Reverse logistics in business procedures

Introduction

The Industrial Revolution was a historical period between the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, in which Great Britain first, and the rest of continental Europe later, suffered the greatest set of socio-economic, technological and cultural transformations in the world. history of mankind, since the Neolithic.

The expansion of trade was favored by the improvement of transport routes and the incorporation of new and powerful forms of transport, logistics had been born. Over the years, industrialization was an imminent fact, it made its way to the rest of the continents and in a short period of time, the entire planet would find itself consuming industrialized products.

On the other hand, the consumption of resources and raw materials for processing grew at such a rate that it was exceeded by demand; The tendency to sacrifice resources envisioned a world without sustenance and incapable of satisfying the needs of the consumer, a monster had been created.

Today the scientific, industrial and economic community have incorporated environmental groups into their ranks to remedy the environmental impact that their baby (industrialization) has generated on the planet and that it is economically essential that it be modified, therefore a new toy has been born, will this be a monster or will it be the hero we all need, reverse logistics.

Logistics Background

The origins of logistics come from the military field, during the Second World War; It is closely related to the acquisition and supply of materials required to fulfill a mission applied to business activity, dating back to the 1950s.

With the passing of the Second World War, the demand for products grew, the uncertainty of what would happen caused consumers in industrialized countries to buy supplies, groceries and survival items wholesale. This caused the proliferation of products in the marketing departments, which opted to sell any item anywhere possible, and the distribution channels began to be obsolete. Therefore, senior management, aware that physical distribution had to be efficient and represent profitability instead of expenses, began to test substantial modifications in the distribution systems and this began to have its own identity within the structure of the organization.This is how the origins of logistics are given, in which the distribution department controlled storage, transport and partly the handling of orders

Despite the fact that logistics is always an essential part of any economic activity, in recent decades there has been a keen interest in its development, to the point that a growing number of companies are adopting it as a management tool in view of the positive results of its application.

In the mid-1960s, entrepreneurs began to understand that reducing inventories and accounts receivable increased cash flow and saw that profitability could improve if distribution operations were properly planned. At the end of this decade, the concept of materials management appeared, developed from a situation of scarcity and discontinuity of supplies, but whose purpose was the same: to provide a certain level of service with a minimum social cost.

This period, which runs until 1979, is known as that of the "maturity" of logistics, because the company is aware of its importance. Starting in 1980, logistics was consolidated as a consequence of the uncertainty generated by the economic recession characteristic of the decade. Management of the entire distribution process is essential. In spite of everything, today there are still organizations that have not become aware of the urgent need to have logistics management and the distribution department. For others, it continues to be a multi-stakeholder without a guide (Logistics Director), who coordinates all activities from the purchase of raw materials to the final consumer.

"Logistics" is the process of planning, implementing and controlling the flow and storage of raw materials, semi-finished or finished products, and of managing related information from the place of origin to the place of consumption, with the purpose of satisfying the customer requirements.

In other words, with good logistics management the aim is to provide the correct product in the required quantity, in the right place in the required time and at a reasonable cost. Logistics is a system with interdependent activities that may vary from one organization to another, but will typically include the following functions: Transportation, Warehousing, Purchasing, Inventory Production planning Personnel management Packaging Customer service

In the 90's, logistics is perhaps the process that is using the most technological advances in areas such as electronics, computing and mechanics, it has simplified the administration of the supply chain through the use of electronic document exchange to transactions and accounting, the barcode to identify products and services, material transport systems to reduce delivery and handling times.

In this way, the most important items that make up the operational costs that affect the final profitability of the product are reduced.

There are many demographic and sociological factors that make this trend feasible, such as: the growing diversification of consumer tastes, the incorporation of women into working life with the consequent reduction of available times and the demands of availability and shorter delivery times.

Another very marked trend in the current consumer is their ability to choose between various products according to their real benefits, with growing disloyalty to brands.

Logistics is not only about managing the supply chain, but it also means eliminating intermediaries that add cost to the product. Logistics offers the means for the consumer to come into contact with the products, compare them and, if necessary, demand additional services.

The logistics trend points towards a very clear objective, to change the PUSH (push) approach where it is manufacturers who push their products along the distribution chain, and it is their inventory levels that generate the great offers and promotions without looking at what the customer is demanding, in a PULL style where demand at the point of sale triggers events throughout the distribution chain and customers' preferences determine the assortment in the shelves and consequently in the production of the companies. (PÉREZ, 2007)

Reverse logistics

Reverse Logistics (in English "reverse logistics" or "inverse logistics") It emerged in the mid-70's as a new trend oriented towards recycling and reuse of waste, unlike logistics, reverse logistics studies recovery processes of out-of-use products in order to take advantage of the value that they could still incorporate through reuse, recycling, re-manufacture, or proceeding to their proper disposal.

This line of research in the logistics area focuses on the analysis of these processes and the efficient management of reverse logistics systems, from an integral perspective that contemplates both the supply of these products from the consumer to the reclaimer, as well as the demand of the same through marketing strategies that favor their subsequent commercialization.

Although the term is new, it has already been applied since ancient times. The recovery of used or discarded products is not something new, in the Stone Age man used the splinters obtained in the manufacture of his tools as points for his arrows.

Ancient Mesopotamian, Inca, Aztec, Greek or Roman cultures already habitually used recycling techniques in their daily activities. For example, the local coins of the conquered cities were melted into new coins, although sometimes, these coins were not even subjected to a recycling process, being put back into circulation once the seal of the new regent was stamped on them.. Other examples can be found in the weapons used in battle that were converted into agricultural instruments or melted down to manufacture new weapons. You are not inventing anything new, you are simply trying to make some of our common sense profitable.

To illustrate another way, reverse logistics is expressed in Gothic literature, in the work of "the modern Prometheus" (full title: Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus) written by the English Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Published in 1818, the text explores topics such as scientific morality, the creation and destruction of life, and the audacity of humanity in its relationship with God. Hence, the subtitle of the work: the protagonist tries to rival in power with God, like a kind of modern Prometheus who snatches the sacred fire of life from the divinity. It is considered the first text of the science fiction genre. (Wikipedia, 2013)

Similarly, reverse logistics could be defined as the process of projecting, implementing and controlling a flow of raw materials, inventory in process, finished products and related information from the point of consumption to the point of origin in an efficient and most economical way. possible with the purpose of recovering its value or that of the return itself.

Producers traditionally ignored the final destination of their products when they reached the end of their useful life. The producers did not feel responsible for what happened to these products after their use by the consumer. Products were designed in such a way that material, assembly and distribution costs were minimized, but their final disposal was not taken into account. They believed that if they incorporated these requirements, the costs increased. Furthermore, most consumers were not prepared to pay an additional cost for consuming a green product. In fact, much of the used products ended up in a landfill or was incinerated, thus damaging the environment.

As time has passed, society (including producers) has assumed its responsibility for the effects on nature and has noticed that natural resources are depleted.

