Transforming Humanitarian Supply Chains Through Green Practices: A Systematic Review

Angie Ramirez-Villamil and Anicia Jaegler ()
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Angie Ramirez-Villamil: Research Group in Logistics Systems, School of Engineering, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía 250001, Colombia
Anicia Jaegler: Centre of Excellence for Sustainability, Kedge Business School, 75012 Paris, France

Logistics, 2025, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-16

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.

Keywords: green supply chain; sustainability; humanitarian supply chain; humanitarian logistics; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlogis:v:9:y:2025:i:3:p:115-:d:1724177

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