One of the recurring challenges that industries and society face is the availability of and access to resources. The scarcity of resources creates instability in the supply chains of firms and in turn affects competitiveness. In recent years, the notion of a reverse distribution network has been put forth as a possible solution to remedy not only the volatility of the supply chains but also as an indispensable approach for sustainable development. This paper examines the current state of the literature on reverse distribution networks from a system perspective. Two major findings were identified. Firstly, there are no clear grounds for decision making regarding supply network development. Secondly, collaborations offers great opportunities to develop reverse distribution networks and build robust supply chains.