Nowadays, awareness has been made of the importance of reusing many products and their packaging, of making product designs that facilitate their recycling and of valuing the waste when the product life cycle ends, etc. In addition, the population is increasingly involved in recycling processes. For all this, Reverse Logistics is a very important process as part of the closing of the logistics cycle. In turn, producers have realized that incorporating improvements for reuse, recycling, etc. in the long run has cost benefits.

On the other hand, environmental legislation is increasingly restrictive to help eliminate pollutants in the environment. Other reasons, not just economic ones, have raised interest in reverse logistics. For example, environmental issues, which are rising every day in the social ladder of priorities around the world. It is not acceptable to dispose of the waste in any way, the landfills are completed and new ones have to be opened, etc..

Why reverse logistics?

Reverse logistics manages the return of goods in the supply chain, in the most effective and economical way possible. It is responsible for the recovery and recycling of containers, packaging and hazardous waste; as well as the processes of return of excess inventory, customer returns, obsolete products and seasonal inventories. It even anticipates the end of the product's life, in order to supply it in markets with higher turnover.

The benefit that reverse logistics brings to companies ranges from 3 to 15 percent of overall net profits, according to RLA estimates. Robe cites electronics giant Cisco as a good example. The partnership with a third party supplier and the renewal of its reverse logistics processes changed the role of the reverse logistics company from a cost center to a source of income. What represented a loss of $ 8 million for Cisco in 2005 turned into a revenue generator of $ 147 million in 2009, according to Rehman Mohammed, Cisco's principal in charge of managing the customer value chain.

"The recovery of products, their reconstruction and the use of parts, such as precious metals that can be recycled or reused, are ecological processes and provide a great benefit to the environment" (Partridge, 2010). Through efficient reverse logistics operations, companies can also reduce inefficient return processes that lead to unnecessary transportation movements, helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality. It's hard to debate that list of green attributes. But environmental ecology is only feasible if it does not cost much to another type of ecology.

Community directives also oblige or will soon oblige the recovery or recycling of many products - consumer goods, containers and packaging, automotive components, electrical and electronic equipment-, which will imply a major modification in the coming years of many production processes and, in addition, an opportunity as a new market for many transport, storage and distribution operators.

The consequence of all of the above is clear: in the coming years, reverse logistics will represent a major revolution in the business world and, most likely, it will become one of the fastest growing businesses at the beginning of the third millennium.

An activity with enormous growth potential that has been defined as the last frontier for reducing costs in companies, in addition to becoming an important and innovative source of opportunities.

Requirements for promoting reverse logistics (Table, 2011)

For reverse logistics to be applied within the industry with a great margin of success, it is necessary that the following aspects be taken into account:

Cost benefit considerations: better products with lower cost of production, recovery of the value of recyclable containers, packaging, packaging and handling units.

Legal requirements: derived from the protection of health and the environment, from considerations for waste processing costs, etc.

Social responsibility: generally promoted by non-governmental organizations and consumer associations that, supported by their purchasing power, seek safer and more environmentally friendly products; obviously firms never lose money, behind there is a marketing positioning in a "premium" segment proud of consuming in a "correct" way.

Causes, scope and activities of reverse logistics

Causes

Defective merchandise Excess inventory return Customer returns Obsolete products Seasonal inventories

Scope

Customers Hypermarkets Cash and carriers Supermarkets Final customer

Activities

Recall of merchandise Classification of merchandise Reconditioning of products Return to origin Destruction Recovery, recycling of containers, packaging and hazardous waste

Key elements for successful reverse logistics

In addition to the aforementioned requirements, 10 key elements have been identified in favor of an adequate direction in reverse logistics:

Inbound filtering. It is about controlling the defective merchandise or that does not comply with the return requirements.

Time cycles. Returns are always exceptional processes, so it is very difficult to reduce the time cycles related to decisions regarding the acceptance of a returned order. It is about defining a good decision-making mechanism, that is, what to do with each possible return (resale, repair, disposal). This is also where the decision of how to reward company personnel who manages to shorten this time cycle as much as possible..

Information systems for reverse logistics. There is no software specially designed for this purpose, so the logical choice will be either the development of a custom system, or the implementation and modification of one that you already have (cheaper option). This system should be flexible enough to handle the huge variety of different returns that can occur, and complex enough to work well across possibly many departments in the company.

A successful reverse logistics software must gather significant information that can actually help in the follow-up, both of the returns themselves and the costs involved, and create a database with information regarding the reasons for each return, among those that are:

Repair / Service Factory Repair: Returned to supplier for repair. Maintenance. Seller error when shipping. Customer error when ordering. Input error. Error in the order processing system Shipping error. Wrong material has been sent. Incomplete shipment. Wrong quantity. Duplicate shipment. Duplicate order by customer. Not ordered by customer. Incomplete. A component or part is missing Due to defects or damaged Damaged Does not work Defective. Not working well Expired Damaged during shipping. It will be claimed from the transport company. Others.

Centralized return centers. They are facilities dedicated to handling returns quickly and efficiently. Here the products will be ordered, processed and shipped to their respective destinations. CDCs have been in use for many years, but lately they have been on the rise for the following reasons:

Increased profits are achieved, the returns process is greatly improved, staff are sensitized and trained in this regard, inventory levels are reduced, and customer satisfaction is logical.

"ZERO" returns. In a typical ZERO return program the supplier communicates to their customers that returns will NOT be accepted. Instead, the supplier will provide the customer with a discount on the general order invoice, and then, depending on the supplier, the customer will either destroy the product, or freely dispose of it in another way.

Repair and reform. There are 4 categories: Repair, reform, partial use and recycling. The first two categories involve a conditioning and / or updating of the returned product. The partial use is based on the strict recovery of only those elements or parts that are still functional.

Recovery of goods. It is the classification and disposition of returned products, that is, surplus, expired, obsolete, waste… carried out in a way that increases profits and reduces costs. The main objective will be to recover as much economic (and ecological) value as possible, in turn reducing the final amounts of waste.

Essentially you can rebuild, resell, recycle, repackage or destroy these returned products. The decision will determine the design of the processing facility, the type of training for your employees, and the specific procedures for handling returned products. Home appliances, for example, could be repaired and resold at discount stores, and perishable or expiring pharmaceuticals would be destroyed.

Negotiation. This is an important part of a well-defined reverse logistics process. Given a "forward" flow of products, prices are set by brand managers or marketers.

Instead, in our reverse process we will find ourselves in a "haggling" phase, where the value of the returned product will be negotiated without the use of prior pricing guidelines. These negotiations are usually "flexible".

Financial management. The vast majority of companies need to improve their internal accounting processes. The fact is, the sheer amount of accounting problems that come with a return drives already reluctant warehouse managers even further. Here is an example of this: Merchandise that is returned to the supplier due to excess stock or because it has not been sold. It is returned through the normal reverse logistics channel. So far everything is fine.

