From Returned to Recovered: What It Actually Takes to Operationalize Reverse Logistics

What does it take to build a reverse logistics operation that keeps materials at their highest and best use? Which operational decisions and partnership models determine whether a recovery program is actually successful at scale?

Reverse logistics is the backbone of every resale program, take-back scheme, and material recovery commitment. What happens after a product leaves a customer’s hands is where circular aspirations either hold up or fall apart. This session pulls back the curtain on running that operation at scale, from sorting and grading to cleaning, repair, and onward routing to resale or recycling. You’ll hear from two operators running real infrastructure for major brands, covering the decisions that shape recovery outcomes, the partnership models that work, where the economics pencil out, and how these operations create quality jobs in the circular economy.