Module 3: Sustainability and Reverse Logistics

Question 1

Waste, such as chemicals or nuclear material, that is hazardous to humans or animals and requires special handling.

Answer 1

hazardous waste

Question 2

An effort to minimize the negative environmental impacts of logistics activities in the supply chain to create sustainability for the organization.

Answer 2

green logistics

Question 3

A set of guidelines for proper conduct by business professionals. For example, the ISM (formerly NAPM) provides a set of principles and standards for the proper conduct of purchasing activities.

Answer 3

ethical standards

Question 4

An approach that measures the economic, social, and environmental impact of an organization’s activities with the intent of creating value for both its shareholders and society.

Answer 4

triple bottom line

Question 5

A network-based organization that pioneered the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework.

Answer 5

global reporting initiative

Question 6

An international standard that defines the requirements for designing, implementing, and maintaining an energy management system. It includes documentation, reporting, and procurement guidance.

Answer 6

ISO 50001

Question 7

A series of generic environmental management standards, developed by the International Organization for Standardization, that provide structure and systems for managing environmental compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and affect every aspect of a company’s environmental operations.

Answer 7

ISO 14000 Series Standards

Question 8

A measure of carbon emissions from a person, organization, building, or operation.

Answer 8

carbon footprint

Question 9

An organizational focus on activities that provide present benefit without compromising the needs of future generations.

Answer 9

sustainability

Question 10

A voluntary initiative whereby companies embrace, support, and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labor standards, the environment, and anticorruption.

Answer 10

United Nations Global Impact

Question 11

Commitment by top management to behave ethically and to contribute to community development. This may also entail improving the workforce’s quality of life.

Answer 11

social responsibility

Question 12

The framework that sets out the principles and performance indicators organizations can use to measure and report their human rights, labor, environment, and anticorruption practices and outcomes.

Answer 12

Global Reporting Initiative Reporting Framework

Question 13

A way to compensate for an organization’s carbon dioxide emissions, either by reducing carbon dioxide emissions elsewhere in the business or by funding projects intended to improve the environment, such as renewable energy or forest conservation. This funding can be in the form of credits purchased on an exchange to meet compliance legislation, cap and trade systems, or as a voluntary effort.

Answer 13

carbon offsets

Question 14

A complete supply chain dedicated to the reverse flow of products and materials for the purpose of returns, repair, remanufacture, and/or recycling.

Answer 14

Reverse Logistics

Question 15

In reverse logistics, a system that accounts for the return flow of products for reuse, asset recovery, or recycling in a way that is cost-effective and maximizes returns.

Answer 15

Closed Loop systems

Question 16

The cost-effective classification and recovery of usable raw materials from product returns, obsolete or excess goods, or scrap and waste. The goals are to minimize costs and liabilities while maximizing returns from reusable assets

Answer 16

Asset Recovery

Question 17

To take something and use it for something else not originally intended. The materials may be repaired, reconditioned, and repackaged for resale or used in a different manner through remanufacturing, recycling, or salvage.

Answer 17

Repurpose

Question 18

1) Any activity that does not add value to the good or service in the eyes of the consumer. 2) A by-product of a process or task with unique characteristics requiring special management control. [The] production [of this] can usually be planned and somewhat controlled. Scrap is typically not planned and may result from the same production run as [this term]. See: hazardous waste.

Answer 18

Waste

Question 19

A step in the reverse logistics process where parts or products are returned due to a product defect or potential hazard resulting from government regulations or liability concerns.

Answer 19

Recalls

Question 20

A tool that ranks waste management options according to what is most environmentally sound. Gives top priority to preventing waste in the first place and can be applied to various applications.

Answer 20

Waste hierarchy

Question 21

The removal of accessories or parts kits from a product and returning either the kit or the main product without the kit to the store. May also refer to the allowance of the resale of kits or products without their parts kits.

Answer 21

dekitting

Question 22

1) An industrial process in which worn-out products are restored to like-new condition. In contrast, a repaired product normally retains its identity, and only those parts that have failed or are badly worn are replaced or serviced. 2) The manufacturing environment where worn-out products are restored to like-new condition.

Answer 22

remanufacturing

Question 23

1) In group dynamics, a technique applied by a team leader to effectively manage a situation, discussion, or meeting. For example, in a situation where a dominant spokesperson or person of authority monopolizes a discussion, the [leader] will intervene by requesting additional group members’ input. 2) In logistics, the vetting of return materials and issuing of return material authorizations (RMAs) in accordance with the organization’s returns policy. The intent is to minimize returns and return costs while managing customer interactions and expectations to maintain intended customer service levels.

Answer 23

gatekeeping

Question 24

A step in the reverse logistics process where a customer sends a product back for any of several possible reasons including the product being defective, damaged, out of season, or outdated (end-of-life), or that it failed to meet expectations or represented excess inventory.

Answer 24

returns

Question 25

The planning and controlling of the processes of moving goods from the point of consumption back to the point of origin for repair, reclamation, recycling, or disposal. See: reverse logistics.

Answer 25

reverse supply chain

Question 26

A reverse logistics strategy for the activities involved in the collection of used and discarded products, components, and materials. It focuses on reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling, or disposal. The objective is to recover as much of the economic value as possible, reduce waste, and minimize environmental impact.

Answer 26

recovery

Question 27

Property that, because of its worn, damaged, deteriorated, or incomplete condition or specialized nature, has no reasonable prospect of sale or use as serviceable property without major repairs or alterations, but that has some value in excess of its scrap value.

Answer 27

salvage

Question 28

Material outside of specifications and possessing characteristics that make rework impractical.

Answer 28

scrap

Question 29

1) The reintroduction of partially processed product or carrier solvents from one operation or task into a previous operation. 2) A recirculation process.

Answer 29

recycle