However, the accounting system, for example, will automatically establish a discount price on these products, since they come through the returns channel, and are assumed to be out of date, damaged, defective… There are adequate programs that can provide direct support to these accounting activities, collecting and supplying the necessary information.

Outsourcing. Hiring the reverse process out. More and more companies are hiring external firms specialized in logistics. Often times, these firms perform reverse logistics processes more efficiently and better, as well as leaving us to do the job of selling more and better.

Criteria for classifying reverse logistics flows

Reverse logistics deals with a wide variety of flows. For example, reusable packaging flows from wholesalers to manufacturers are very different from vehicle flows to treatment centers at the end of their useful life.

That is why the following reasons are presented that could help to determine the flow of the elements, from the moment they are collected until they are delivered and redirected to proceed on them.

Reasons for the flow

Economic reasons: The products or materials to be recovered are, once treated, a source of cheap raw material.

Reasons Related to permanence in the market: In this case, reverse logistics is used to improve and position the company's image in the market. On the one hand, increasing competition forces companies to offer a "plus" in the service provided consisting of taking over the products used by their customers and also paying for them. And on the other hand, the recovery of used products is a very important element in creating a "green" image of the company, an aspect that companies are giving importance to every day due to global campaigns on the prevention and correction of global warming..

Legal reasons: This reason increases every day in frequency and severity. Governments are becoming more aware of the importance of this issue and enacting laws focused on reverse logistics. (Recent and well-known case is that of the final disposal of hospital waste in the departments of Atlántico, Antioquia and Meta)

Reasons Protection of assets: Companies try to avoid the transfer of components or products that they consider important for their competitive strategy to secondary markets or competing companies. This prevents possible competition between original and recovered products.

Final destination of flows

The reasons already described are related to the existing options for recovering the value of the products, that is, to which final destinations the reverse flows are directed. In this case, it is good to start from the classification in which different forms of recovery are distinguished depending on the point of entry back into the value chain.

The products can be reused directly without any major transformation, except cleaning and some minor maintenance (some containers and transport pallets).

In restoration, the identity of the product is preserved and it is sought to return the product to its usefulness through the necessary revision, disassembly and renovation operations (computers, photocopiers). On the other hand, the objective of a repair is to make damaged products work again, although with a possibility of lowering their quality level. (Furniture). Apart from this, the products can also be cannibalized, that is, from several that cannot provide service by themselves, one can be put into operation with useful parts or modules of the other damaged products. (Vehicle fleets, computers for which there are no new components)

The four previous destinations have one characteristic in common: the products, whether they are reused, restored, repaired or cannibalized, always return to the same logistics chain. What may vary will be the market to which the products go (to the same market, to second-hand markets, to other foreign markets)

Types of flows in reverse logistics depending on the products

The following cases can be distinguished:

a) Products that end their useful life: It is without a doubt the densest flow in reverse logistics.

The variety of flows is very diverse and presents a large number of examples: automobiles, mobile phones, computers, etc. It would be interesting to include in this type of flows products that have not yet reached the end of their technical or economic life, such as products that are not used for fashion reasons (clothing, footwear). These flows originate from consumers.

b) Returns: Corresponds to undone commercial transactions. In this case, the buyer returns products to the original seller in exchange for a refund of their money or a replacement for a new product. There are several options for returned products. If they are unused and without defects, they can be reused and sold directly to consumers in alternative markets. Similarly, products that have failed during use or that have been affected in the shipping process are included.

c) Production waste and secondary products: The surplus material in a certain process, for example in cutting, is reintroduced into the production process.

d) Packaging and containers: Packaging constitutes and originates one of the existing flows in reverse logistics that generates higher volumes. Packaging, returnable bottles, pallets, reusable boxes, are examples. The recovery of these products is economically attractive and they are usually reused directly, simply by cleaning them and without the need for reprocessing.

Reverse logistics networks

Reverse logistics network is called any logistics network in which the existing flows are developed in the sense "consumer manufacturer or producer."

Awareness on these issues should start from the end consumers and then continue with the executives of business organizations, who should endeavor that their middle managers develop skills in the use of reverse logistics processes based on the products that are produced..

Reverse logistics network

Illustration 1. Example of reverse logistics network

In this type of reverse logistics networks, a fairly similar configuration of the chain appears. The reclaimer's responsibility begins with the collection of the used products and ends with the distribution of the reclaimed products. Thus, the corresponding logistics networks range from a group of actors that offer used products to another group of actors that demand recovered products.

Collection: refers to the activities of collecting used waste or returned products, and their movement to facilities where, later, they will be treated. The collection of glass and the removal of photocopiers or computers are typical examples of this type of activity. In general, collection includes purchasing, transport and storage activities. This activity can be originated by any of the reasons already described (motivated by different reasons such as economic benefits, market considerations, legal obligations and marketing) Inspection / Separation: includes all the operations that determine if a product is recoverable and how. In this way, inspection and separation divide the flow of used products according to their possibilities of use (reuse, restoration, repair,recycling, disposal, etc.). Examples of this activity are the selection of photocopier modules or the separation of the different parts of the car when it arrives at an Authorized Recycling and Decontamination Center. This activity includes processes such as dismantling, crushing, testing, ordering and storage. Reprocessing: includes the transformation of used products back into useful products or into their component raw materials. This transformation, as has already been seen, can be done in various ways (reuse, repair, recycling…). Examples of reprocessing are crushing glass and cleaning and refilling toner cartridges. Disposal: required by materials that cannot be reused for technical or economic reasons.Disposal includes transport and dumping or incineration with or without value capture, depending on the case. An example of landfill is that of materials from demolition of works, and an example of recovery is the use of tires to obtain energy) Redistribution: refers to the management and transport of reusable materials or products to potential markets and future users. It encompasses activities such as transport, storage and sale. Examples, the sale of recycled glass to bottle manufacturing companies or the leasing of reprocessed photocopiers.refers to the management and transport of reusable materials or products to potential markets and future users. It encompasses activities such as transport, storage and sale. Examples, the sale of recycled glass to bottle manufacturing companies or the leasing of reprocessed photocopiers.refers to the management and transport of reusable materials or products to potential markets and future users. It encompasses activities such as transport, storage and sale. Examples, the sale of recycled glass to bottle manufacturing companies or the leasing of reprocessed photocopiers.

It should be noted that this set of processes does not consider transport and storage activities, which would generally fall between the stages described above.

Differentiating aspects in reverse logistics networks

The following is an attempt to analyze the differences that exist between the networks in reverse logistics.

