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Transforming Supply Chain Operations: Circular Economy, Logistics Optimization, and Carbon...
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Transforming Supply Chain Operations: Circular Economy, Logistics Optimization, and Carbon Footprint Reduction

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 2139

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Muhammad Omair

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 16, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Interests: circular economy; supply chain management; operations management; sustainability; mathematical modeling and optimization
Dr. Muhammad Salman Habib

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Creative Convergence Education, Hanyang University ERICA Campus, Ansan 15588, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: simulation and modeling; sustainability optimization; decision support systems; artificial intelligence; sustainable supply chain; renewable energy management; disaster operations management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As industries increasingly focus on sustainability, supply chain operations are at the forefront of this shift. This Special Issue explores topics related to integrating circular economy principles, logistics optimization strategies, and reducing carbon footprints and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks. This issue aims to support the industries by transforming their businesses to achieve a circular economy and sustainable development. It covers both manufacturing and service industries.

The circular economy, promoting the reuse, recycling, and regeneration of materials, offers great potential for creating more resilient and responsible supply chains. We will examine applications of circular economy models in service industries, such as hospitality and tourism (but not limited to), where efficient resource use, waste reduction, and sustainable management can significantly enhance environmental outcomes. With high resource consumption and operational complexity, these sectors provide valuable case studies for integrating sustainability into supply chain practices.

Logistics optimization is another focus, emphasizing innovative, technology-driven approaches to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability. The humanitarian supply chain, particularly in emergency relief operations and related fields like healthcare logistics, disaster preparedness, and development aid, provides key insights into maintaining flexible, responsive, and efficient supply chains. These sectors highlight how supply chains can remain adaptable while ensuring effective resource distribution during crises.

While reducing carbon footprints and GHG emissions is a major aspect of ESG, this Special Issue welcomes studies that address ESG principles more broadly. Contributions to green logistics, energy-efficient technologies, and strategies for aligning supply chain operations with sustainability goals, particularly from resource-intensive service industries, will enrich the discussion on carbon neutrality and broader sustainability challenges.

We encourage submissions that span a variety of approaches, including empirical research, theoretical studies, and case-based insights from different industries and regions. The focus is to offer a comprehensive discussion on how supply chains across sectors can evolve towards greater sustainability without limiting the scope to specific frameworks, industries, or methodologies.

Dr. Muhammad Omair
Dr. Muhammad Salman Habib
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • supply chain operations management
  • circular economy
  • logistics optimization
  • humanitarian supply chains
  • ESG frameworks
  • carbon footprint reduction
  • GHG emissions
  • sustainable supply chains in service industries (tourism, hospitality, etc.)

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 1641 KB  
Article
Transforming the Supply Chain Operations of Electric Vehicles’ Batteries Using an Optimization Approach
by Ghadeer Alsanie, Syeda Taj Unnisa and Nada Hamad Al Hamad
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010367 (registering DOI) - 30 Dec 2025
Abstract
The increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) as green alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine cars has highlighted the need for sustainable and environmentally friendly supply chain models. In particular, the handling of EV batteries, which are environmentally unfriendly and logistically critical due [...] Read more.
The increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) as green alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine cars has highlighted the need for sustainable and environmentally friendly supply chain models. In particular, the handling of EV batteries, which are environmentally unfriendly and logistically critical due to their hazardous nature and short life cycle, requires a well-designed closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). This study proposes a new multi-objective optimization model of the CLSC, explicitly tailored to EV batteries under demand and return rate uncertainty. The proposed model incorporates three primary objectives that are typically in conflict with one another: minimizing the total cost, reducing carbon emissions throughout the entire supply chain network, and maximizing the recycling and reuse of batteries. The model employs a neutrosophic goal programming (NGP) methodology to address the uncertainties associated with demand and battery return quantities. The NGP model translates multiple objectives into non-monolithic goals with crisp aspiration levels (i.e., prescribed ideal levels for achieving the best of each goal) and thresholds that capture tolerances, thereby accounting for uncertainty. The efficiency of the proposed method is illustrated by a numerical example, solved using a IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio 22.1.2 solver. The findings demonstrate that the NGP can offer cost-effective, low-impact, and environmentally friendly solutions, thereby enhancing system robustness and flexibility to adapt to uncertainties. This study contributes to the emerging literature on sustainable operations research by developing a decision-making tool for EV-HV battery supply chain management. It also offers relevant suggestions for policymakers and industrialists who seek to co-optimize economic benefits, ecological sustainability, and logical feasibility in the emerging green society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Supply Chain Operations: Circular Economy, Logistics Optimization, and Carbon Footprint Reduction)
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29 pages, 1375 KB  
Article
Selection of Green Packaging Suppliers for Circular Economy Needs Using Intuitionistic Fuzzy Approach
by Adis Puška, Nebojša Kojić, Aleksandra Pavlović, Ranko Bojanić, Ilija Stojanović, Vesna Krpina, Radivoj Prodanović and Miroslav Nedeljković
Sustainability 2025, 17(17), 8008; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17178008 - 5 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1528
Abstract
The specificity of the business of agro-food companies is that their products have little or no impact on the environment. However, environmental pollution of these products is caused by the use of packaging. Therefore, it is necessary to apply the principles of the [...] Read more.
The specificity of the business of agro-food companies is that their products have little or no impact on the environment. However, environmental pollution of these products is caused by the use of packaging. Therefore, it is necessary to apply the principles of the circular economy in the business of companies. Applying green packaging that has little or no impact on the environment helps in preserving the environment. Companies usually purchase packaging from suppliers and therefore, it is necessary to choose the right supplier from which to purchase green packaging to support the implementation of the circular economy. The aim of this research is to select a green packaging supplier for company X in order to influence the development of a circular economy in the company’s business. Based on this, the following research question is considered in this paper: how can the selection of a green packaging supplier influence the implementation of a circular economy at company X? The research covers ten criteria used in this selection, with which eight suppliers were observed. Because every decision-making process in the economy is characterized by risk and insecurity that affects the uncertainty in decision-making, an intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) was used. Determining the importance of weights was performed directly based on the ratings of the decision-maker (DM) and the steps of the SiWeC (Simple Weight Calculation) method, as well as using the Entropy method. The compromise results of these methods showed that the most important criteria for assessing the life cycle of packaging are transparency and ethics in business. The ranking of suppliers was carried out using the TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method and its results showed that supplier 5 is the first choice for establishing long-term cooperation in the procurement of green packaging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Supply Chain Operations: Circular Economy, Logistics Optimization, and Carbon Footprint Reduction)
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