The degree of digitization of Swiss SMEs varies. The larger the company and the younger the management, the fitter the company is in the digital field. The industry is also a deciding factor: Companies from areas of activity such as telecommunications and media are - not surprisingly - leaders in digitization. 80 percent of respondents expect the market to change fundamentally as a result of digitization in the next five years. This is the result of a survey of 300 Swiss SMEs.

Digital, but not everywhere

The companies surveyed focus on digitizing internal processes and on websites or e-commerce solutions. The customer and their experience are still rarely the focus: only 42 percent involve customers in their business processes. Companies that have opted for digital transformation now believe that the financial commitment has paid off.

Making digitization a top priority

"Success stories at homegrown companies show that digitization fundamentally changes a company. That's why the topic should be on the agenda of managing directors, CEOs and board members," emphasizes Patrick Warnking, Country Director of Google Switzerland. "Human resources are among the most important success factors of digitalization. It needs people who translate what has been planned into their everyday lives," adds Holger Greif, Digital Transformation Leader at PwC Switzerland.

Roadmap for champions

As a finding from the study, Norbert Kühnis, Head of Family Businesses and SMEs, PwC Switzerland, recommends showing courage and observing one's own market closely: "It often takes a courageous decision for a big step to succeed. I therefore advise Swiss SMEs to observe the market and see digital opportunities as opportunities. A champion uses digitization to expand the relationship with customers and to tackle customer needs in a spirited way."

You can download the current SME study under this link http://www.pwc.ch/de/dienstleistungen/consulting/digital/digitalisierung-wo-stehen-schweizer-kmu.html

Your employees are probably the most important factor in the success of your company. How do you ensure that you find the right skilled workers? Are you affected by the immigration initiative in Switzerland and do you feel a shortage of skilled workers?

You are right, our employees are indeed the decisive success factor for our company, and we attach the greatest importance to hiring the best talent worldwide. To ensure this, all applicants undergo an intensive interview process lasting several hours or spread over several days, during which we place particular emphasis on "cultural fit" in addition to qualifications and work experience, in order to promote a team-oriented corporate culture with a long-term focus.

As we are a very globally positioned company, the immigration initiative affects us much less than companies that have the majority of their workforce in Switzerland and rely on international specialists on site. Our more than 850 employees are spread across 19 offices worldwide, and we recruit globally accordingly. As one of the leading private market specialists in an industry with rapidly growing demand, we received around 15,000 applications for around 100 vacancies last year.

We are therefore in the comfortable position that many qualified talents want to work for us and approach us directly. While we don't have to complain about a shortage of skilled workers on a global basis, the Zug site, our "headquarters", is, however, dependent on regular work permits for qualified applicants, and that is why we are in close contact with the local employment office.

Will the Swiss financial center gain relative importance after BREXIT?

First and foremost is the question of whether the UK can retain passporting, which allows companies such as banks, insurance companies and asset managers to offer financial services in the EU from the UK. If passporting is retained, the changes will be limited and we should not see a substantial shift of labor from one financial center to another - such as from London to Frankfurt. If, on the other hand, contrary to expectations, a scenario were to occur in which passporting for the UK could not be maintained, then relocations would occur. However, Switzerland must first do its homework and adapt its financial market regulation to international standards in order to be able to cut a slice of the cake. In particular, this involves adopting the FinSA and FinIA and obtaining a certificate of equivalence, e.g. from the EU. If this happens, then locations such as Zurich or Geneva will be serious competitors to the EU locations Frankfurt, Paris or Milan, despite high labor costs, thanks to decades of experience for banks and asset managers. However, we will have to wait until the negotiations between the EU and the UK take shape, which may still take years. As Partners Group, we feel well positioned with our offices in Europe, which are partly inside and partly outside the EU, and are therefore not taking any short-term measures at the moment.

What impact will BREXIT have on your company?

Every participant in the financial markets - including Partners Group - is directly and/or indirectly affected by a BREXIT. For our company itself, however, the impact is manageable because less than 3% of our sales are booked in British pounds and the devaluation of the currency compared to the Swiss franc will therefore only have a marginal impact on our results. However, we have many customers in the UK and of course there is currently some uncertainty with regard to investments. However, we firmly believe that UK institutional investors will continue to be interested in private market investments for yield and diversification reasons, even if the country will no longer be part of the EU. On the investment side, we think the impact will be limited in the medium term, as only around 6% of our assets under management are invested in the UK, and not all assets will be equally affected by BREXIT. Especially here we feel confirmed in our global investment approach.

What is Partners Group's recipe for success?

We focus on private markets, there on equity and debt capital for medium-sized companies, as well as real estate and infrastructure investments. To this end, we have built a global platform with 19 offices and over 850 employees. Thanks to this, we can compare investment opportunities and make investments in all private markets worldwide.

Events such as BREXIT highlight the risks of those investment strategies that focus solely on one country, industry and/or sector. At Partners Group, we believe very strongly in a globally diversified investment approach to minimize the risks for our investors, and this is also true for our client base. For example, around one third of our assets under management come from German-speaking Europe, one third from the Anglo-Saxon region and one third from the rest of the world. Our income is thus also correspondingly broadly diversified, which plays an important role in the stability of our company.

In what light do you see the current year?

The investment environment is broadly the same as in 2015. Valuations are at high levels given high liquidity in the market and we cannot expect our investments to achieve return targets "only" via global economic growth. We need to actively add value to our portfolio, which we do, among other things, with specialists in various industries (such as telecommunications or medical) working for us and being part of the investment process. In addition, we pursue a very long-term investment horizon in our asset classes. Specifically, we make investments in companies, real estate and infrastructure assets to develop them over a period of 4-8 years. We can live well with long holding periods, as we can basically decide for ourselves when is the best time to exit. This is a key advantage of the private markets compared with the public markets (equity markets): the maturities for the majority of our products are ten to twelve years, and over this period we need to achieve the best possible return.