Many of those differences are based on the following characteristics:

The degree of centralization of a network refers to the number of sites where the logistics activities of the network are carried out. In a centralized network, each activity is carried out in one or a few facilities, while in a decentralized network there are many facilities that perform the same activities. Centralization can be a measure of the degree of horizontal integration of a network The number of levels, which refers to the number of network facilities (containers, collection plants, treatment plants,…) through which a product passes sequentially, can indicate the degree of vertical integration of a logistics network. Links with other networks refer to the links that a reverse logistics network maintains with other networks.A reverse logistics network can emerge independently as an entirely new structure (ECOEMBES), or it can be an extension of some other existing network or it can be linked to other networks by the types of materials involved (the automotive sector with the glass sector Open or closed network cycle will indicate the relationship through positive or negative flows with other networks. In a closed network there will be no entry or exit points, for products or material, other than those of the corresponding direct chain. In an open network, in general, products will have an entry point or an exit point. Degree of cooperation in the network refers to the responsibility of the actors to design and operate a network. The initiative may come from a single company, possibly involving subcontractors,or a union of different companies present on the network in the form of associations or similar organizations (SIGRAUTO).

Development of a reverse logistics strategy

So that reverse logistics can be put into practice in organizations, regardless of the legal and social considerations and the cost-benefit relationship that must be taken into account; it is necessary to take into account the following questions:

What are our priorities? Analyze the reasons why a reverse logistics program should be implemented. Why do I have the need to implement this type of logistics in my company? Is it for environmental reasons? If so, you should study how to implement an effective recycling program. Better customer service? Order returns should be designed as an integral part of customer relationship systems. Financial reasons? Design programs for the recovery and reconstruction of returned products. What resources will be implemented? A reverse logistics program is not a "part" of anyone's job. It is a high priority task, and requires your own resources.How much time are you willing to spend to run the program properly? What part or portion of the company's budget will you use? What will be the human resources for this purpose? Will reverse logistics be a tactical exercise or, on the contrary, an authentic strategy ? The difference between the two resides in the fact that in the strategic the director or manager will participate actively, bearing in mind that the level of potential benefits will be directly proportional to the amount invested in the reverse logistics program, what would be an acceptable level of benefits on the investment Who will be in charge of directing and supervising the process? Even if you decide to hire an external company for this purpose, supervision of the system will always be necessary.In case of deciding to contract the process with third parties, what part of the process will they carry out? How to communicate with clients? A key part is deciding how and what to communicate to customers. When a customer calls to request a return, who will they deal with directly? Will you establish an internal call center in your company or will you hire third parties? Will your customers ever visit the manufacturer to manage the return? Whether you implement this service in your own company or if you hire it outside, you will need both a policy and very clear and well-defined procedures, as well as the texts or scripts necessary for the staff of the call center use them properly.Who will develop these tools and will you include written instructions in the original shipment? If you don't, the customer could end up returning the order to the billing offices, and not to the corresponding warehouse or manufacturer! There are companies that include pre-printed detailed packaging and labeling instructions. Will they be made in your company? You can avoid further damage to the returned product if the customer receives clear instructions on how to pack their return, while, otherwise, the returned orders may end up totally unusable for possible resale. Also advise a good transport company. Will you provide these instructions with each order, or by fax,e-mail… etc… once the client wishes to return something? What type of e-mail will be used to communicate with your clients and at what points in the return process? Will they be manual or automatic e-mail (auto- answer)? How will you treat and report shipping costs? Very often, your company will be responsible for the shipping costs for a return (especially if this is due to your error) The bad thing is that, typically, it will be the customer who estimates the weight, choose carrier with whom, possibly, you do not have discount agreements, converting all this into extra charges for your company. One way to avoid this is to have the call center staff "finish" the return shipping processes for the customer, specifying carrier,product weight and description of the merchandise at the time of the call requesting a return.

Key factors for success

Administration and control

Reverse logistics processes must be "mapped" in the interfunctional structure to be understood throughout the entire supply chain and be positioned in the correct direction relational context.

Indicators of performance

You need to establish activity-based costing to measure the performance of reverse logistics.

Every program, as well as each of their actions, must be measured; practice will allow faster and easier assessment of any innovative proposal.

Financial aspects

Implementing reverse logistics implies the need to allocate sufficient financial resources to:

Audit the logistics processes throughout the supply chain; Conduct studies of industrial design compatible with the environment of containers, packaging, packaging and handling units; Finance specific equipment to recover and recycle materials, and Establish strategic alliances.

Recycling strategies

Waste management

Reverse logistics processes focus on five key objectives: procurement, reduction of virgin supplies; recycling; substitution of materials, and waste management.

Procurement and purchasing: Involves procurement, development of suppliers and the acquisition of raw materials, components, materials for packaging, packaging, and handling units that are "friendly to the environment."

Reduction of virgin inputs: It involves: a) product engineering activities, and b) retraining of human resources, with the purpose of: assessing reuse activities of leftover materials, preferring materials of recycled origin, choosing containers, packaging, handling units, reusable and recyclable packaging and containers, promote the culture of «return».

Recycling: It is necessary to develop recycling policies respecting the performance or standards of the product: use recycled and recyclable materials; explore technological innovations that allow the use of recycled materials; finance studies to reduce the use of virgin raw materials.

Substitution of materials: The increase in the rate of innovation in recycling processes should promote the substitution of materials, in particular of heavier materials with lighter ones with equal or superior performance (as is the case in the automotive industry where plastics are massively replacing metal and glass parts in automobiles, as well as aluminum or "composite" materials in new truck chassis, reduce tare, facilitating an increase in the load unit for the same axle weight).

Waste management: Materials procurement policies should assess the rate of waste in the use of materials; waste management is a non-negligible cost; It may also be necessary to have sample acceptance policies, if the requirements for the management of sample waste, or simply their disposal by rejection, is costly.

Services

Reverse logistics is undoubtedly a philosophy that any company must add to its environment, due to all the factors mentioned and given the globalization that is taking place, it is important to have a strategic reverse logistics plantation.

Repair

Give used products a specific quality: Quality standards lower than those of new ones. Inspection, repair and replacement of parts Disassembled + New technology replacement + Assembled. Product shelf life is extended-

Home appliances

Renewal

Return products out of order to the customer: This involves the repair and / or replacement of damaged parts. Disassembled + Assembled In the customer's environment or in specialized centers Quality of the repaired product <new.

Computers

Recycling

Recovery of materials contained in returned products: Disassembly + Classification + Transformation of Raw Materials.

Paper, glass, Plastic, Metals.

Recycling strategies

Reprocessing

Objective: Disassembled + Classification + Restoration + Reassembled. Computers

Reuse

The product can be reused once clean or after minor maintenance-

Glass bottles, transport boxes, beverage handling.

Dump

Last Option: Deposit of Material. Garbage.

In the home

Preparation

Think about when and how much you can separate more specifically by material and take to the recycling center. Study your garbage. What you use the most will determine the size and type of containers you need. Ideally, for your home collection center, there should be a two-part system: one for daily waste and the other for which you can store. Choose a storage space. When your kitchen tank is full, move its contents to a storage point until it is time to take it to the garbage truck, or where appropriate, to the collection center.

