FORMATION OF THE CIRCULAR LOGISTICS PROJECT CATEGORY: THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES AND CLASSIFICATION

Abstract

The paper develops theoretical foundations for the category of circular logistics project as an independent management object. The correspondence between the circular transformation of logistics systems and the key attributes of a project – uniqueness, time and resource constraints, and orientation toward a measurable result – is substantiated, along with the methodological rationale for applying the project approach to managing such transformation. Based on this analysis, an original definition of the circular logistics project is proposed as a time-, resource-, and budgetconstrained activity aimed at implementing circular business models in a logistics system to ensure closed-loop material flows and achieve economic, environmental, and social outcomes. A classification of circular logistics projects is developed according to the nature of circular business models' impact on logistics activity, identifying three groups: projects implementing purely logistical models (Reuse Model, Reverse Logistics, Recycling), models transforming logistics (Servitization, Repair and Refurbishment, Remanufacturing), and networked models with a logistics component (Industrial Symbiosis, Resource Sharing Platforms). The typical level of implementation for each group is determined across macro-, meso-, and micro-logistics systems. A comparative analysis of circular and traditional logistics projects is conducted across seven characteristics: objective, outcome, stakeholder composition, resource base, life cycle, performance indicators, and risk profile; it reveals that circular logistics projects pursue a triple economic, environmental, and social objective, involve a broader range of stakeholders including consumers as a source of reverse material flows, and are characterized by a cyclical rather than linear life cycle. The evolution of leading project management standards – PMBOK 7th edition (2021), PMBOK 8th edition (2025), and PMI–GPM P5 (Version 4.0, 2026) – toward integrating sustainability and circularity requirements is traced, demonstrating a consistent elevation of sustainability's status from an element of responsible stewardship to a mandatory principle and, ultimately, to a dedicated impact-assessment toolkit. The methodological suitability of the PMI–GPM P5 standard for managing circular logistics projects is substantiated.