IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlogis/v9y2025i3p115-d1724177.html

Transforming Humanitarian Supply Chains Through Green Practices: A Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Angie Ramirez-Villamil

    (Research Group in Logistics Systems, School of Engineering, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía 250001, Colombia
    Centre of Excellence for Sustainability, Kedge Business School, 75012 Paris, France)

  • Anicia Jaegler

    (Centre of Excellence for Sustainability, Kedge Business School, 75012 Paris, France)

Abstract

Background : This systematic review explores the integration of green practices into humanitarian supply chains to mitigate environmental impacts and contribute to global decarbonization efforts. Methods : This review focused on peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2024 that addressed the environmental dimension of humanitarian logistics. Studies were included if they examined environmental practices within humanitarian supply chains and excluded if they lacked focus on environmental impact or logistics. A comprehensive search of the Scopus database in April 2024 yielded 291 records, of which 51 studies met the inclusion criteria. A thematic synthesis was conducted; due to the qualitative nature of the data, no formal risk-of-bias assessment was conducted. Results : The analysis revealed increasing adoption of environmentally focused practices, such as emissions monitoring, waste reduction, and resource-efficient transportation. Key barriers included operational complexity, inadequate digital infrastructure, and the absence of standardized environmental frameworks. The review identified digital innovation, inter-organizational collaboration, and integrated environmental performance metrics as promising pathways for improvement. Despite growing awareness, significant gaps remain in the standardization and measurement of environmental performance across humanitarian supply chains. Conclusions : The findings highlight the need for further research and coordinated efforts to develop consistent, scalable green practices in the humanitarian context.

