Background: Sustainability has become increasingly significant in both contemporary societyand the business landscape. The rise of sustainable supply chain concepts necessitates areassessment of business process management. Central to this shift is the adoption of circulareconomy principles, which play a pivotal role in businesses' pursuit of environmentalsustainability. As companies transition towards a circular economy model, it becomesimperative for manufacturers to reorganize their logistics systems, with reverse logisticsassuming a critical position. Reverse logistics encompasses the process of collecting productsand materials from their usual endpoint in order to extract their value, which would otherwisebe unattainable, or ensure their proper disposal.

Purpose: The purpose is to explore drivers of and barriers to the implementation of reverselogistics in the context of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Method: The research uses a qualitative embedded single case study approach. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, involving representatives from four distinct actors withinthe Belgian pharmaceutical supply chain. Data analysis employs an inductive approach.Additionally, 6 websites and papers are reviewed to complement the knowledge and deepeninsights. The outcome is a framework with theoretical and practical implications.

Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal the challenges associated with implementingreverse logistics in the pharmaceutical sector. The results are categorized into drivers andbarriers. Firstly, the drivers identified include education, regulations, resources, economicconsiderations, social responsibility, immediate recalls, bulk systems, charity, and goodcompany image. Conversely, the barriers encompass educational gaps, regulatory constraints,resource limitations, economic considerations, hygiene concerns, and issues related toresponsibility. These findings highlight the complex landscape within which all stakeholdersoperate, underscoring the difficulties they face, particularly within the pharmaceutical industry,in achieving effective reverse logistics implementation.