While shopping

Avoid consuming products that are packaged in individual servings. Avoid single-use items such as disposable rakes, lighters, and plastic party plates and cups. Use your own canvas or mesh bags. Save the paper bags, as they can be used to store cardboard and paper. Close the loop: prefer products that were made with recycled material.

The 5 S's

The 5 S's, a point from which to start the path of training operational personnel. The objective is to improve and maintain the conditions of organization, order and cleanliness in the workplace.

It is about improving working conditions, safety, work environment, staff motivation and efficiency and, consequently, the quality, productivity and competitiveness of the organization.

The 5'S have been applied in various countries with notable success and are the initials of five Japanese words that name each of the five phases that make up the methodology:

SEIRI - ORGANIZATION: consists of identifying and separating the necessary materials from the unnecessary ones and discarding the latter SEIRI - ORGANIZATION: consists of establishing the way in which the necessary materials should be located and identified, so that it is easy and quick to find them, use and replace them SEISO - CLEANING: consists of identifying and eliminating the sources of dirt, ensuring that all media are always in perfect condition SEIKETSU - VISUAL CONTROL: consists of easily distinguishing a normal situation from an abnormal one, using simple and visible to all SHITSUKE - DISCIPLINE AND HABIT: it consists of working permanently in accordance with the established norms.

The first three phases - ORGANIZATION, ORDER AND CLEANING - are operational.

The fourth phase - VISUAL CONTROL - helps to maintain the state reached in the previous phases. Organization, Order and Cleanliness - by standardizing practices.

The fifth and final phase - DISCIPLINE AND HABIT - allows you to acquire the habit of your practice and continuous improvement in your daily work. The 5 phases are dealt with successively.

We could define the 5 S as an ideal state in which:

Unnecessary materials and supplies have been removed Everything is in order and identified Sources of dirt have been eliminated There is a visual check by which deviations or faults are obvious, and all of the above is continuously maintained and improved.

The 5 S are not the cleaning spills that are organized before the visit of the Board of Directors, politicians, important clients or auditors or a question of aesthetics but of functionality and efficiency.

The 3 R's

The three R's (3R) is a rule to take care of the environment, specifically to reduce the volume of waste or garbage generated. In short, the 3Rs help you to litter less, save money and be a more responsible consumer, thus reducing your carbon footprint. And best of all, it is very easy to follow, as it only has three steps: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Origin of the 3R's

Since the 1950s, many companies have been implementing sales strategies that try to convince the public that they need many things, that they have to buy new things every so often and that it does not matter if the product they buy lasts a long time (of all ways go out of style… and the new one comes out in a few more months…) You must visualize the entire population of the world, we are talking about 7,000,000,000 people living on Earth currently, assuming that all those people are buying and throwing things at exactly the same I pass like the people around us. The manufacture of so much merchandise, using current methods, results in a very heavy burden on the planet in all respects. Natural resources are depleted,the environment suffers from the great pollution load produced in the manufacturing process and ecosystems are thrown out of balance. And finally human beings face consequences like climate change.

Due to this problem, the rule of the three Rs was invented as a proposal to form more sustainable consumption habits. The three R's are:

Reduce is the most important as it has the most direct and wide-ranging effect in reducing damage to the environment, and consists of two parts:

Buy less. It reduces the use of energy, water, raw materials (wood, metal, minerals, etc.) and chemicals used in the manufacture of products; It reduces the emissions produced in the transport of the product, and also minimizes the pollution produced by its disposal and disintegration. Use fewer resources (water, energy, gasoline, etc.). It can be achieved with more efficient light bulbs and appliances, a well-maintained home, and good habits like unplugging electrical appliances when not in use, turning off the shower while soaping up, and carpooling.

Reusing means extending the life of each product from when it is purchased to when it is thrown away. Most goods can have more than one useful life, either by repairing them or using your imagination to put them to another use. For example, a soda bottle can be refilled (the same use) or it can be turned into a candle holder, ashtray, flowerpot or vase (another use). Reuse also includes the purchase of second-hand products, since this lengthens the useful life of the product and at the same time implies a reduction in the consumption of new products, because instead of buying something new, you buy it second-hand.

Recycling is the most common and least effective erre. It is about rescuing as much as possible a material that is no longer good for anything (commonly called garbage) and turning it into a new product. For example, an old cardboard box can be shredded and converted to new paper through an industrial or household process. The good thing about recycling is that today almost all types of garbage can be recycled and many municipalities already have it integrated into their garbage collection system.

Some companies are finding that a well-implemented reverse logistics system can, in addition to achieving great cost savings, lead their companies to earn a reputation as "good citizens committed to the environment"

Let's take an example. A well-known manufacturer of cosmetic products used to "dump" about $ 60 million in landfills from returns. The manufacturer dealt with this problem by developing processes that cut the volume of destroyed products in half. The process was based on a scan of the boxes of returned material at the time of entry into their warehouses, thus knowing the expiration dates of the returned products, and calculating if they could be sold again, or given away as samples.

During the first year, this cosmetics company was able to evaluate 24% more of its returns, distribute 150% more with returns, and save $ 475,000 in a single year in overall costs.

The company still destroyed 27% of the returned products due to expiration. The manufacturer hopes in the near future to be able to lower this figure to only 15%. All this only at the expense of an adequate reverse logistics system.

Developing a strategy. Developing a good reverse strategy will involve a great deal of effort as well as the use of external consultants.

Three more r's (the six r's rule)

As the discourse on the three ecological R's and modern society has deepened, some organizations like Greenpeace propose three more R's:

Rethink our habits and way of life, especially with regard to how we define our basic needs Restructure the economic system so that the main focus shifts from profit maximization to the well-being of the people (without excluding any group) and that the social and environmental costs in the final calculation of consumer goods Redistribute, so that we all have equitable access to resources, since currently there is technology, resources and a way to satisfy everyone's needs (Guerrero, 2013).

Sustainable development

It is the growth that allows meeting the needs of the current generation without sacrificing the possibilities of the future generation. It is developed based on the needs of 3 large areas.

Environmental, where no renewable resource should be used at a rate higher than its generation and no pollutant should be produced at a rate greater than that which can be neutralized or absorbed by the environment.

Social, where the preservation of the environment should not impede the creation of jobs and profitability should not depend on unworthy wages or tax evasion

Economic, where every business must be viable and profitable to allow reinvestment and growth.

This must be supported by the implementation of corporate governance and financial transparency that give investors confidence and facilitate strategic planning. In this way, it is possible to generate products that provide greater satisfaction, value and positive impact on consumers.

Socially responsible company

A Socially Responsible Company is one that complies with a set of norms and principles regarding social, economic and environmental reality that is based on Values, which help it to be more Productive.

A Socially Responsible Company establishes ethics, morals, and everything that refers to values as the main standards in its organizational culture. These guidelines in action as a basis can be:

Human Dignity. The Common Good. Principle of Subsidiarity. Social Participation. Principle of Solidarity. Quality of Life. Care of the Environment. Human Development. Transparency. Scientific and Ethical Development.

