As we conclude the celebration of Earth Month in 2024, hosts Kristi Porter and Nuria Sierra welcome you to this episode of Logistics With Purpose, as Chris Forbes, co-founder of The Cheeky Panda, discusses the company’s journey and commitment to sustainability. The Cheeky Panda, a UK-based startup, produces household products like toilet paper and baby wipes from bamboo, the world’s fastest-growing plant. Forbes explains that the idea was born out of a desire to create a sustainable, high-quality product that could easily replace everyday essentials. The company, which distributes in 27 countries, has faced challenges such as working capital and supply chain management. Listen and learn as Forbes emphasizes the importance of small, sustainable choices in everyday life, and encourages consumers to question their need for plastic and opt for recyclable alternatives.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Claudia Freed, President & CEO of EALGreen, welcome Chuck Johnston, Chief Strategy Officer at ReturnPro, for a deep dive into the “dark side” of supply chain: reverse logistics and returns management. They unpack why returns are a nearly trillion-dollar challenge in the U.S., how BORIS (buy online, return in store) strains store operations, and why many retailers still under-invest: leaders often can’t see the full cost across functions or make the ROI case for what’s treated as a cost center. Chuck shares how the space has evolved from yellow notepads to data-driven decisioning, highlighting intelligent algorithms that route items at the customer’s first return click, fraud mitigation with imaging and behavior signals, and how third-party innovation is compressing software build times. Claudia adds a nonprofit and circularity lens: donation channels, extended tax credits, and AI pilots (computer vision + MCP agents) that identify item condition and slotting in real time. Together, they explore where to start, why cross-functional “ambassadors” matter, and how partnerships across retailers, manufacturers, nonprofits, and 3PLs can turn returns from margin erosion into measurable value and social impact.   This episode is hosted by…