a better future

Our SDG impact

Flying Swans designs new infrastructures as hubs for change, as springboards for sustainable transitions. Our investment projects serve as catalysts for industry-wide transformation and economic development in emerging economies.

The Flying Swans approach focuses on the actual development of the project, in which economics and societal impact are two sides of the same coin. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are an integral part of the design, with the premise that they do not increase costs. Interventions are only worthwhile if they are also economically sustainable.

Increasing the availability of nutritious foods while empowering small farmers.

The projects that Flying Swans develop create opportunities for the production of nutritious fruits and vegetables. While this production is destined for export markets that are more luctrative for small farmers, it is common that 30% of produced export crops remain available for local populations.

Supply chains enabled by Flying Swans' projects often have a large role for smallholder farmers, and providing them access to export incomes is another key target of SDG 2 that Flying Swans contributes to.

Unlocking supply chains, enabling growth.

Supply chain reconfigurations that give agriculture sectors access to export markets result in economic growth and ultimately large-scale job creation. This growth is compounded by increased logistical efficiency, maximising the value retained by farmers and employees.

Developing essential public infrastructure for growth

In many developing economies, (public) infrastructure is the definitive bottleneck preventing broad-based conomic growth. Flying Swans' key objective is to develop these infrastructures and enable this growth while minimising carbon footprints.

Railways often play a key role in this. Railways offer affordable long-range transport at minimal finanial and carbon costs. By connecting hinterlands to port-connected railways, a consistent, competitive and clean supply chain can be stablished that is to the benefit of farmers, traders and consumers.

Supply Chain Reconfiguration for 66% food loss reduction

Food loss is a major global challenge. Wasted food consumes 4% of the world's energy, 20% of its freshwater, and claims 30% of its agricultural area. If food loss was a country, it would rank third in carbon emissions.

Food loss is more prevalent in developing countries, particularly between farm and consumer. The project that Flying Swans develop look to introduce European-standard supply chains to trade flows of fresh produce. By introducing reconfigurations such as early consolidation and a closed cold chain, food losses between farm and consumer can be reduced by up to 66%

Helping fight the climate emergency through modal shift and loss reduction

Enabling perishable export industries at a minimal carbon footprint is one of Flying Swans' key goals. The air-to-sea and truck-to-rail modal shifts that Flying Swans facilitates hold massive potential in this regard: sea freight's carbon footprint is roughly 98% less than that of air freight, while a 50+% reduction can be achieved when switching from road to rail.

Flying Swans' second contribution to the fight against the climate emergency is by reducing food loss as much as possible. If food loss was a country, it would rank third in carbon emissions. By using technology to minimise losses, Flying Swans' projects further suppress the carbon footprint of exporting industries.