A Socially Responsible Company is one that has policies, programs and strategies that favor full human development, to exercise Social Responsibility. The social responsibility of the company is a combination of legal, ethical, moral and environmental aspects, and it is a voluntary decision, not imposed, although there are certain regulations on the subject.

A company is really better when, in addition to achieving its business objectives, it provides benefits to its collaborators, its suppliers, the families of its workers, its surroundings, the environment.

For this reason it is so important to be a Socially Responsible Company.

Green logistics and reverse logistics

Reverse logistics refers to all efforts to move goods to regain value, through the collection and treatment of goods and products that have ended their useful life. Many of these products are or contain polluting elements that must be controlled.

Green Logistics is the process of minimizing the ecological impact of logistics, its activities include measuring the environmental consequences of transport, reducing the use of energy and materials. There are green activities that are not reverse logistics, for example, reducing energy consumption or designing packaging that allows reducing packaging.

Another example of green reverse logistics contributing to bottom line is mobile electronics producer Palm Inc. The company revamped its reverse logistics processes to focus on rebuilding its products, and now sells them through secondary channels, such as a online business store and internet retailer

Overstock.com. Rather than letting the inventory returned by consumers go to waste, it rebuilds it, which benefits the environment and Palm's profitability.

Thanks to the remodel, Palm reduced processing costs by 50 percent, reduced returned product inventory to less than two weeks, and tripled the product recall rate. "Now we can often receive up to 80 percent of the retail price for our returned products," says Dawn Wang, Palm's manager of reverse logistics.

Sometimes finding a way to get compensated for green reverse logistics is just a matter of looking beyond short-term gains, and looking at long-term gains for business and the environment. "Companies would not implement reverse ecology programs if they did not reflect a net profit value in the long run," says Dave Meyer, vice president of Vancouver, Washington-based consulting firm SEEDS.

"Companies worry when they focus on short-term horizons instead of taking a long-term view of the entire product life cycle." Meyer continues, explaining that the startup capital and process reengineering costs sometimes incurred by green reverse logistics can drive companies away. “Companies have to consider the opportunities for collaboration within their supply chain and the long-term return on investment,” he adds (Partridge, 2010).

"They also need to weigh the intangible benefits of going green, such as positive public relations and consumer loyalty." But it is simpler than that. The true goal of reverse logistics, and what makes it green, is also what makes it economically smart - getting rid of waste, which is costly to profits and harmful to the planet. “The idea of reverse logistics is to reduce what is used in the manufacture of a product, reuse components that can be economically recovered, as far as possible, and then recycle that end product of its life cycle to get the most out of it. its useful life and benefit from it, ”explains Meyer (Partridge, 2010).

How green is your internet

For every second of video that we see on the internet, 0.2 gm / s of CO2 is produced, maybe it does not seem like much, but every day more than 2 billion videos are viewed, which generates a total of 4000 tons of CO2 per day. In addition to the above, there are 44 million servers that contribute 2% of the planet's carbon emissions and the nearly 130 billion kWh per year of electrical energy consumed by the information centers.

In a study carried out by Greenpeace, called "How green is your information", it ranked Apple and Facebook as the companies that produce the most CO2 through the highest consumption of electricity. On the other hand, Yahoo and Google were considered the greenest since these large companies have reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by opting for alternative electrical energy consumption, such as solar panels and wind generators, consuming 2.5 million kWh per year, saving 1,065 tons of fossil fuels.

For its part, Google is creating a better website that is more respectful of the environment, making the company aware of the importance of the environment by using resources efficiently and supporting renewable energy. This means that when using Google products, a greater respect for the environment is shown.

At Google, they are working hard to minimize the environmental impact of their services. For example, to provide users with uninterrupted YouTube service for three weeks, Google uses less energy than a washing machine does to wash. If you add to this offsets and renewable energy, your carbon footprint is zero. And they continue to seek new ways to further reduce the impact of their facilities.

Google Renewable Energy for Others

In addition to investing in renewable energy for its own operations, Google is investing in renewable energy projects to develop the industry as a whole. Specifically, it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in large-scale renewable energy projects, such as wind or solar. These projects represent a total capacity of more than 1.8 GW, much more electricity than it uses for its own operations. To give you a better idea, this electricity is equivalent to that consumed by more than 350,000 homes.

Google proposes saving energy

Google products provide more than three billion searches a day, mobile maps for more than 200 million smartphone users, and host more than five million businesses in the cloud. In addition to being free from carbon dioxide emissions, Google products can help reduce the impact on the environment. For example. With the same amount of energy a small business uses to host their email locally, roughly 80 businesses could be hosted in the cloud.

Regarding the creation of a clear online returns system, which is included in the reverse logistics chain from the beginning of the product's production, it can be based on a series of simple and practical rules:

1. Start from the end. Try to design the systems taking reverse logistics as the main priority. It doesn't matter how attractive your website is; If there is no clear return policy, the customer will probably not return.

2. Prepare a clear presentation. It is not possible to pretend to sell, for example, clothes on the Internet, and realize that they are demanding several sizes from us in order to later see which one suits them, and return the rest using the returns system. The best way to maintain a low rate of returns is to ensure good quality in both the images and the information provided to customers (sizes, colors, size equivalence tables…)

3. Impulse buying usually ends in an impulsive return. The new and aggressive "One Click" policy (the process by which the customer, who already has an account on a certain website, places an order with a single mouse click), makes it too easy to buy a product impulsively, and this can lead to "Remorse" by the customer causing this to return the order just upon receipt. To avoid this, you must include an order cancellation option available for at least one hour after purchase.

4. Tell the customer what to do. If the order is packaged without clear instructions on how to return a purchase, we are forcing the customer to return to our website to find out what to do about it. Therefore, your orders should always be accompanied by detailed instructions on this subject.

5. Inform, inform and inform. The probability of return will increase the more time passes from the moment of purchase until the receipt of the order by the customer. In addition to providing an online tracking of the package, customers must also be kept informed of possible delays in the delivery of their order.

6. Implement self-configuration tools. The websites that allow you to configure products online dramatically decrease returns. Give your customers the ability to configure their products, packages, offers… This will significantly reduce the possibility of returning an order.

Dell Computers reports that those customers who configured their PCs online returned much fewer orders than those visited by traditional offline vendors.

7. Include online tools. Some transport companies (UPS, TNT…) have free online tools that can be integrated into the pages and greatly facilitate order returns.

When a customer requests a return, the system will provide the customer with a return label that will print from their local printer and paste on the package to be returned.

8. Take advantage of the offline warehouse. If the company is "Click & Mortar", that is, if it has a physical warehouse in addition to your web site, it offers the possibility for the customer to make their return in one of your stores or physical centers. Apart from the comfort that is offered to the client, he will be had in our field.

