Toward a sustainable future: enhancing environmental performance through reverse logistics, resource commitment and organizational learning capability for circular business models

Purpose This study explores how sustainable reverse logistics (SRL) influences environmental performance (EP) in the manufacturing sector, with a focus on the mediating role of sustainable resource commitment (SRC) and the moderating effect of organizational learning capability (OLC). Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from manufacturing firms in Shaanxi Province, China. The study developed a model and tested all hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS). Findings The results reveal that SRL is positively linked to EP, and SRC significantly mediates the relationship between them. Furthermore, OLC moderates the relationship between SRL and EP, enhancing the overall effect. Research limitations/implications The findings offer valuable practical insights into how adopting sustainable practices, integrating circular economy principles and leveraging organizational learning capabilities can enhance sustainability in manufacturing firms. However, the reliance on data from a single country limits the generalizability of the findings, highlighting the need for future research across diverse geographical contexts to explore how circular economy-driven sustainability strategies vary in different industrial and regulatory environments. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature on environmental performance by integrating SRL and offering a novel framework. It empirically examines the mediating role of SRC and the moderating effect of OLC, which remain underexplored.