Suggested Citation

  • Angie Ramirez-Villamil & Anicia Jaegler, 2025. "Transforming Humanitarian Supply Chains Through Green Practices: A Systematic Review," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:3:p:115-:d:1724177
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/9/3/115/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/9/3/115/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. M. Ali Ülkü & James H. Bookbinder & Nam Yi Yun, 2024. "Leveraging Industry 4.0 Technologies for Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains: Evidence from the Extant Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-26, February.
    2. S. Bag & S. Luthra & V.G. Venkatesh & G. Yadav, 2020. "Towards Understanding Key Enablers to Green Humanitarian Supply Chain Management Practices," Post-Print hal-04457116, HAL.
    3. Harpreet Kaur & Surya Prakash Singh, 2019. "Sustainable procurement and logistics for disaster resilient supply chain," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 283(1), pages 309-354, December.
    4. Liang, Siqi & Bai, Xuejie & Li, Yongli & Xin, Hening, 2023. "Model and solution of sustainable bi-level emergency commodity allocation based on type-2 fuzzy theory," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    5. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali & Sanjoy Kumar Paul, 2021. "Key Challenges to Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, May.
    6. Zhang, Bo & Li, Hui & Li, Shengguo & Peng, Jin, 2018. "Sustainable multi-depot emergency facilities location-routing problem with uncertain information," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 333(C), pages 506-520.
    7. Rameshwar Dubey & David James Bryde & Cyril Foropon & Manisha Tiwari & Angappa Gunasekaran, 2022. "How frugal innovation shape global sustainable supply chains during the pandemic crisis: Lessons from the COVID-19," Post-Print hal-03539266, HAL.
    8. Muhammad Sarfraz Ahmad & Wang Fei & Muhammad Shoaib & Hassan Ali, 2024. "Identification of Key Drivers for Performance Measurement in Sustainable Humanitarian Relief Logistics: An Integrated Fuzzy Delphi-DEMATEL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-37, May.
    9. Amir Jamali & Amirhossein Ranjbar & Jafar Heydari & Sina Nayeri, 2022. "A multi-objective stochastic programming model to configure a sustainable humanitarian logistics considering deprivation cost and patient severity," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 319(1), pages 1265-1300, December.
    10. Maria Besiou & Alfonso J. Pedraza‐Martinez & Luk N. Van Wassenhove, 2021. "Humanitarian Operations and the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(12), pages 4343-4355, December.
    11. Devendra K. Yadav & Akhilesh Barve, 2019. "Prioritization of cyclone preparedness activities in humanitarian supply chains using fuzzy analytical network process," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 97(2), pages 683-726, June.
    12. Surajit Bag & Shivam Gupta & Lincoln Wood, 2022. "Big data analytics in sustainable humanitarian supply chain: barriers and their interactions," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 319(1), pages 721-760, December.
    13. Bertha Maya Sopha & Athaya Islami Triasari & Lynette Cheah, 2021. "Sustainable Humanitarian Operations: Multi-Method Simulation for Large-Scale Evacuation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, July.
    14. Laura Laguna-Salvadó & Matthieu Lauras & Uche Okongwu & Tina Comes, 2019. "A multicriteria Master Planning DSS for a sustainable humanitarian supply chain," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 283(1), pages 1303-1343, December.
    15. Guo Fuli & Cyril Foropon & Ma Xin, 2022. "Reducing carbon emissions in humanitarian supply chain: the role of decision making and coordination," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 319(1), pages 355-377, December.
    16. Ammar Jilani & Yousaf Ali & Muhammad Waseem Khan, 2018. "Greening of humanitarian supply chain with focus on logistics," International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(1), pages 49-66.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Siddharth Prajapati & Ramesh Anbanandam, 2026. "Social Sustainability Index for Performance Measurement in Humanitarian Supply Chains: A Novel Fuzzy Logic and TISM–MICMAC Approach," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 27(1), pages 17-45, March.
    2. Md Maruf Hossan Chowdhury & Sanjoy Kumar Paul & Eijaz Ahmed Khan & A. K. M. Shakil Mahmud, 2024. "A Decision Support Model for Barriers and Optimal Strategy Design in Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chain Management," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 25(3), pages 467-486, September.
    3. Hosseinifard, Zahra & Layaoen, Haerold Dean & Abareshi, Ahmad & Abbasi, Babak & Sheu, Jiuh-Biing, 2025. "A critical evaluation of non-profit organizations’ contributions to disaster management: Historical perspectives and future trends in operations management research," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    4. Oscar Rodríguez-Espíndola & Prasanta Dey & Pavel Albores & Soumyadeb Chowdhury, 2025. "Sustainability and intermodality in humanitarian logistics: a two-stage multi-objective programming formulation," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 346(2), pages 1687-1716, March.
    5. Peiyu Zhang & Yankui Liu & Guoqing Yang & Guoqing Zhang, 2022. "A multi-objective distributionally robust model for sustainable last mile relief network design problem," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 309(2), pages 689-730, February.
    6. Muhammad Umar Farooq & Amjad Hussain & Tariq Masood & Muhammad Salman Habib, 2021. "Supply Chain Operations Management in Pandemics: A State-of-the-Art Review Inspired by COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-33, February.
    7. Muhammad Sarfraz Ahmad & Wang Fei & Muhammad Shoaib & Hassan Ali, 2024. "Identification of Key Drivers for Performance Measurement in Sustainable Humanitarian Relief Logistics: An Integrated Fuzzy Delphi-DEMATEL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-37, May.
    8. Cao, Cejun & Liu, Yang & Tang, Ou & Gao, Xuehong, 2021. "A fuzzy bi-level optimization model for multi-period post-disaster relief distribution in sustainable humanitarian supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    9. M. Ali Ülkü & James H. Bookbinder & Nam Yi Yun, 2024. "Leveraging Industry 4.0 Technologies for Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains: Evidence from the Extant Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-26, February.
    10. Jiayi Xu & Rossilah Jamil & Xiaojun Mai & Lvxiang Deng & Jiayue Zhang & Ying Yang, 2024. "Volunteer Management in Nonprofit Organizations: A Bibliometric Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, October.
    11. J. F. F. Almeida & S. V. Conceição & L. R. Pinto & B. R. P. Oliveira & L. F. Rodrigues, 2022. "Optimal sales and operations planning for integrated steel industries," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 315(2), pages 773-790, August.
    12. Paul, Ananna & Shukla, Nagesh & Trianni, Andrea, 2023. "Modelling supply chain sustainability challenges in the food processing sector amid the COVID-19 outbreak," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    13. Félicia Saïah & Diego Vega & Harwin de Vries & Joakim Kembro, 2023. "Process modularity, supply chain responsiveness, and moderators: The Médecins Sans Frontières response to the Covid‐19 pandemic," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(5), pages 1490-1511, May.
    14. Changshi Liu & Gang Kou & Yi Peng & Fawaz E. Alsaadi, 2019. "Location-Routing Problem for Relief Distribution in the Early Post-Earthquake Stage from the Perspective of Fairness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, June.
    15. Meysam Amirsadat & Kooresh Omidipoor & Amir Bastaminia & Mohammad Mehdi Meshkinghalam, 2024. "Identifying and evaluating the dimensions and components affecting the resilience of flood-stricken communities: Konarak city," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 120(12), pages 10607-10634, September.
    16. Ciasullo, Maria Vincenza & Cosimato, Silvia & Schiavone, Francesco, 2026. "Socio-ecological resilience and technology-driven value creation for humanitarian emergencies. An exploratory case study," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    17. Zhang, Justin Zuopeng & Dou, Junpeng & Liu, Yulong David & Nazrul, Asif & Behl, Abhishek, 2025. "Building resilient circular supply chains with blockchain: Exploring the impact of relationships and capabilities," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    18. Thilini Pathiranage & Weena Lokuge, 2020. "Vulnerability assessment of bridges subjected to extreme cyclonic events," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 102(1), pages 401-417, May.
    19. Mamta Mishra & Surya Prakash Singh & Manmohan Prasad Gupta, 2024. "Two phase algorithm for bi-objective relief distribution location problem," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 335(3), pages 1363-1399, April.
    20. Yossi Luzon & Opher Baron & Vedat Verter & Oded Berman, 2025. "On Designing a Fire Emergency Vehicle Fleet," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 27(6), pages 1995-2015, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:3:p:115-:d:1724177. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.