RMA processes

An RMA (Return Merchandise Authoritation) is a return merchandise authorization made up of an alphanumeric code. The vast majority of mail order companies have such a policy. This code is provided to the customer when the call center staff determines that it is a valid return. RMAs are important to both customers and suppliers, as it will tell the supplier that a product is being returned while protecting it from possible fraudulent returns. For their part, the customer can use this code to check the progress of their return just by calling and specifying it at the customer service center.

Normativity

When an organization decides to manage knowledge to be able to include reverse logistics in its production practices, it needs a greater orientation, requirements and minimum operating characteristics that it will need for its operations. Some of the standards that can be mentioned are the following:

Mexican environmental standards (Mexico, 2003)

All environmental regulations must indicate the values of the maximum and minimum permissible concentrations and periods of elements, compounds, substances, chemical or biological derivatives, energies, radiation, vibrations, or a combination of them.

Sewage discharges

Key to the Standard	Date	Description
NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996 NOM-001-ECOL-1996	01/06/1997	That establishes the maximum permissible limits of pollutants in wastewater discharges into national waters and goods (Clarification April 30, 1997)
NOM-002-SEMARNAT-1996 NOM-002-ECOL-1996	06/03/1998	That establishes the maximum permissible limits for pollutants in wastewater discharges to sewage systems .
NOM-003-SEMARNAT-1997 NOM-003-ECOL-1997	09/21/1998	That establishes the maximum permissible limits for pollutants for treated wastewater that is reused in public services.

Standards for control of air pollution - Emissions from stationary sources

Key to the Standard	Date	Description
NOM-039-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-039-ECOL-1993	10/22/1993	That establishes the maximum permissible emission levels to the atmosphere of sulfur dioxide and trioxide and sulfuric acid mists, in sulfuric acid producing plants.
NOM-040-SEMARNAT-2002 NOM-040-ECOL-1993	12/18/20022 10/10/1993	Environmental protection - Manufacture of hydraulic cement-Maximum permissible levels of emission to the atmosphere. (MODIFICATION DOF 20-APRIL-2004).- That establishes the maximum permissible levels of emission to the atmosphere of solid particles, as well as the control requirements of fugitive emissions from fixed sources dedicated to the manufacture of cement.
NOM-043-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-043-ECOL-1993	10/22/1993	That establishes the maximum permissible levels of emission into the atmosphere of solid particles from fixed sources.
NOM-046-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-046-ECOL-1993	10/22/1993	That establishes the maximum permissible emission levels to the atmosphere of sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide mists and sulfuric acid, from dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid in fixed sources.
NOM-051-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-051-ECOL-1993 Regulation canceled by NOM-086	10/22/1993	That establishes the maximum permissible level in weight of sulfur, in the liquid industrial diesel fuel that is consumed by fixed sources in the metropolitan area of Mexico City.
NOM-075-SEMARNAT-1995 NOM-075-ECOL-1995	12/26/1995	That establishes the maximum permissible levels of emission into the atmosphere of volatile organic compounds from the oil-water separator process of oil refineries.
NOM-085-SEMARNAT-1994 NOM-085-ECOL-1994	12/02/1994	Air pollution-Stationary sources- For stationary sources that use solid, liquid or gaseous fossil fuels or any of their combinations, which establishes the maximum permissible levels of emission to the atmosphere of smoke, total suspended particles, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides and the requirements and conditions for the operation of indirect combustion heating equipment, as well as the maximum permissible emission levels of sulfur dioxide in direct combustion heating equipment (MODIFICATION DOF 11-NOVEMBER -1997).
NOM-086-SEMARNAT-SENER-SCFI-2005 NOM-086-ECOL-1994	01/30/200603/10/2006	Atmospheric pollution-Specifications on environmental protection that must be met by liquid and gaseous fossil fuels used in stationary and mobile sources. Agreement to modify the Official Mexican Standard NOM-086-SEMARNAT-SENER-SCFI-2005, Specifications of fossil fuels for environmental protection. DOF 03-OCTOBER-2006
NOM-092-SEMARNAT-1995 NOM-092-ECOL-1995	09/06/1995	That regulates atmospheric pollution and establishes the requirements, specifications and parameters for the installation of gasoline vapor recovery systems in service and self-consumption stations located in the Valley of Mexico.
NOM-093-SEMARNAT-1995 NOM-093-ECOL-1995	09/06/1995	That establishes the test method to determine the laboratory efficiency of gasoline vapor recovery systems in service stations and self-consumption. ANNEX 1
NOM-097-SEMARNAT-1995 NOM-097-ECOL-1995	02/01/1996	That establishes the maximum permissible emission limits to the atmosphere of particulate material and nitrogen oxides in the glass manufacturing processes in the country (1st. CLARIFICATION DOF 01-JULY-1996 and 2nd. CLARIFICATION DOF-OCTOBER 16-1996).
NOM-105-SEMARNAT-1996 NOM-105-ECOL-1996	04/02/1998	That establishes the maximum permissible levels of emissions to the atmosphere of total solid particles and total reduced sulfur compounds from the chemical recovery wells of the pulp manufacturing plants.
NOM-121-SEMARNAT-1997 NOM-121-ECOL-1997	07/14/1998	That establishes the maximum permissible levels of emission to the atmosphere of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the coating operations of new bodies in the automobile plant, multiple-use, passenger and utility units; cargo and light trucks, as well as the method of calculating their emissions. (CLARIFICATION DOF 09-SEPTEMBER-1998).
NOM-123-SEMARNAT-1998 NOM-123-ECOL-1998	06/14/1999	That establishes the maximum permissible content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the manufacture of solvent-based air-drying paints for domestic use and the procedures for determining their content in paints and coatings. (CLARIFICATION DOF SEPTEMBER 29, 1999).
NOM-137-SEMARNAT-2003	05/30/2003	Atmospheric Pollution - Gas and sour condensate desulfurization plants - sulfur compound emissions control.
NOM-148-SEMARNAT-2003	11/28/2007	Atmospheric Pollution - Recovery of sulfur from oil refining processes.

Air pollution - Measurement of concentrations

Key to the Standard	Date	Description
NOM-034-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-034-ECOL-1993 Annex	10/18/1993	Which establishes the measurement methods to determine the concentration of carbon monoxide in ambient air and the procedures for the calibration of the measurement equipment.
NOM-035-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-035-ECOL-1993 Annex 1 and 2, Annex 3 and 4, Annex 5, Annex 6, Annex 7	10/18/1993	Which establishes the measurement methods to determine the concentration of total suspended particles in the ambient air and the procedure for the calibration of the measurement equipment.
NOM-036-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-036-ECOL-1993 Annex	10/18/1993	Which establishes the measurement methods to determine the ozone concentration in ambient air and the procedures for the calibration of the measurement equipment.
NOM-037-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-037-ECOL-1993 Annex	10/18/1993	Which establishes the measurement methods to determine the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in ambient air and the procedures for the calibration of the measurement equipment.
NOM-038-SEMARNAT-1993 NOM-038-ECOL-1993 Annex 1 Annex 2	10/18/1993	Which establishes the measurement methods to determine the concentration of sulfur dioxide in ambient air and the procedures for the calibration of measurement equipment.

