of an Environmental Management System based on the ISO 14001 standard. Machado Jr. et al. (2013) identify competitive advantages, such as reuse of inputs, recycling and efficiency of products and processes. With the perception that efficient environmental management is necessary for products without correct destination, organizations promote the development of reverse logistics. This tool plans, coordinates and controls actions from the input of raw materials to shipment to the end customer, aiming to meet environmental requirements, standards and policies.