International environmental standards

ISO 14000 is an internationally accepted standard that expresses how to establish an effective Environmental Management System (EMS). The standard is designed to achieve a balance between maintaining profitability and reducing impacts on the environment and, with the support of organizations, it is possible to achieve both objectives.

The ISO 14000 standard is focused on any organization, of any size or sector, that is seeking to reduce impacts on the environment and comply with environmental legislation.

It should be borne in mind that the standards stipulated by ISO 14000 do not set environmental goals for the prevention of pollution, nor are they involved in environmental performance at a global level, but rather, establish tools and systems focused on production processes within a company or organization, and the effects or externalities derived from these to the environment.

By 1992, a technical committee comprised of 43 active members and 15 observer members had been formed and the development of what we now know as ISO 14000 was underway. In October 1996, the launch of the first component of the ISO 14000 series of standards came to light, revolutionizing the business, legal and technical fields. These standards, called ISO 14000, will revolutionize the way both governments and industry will approach and deal with environmental issues. In turn, these standards will provide a common language for environmental management by establishing a framework for the certification of environmental management systems by third parties and by helping the industry meet the demands of consumers and government agencies for greater environmental responsibility.

Two aspects of ISO 14000 should be highlighted:

The certification of the Environmental Management System, through which companies will receive the certificate. The Environmental Seal, through which the products will be certified ("green seal").

ISO 14000 is based on the English standard BS7750, which was officially published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) prior to the UN World Meeting on the Environment (ECO 92).

The ISO 14000 standard is a set of environmental management documents that, once implemented, will affect all aspects of the management of an organization in its environmental responsibilities and will help organizations to systematically address environmental issues, in order to improve performance environmental and economic benefit opportunities.

The standards are voluntary, have no legal obligation, and do not establish a set of quantitative targets for emission levels or specific methods of measuring those emissions. Rather, ISO 14000 focuses on the organization by providing a set of procedure-based standards and guidelines from which a company can build and maintain an environmental management system.

In this sense, any business activity that wishes to be sustainable in all its spheres of action must be aware that it must assume a preventive attitude in the future, which allows it to recognize the need to integrate the environmental variable into its business decision mechanisms..

The standard is made up of 8 elements, which are listed below with their respective identification number:

Environmental Management Systems (14001 Specifications and directives for their use - 14004 General directives on principles, systems and support technique.) Environmental Audits (14010 General principles- 14011 Audit procedures, Audits of Environmental Management Systems- 14012 Criteria for certification of auditors) Environmental performance evaluation (14031 Guidelines- 14032 Environmental Performance Evaluation Examples) Life cycle analysis (14040 Principles and general framework- 14041 Definition of the objective and scope and inventory analysis- 1404

Benefits

For the companies

The adoption of International Standards makes it easier for suppliers to base the development of their products on the comparison of extensive market data from their sectors, thus allowing industrialists to compete more and more freely and effectively in many more markets around the world.

ONE cost savings: ISO 14001 can provide cost savings through reduced waste and more efficient use of natural resources such as electricity, water and gas. Organizations with ISO 14001 certifications are better placed in the face of possible future fines and penalties for non-compliance with environmental legislation, and a reduction in insurance by way of demonstrating better risk management.

Reputation: as there is public knowledge of the rules, it can also mean a competitive advantage, creating more and better business opportunities.

Staff participation: internal communication is improved and a more motivated team can be found through suggestions for environmental improvement.

Continuous improvement: the regular evaluation process ensures that the environmental performance of companies can be monitored and improved.

Compliance: the implementation of ISO 14001 demonstrates that organizations comply with a series of legal requirements. This can mitigate the risks of lawsuits.

Integrated systems: ISO 14001 is aligned with other management system standards such as ISO 9001 or OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety, which provides a more effective and efficient management of systems in general.

For governments

International Standards provide the technological and scientific bases that support health, safety legislation and environmental quality.

For developing countries

International Standards constitute an important source of technological know-how, defining the characteristics expected of products and services to be placed in export markets, International Standards thus give a basis to these countries to make correct decisions when investing with I target their scarce resources and thus avoid wasting them.

For the consumers

Compliance of products and services to International DE Standards provides assurance of their quality, safety and reliability.

For each one

International Standards can contribute to improving the quality of life in general by ensuring that the transport, machinery and instruments we use are healthy and safe.

For the planet we inhabit

Because by existing International Standards on air, water and soil quality, as well as on gas emissions and radiation, we can contribute to the effort to conserve the environment.

ISO develops only those standards for which there is a market requirement. The work is carried out by experts from the industrial, technical and business sectors who have requested the standards and who subsequently intend to use. These experts can join others with relevant knowledge, such as: representatives of government agencies, consumer organizations, academies, testing laboratories and in general international experts in their own fields.

Conclusions

Reverse logistics is a recent topic as such; Despite the fact that it has been applied for a long time, little is known or is completely unknown on this subject.

Currently there are few companies that carry out reverse logistics and green logistics processes.

The application of an adequate reverse logistics system contributes to reducing the environmental impact that companies have when developing their products.

To implement a reverse logistics system efficiently, there must be a total awareness and collaboration between all agents: supplier, human resources, distribution, transportation, and end user.

Reverse logistics has not been a priority objective within companies and it is now that it is being understood that it is a very important business factor, especially because the behaviors have had an impact and drastically modified the forms of production.

Thesis proposal

Development of a training program on reverse logistics for companies located in the municipality of Nogales, Veracruz.

goals

Develop a training program on reverse logistics that raises awareness in an integrated way in the way of operating in the companies installed in the municipality of Nogales, Veracruz. And thus reduce the environmental impact in the area.

Bibliography

Guerrero, L. (2013). About.com. Retrieved 2013, from Vida Verde: http://vidaverde.about.com/od/Reciclaje/g/Las-Tres-Erres-Ecologicas.htm KOPICKI, R. (1993). ROUSE AND RECYCLING: REVERSE LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES. USA, MEXICO, CD (04 of 23 of 2003). OFFICIAL MEXICAN STANDARDS ON ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS Partridge, AR (2010). REVERSE LOGISTICS, GREEN BY EXCELLENCE. Inbound Logistics México, 32 -39.PÉREZ, SE (02 of 12 of 2007). EVOLUTION OF LOGISTICS. Obtained from http://evoluciondelalogistica.blogspot.mx/2007/12/resumen-de-la-historia-de-logstica.htmlROGERS D, TL (1999). "REVERSE LOGISTICS EXECUTE COUNCIL". USATABLE, CO (sf). REVERSE LOGISTICS. Obtained from www.cscmpmexico.com.mx WIKIPEDIA. (sf). Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus. Obtained from