In the first half of 2016, we received capital commitments from our clients in the amount of EUR 4.6 billion, spread across all asset classes, thus increasing total assets under management to EUR 49 billion. For the full year 2016, we expect new capital commitments from our clients in the amount of EUR 8-9 billion.

André Frei will speak on November 14 at the Europe Forum Lucerne. He is Co-CEO of the Partners Group, a global private markets investment manager with over 850 institutional investors worldwide.

Over the past five years, Swisscom Health AG has built up a customer base of 2,000 doctors, 200 hospitals, 70 insurance companies, 200 pharmacies, five cantons, and numerous laboratories and X-ray institutes. In addition, the competence center for health insurance outsourcing was established in 2016, which today operates Sanitas' core IT.

Under its newly appointed CEO Thomas Bachofner, Swisscom Health AG will continue to promote digitization and networking in the healthcare sector. The strategy adopted will thus continue to be pursued.

Digitization in the healthcare sector is maturing faster than ever, and a groundbreaking phase will soon begin with the entry into force of the EPDG. Swisscom Health AG is already working on various networking projects in Zurich, Solothurn, Bern and Liechtenstein.

Thomas Bachofner joined Swisscom in 2010 as Head of Strategy for the SME segment. Under his leadership, the digitization strategy was created, which he then successfully implemented as the person responsible for product management and marketing in cooperation with SME customers. Before joining Swisscom, Bachofner held various management positions at IBM and Accenture. The 45-year-old Zurich native studied economics and political science at the University of Bern. Thomas Bachofner will take over as Head of Swisscom Health AG on December 1, 2016.

www.swisscom.ch

Scientific knowledge is important in many areas of life. It influences decisions made by individuals - on health, nutrition or child rearing, for example - as well as political and economic decisions. This is particularly true for Switzerland - a knowledge society with high spending on science and research and one of the most innovative countries in the world.

"The Swiss population is aware of this importance of science and has a generally positive attitude toward it," explains Mike S. Schäfer, professor at the University of Zurich. Together with Julia Metag, professor at the University of Fribourg, he has published the first "Science Barometer Switzerland" raised.

Strong support for research
"Three quarters of the Swiss population consider scientific research to be necessary, even if no immediate benefit is derived from it," says Mike S. Schäfer. An equally large number of respondents believe that science and research should be supported by the state.

This is also reflected in their attitudes: The Swiss population is very interested in science and research. More than half of them are strongly or very strongly interested in these topics, more than in business and finance or sports. Only politics interests more respondents.

The population's trust in science is also pronounced. For 57 percent of the population, trust is strong to very strong. For only 5 percent is it low or very low. Scientists at universities enjoy particular trust. The majority of respondents believe that science and research improve their lives, even if they think there should be limits to research. Only a few, however, are interested in participating in scientific projects themselves.

Information via newspapers and internet
The Science Barometer also shows where the Swiss population obtains information about science and research: Primarily via the traditional mass media such as daily and weekly newspapers and weekly magazines. The Internet is now the second most important source of information.

Online, Wikipedia and websites of public institutions are most frequently used for information on scientific topics. Science and research are also an interpersonal topic: More than one-third of respondents frequently talk to friends and acquaintances about scientific findings and results from research.

Project background
The long-term project "Science Barometer Switzerland" surveys what the Swiss population thinks about scientific topics and how different sources of information, from mass media to Facebook and Twitter, to family and friends, influence the perception of
influence scientific topics.
By means of a representative telephone survey of the Swiss population conducted every three years, current processes of change in science communication and its audience are traced. The focus is on the interrelationships between science communication,
their use and reactions on the part of the audience. With these data, international comparisons with similar surveys on science communication in other countries are possible. 1051 people - 651 in German-speaking Switzerland, 200 in French-speaking Switzerland and 200 in Ticino - were surveyed by the Adligenswil-based DemosCope Institute.

The first survey took place in June 2016. The next surveys will take place in 2019 and 2022. The project is funded by the Gebert Rüf Foundation, the Mercator Switzerland Foundation and the Institute of Mass Communication and Media Research (IPMZ) at the University of Zurich.
It is conducted by Prof. Mike S. Schäfer and his department "Science Communication" of the IPMZ and Prof. Julia Metag of the University of Fribourg.

Source: University of Zurich

The Buman motion, which wanted to ban disposable plastic bags altogether, has definitely been taken off the table by parliament. The Swiss retail trade is pleased about this. However, it now wants to implement voluntary measures to quickly and massively reduce the number of disposable plastic bags distributed.

Coop is forging ahead and has already implemented its measures as of October 24. From then on, disposable plastic bags will cost 5 centimes, at least at 10 points of sale in the city of Zurich. Surveys and tests by Coop have shown that four out of five customers will give up a disposable plastic bag as soon as it costs something.

Reduction by 80 % as target

As a first step, Coop will examine the processes at the checkouts in the ten sales outlets to make them as customer-friendly as possible. By spring 2017, the ecological Raschel bags will then be available for 5 centimes in all 850-plus Coop supermarkets throughout Switzerland. Coop has set itself the goal of reducing the number of single-use plastic bags dispensed in Coop supermarkets by 80 % in this way.

100 % recycled material bags

Coop wants to achieve a sustainable and customer-friendly solution when dealing with the disposable plastic bags. Therefore, at Coop, these are made from 100 % recycled material, largely from film waste from Coop distribution centers. The proceeds from the sale of the single-use bags go into the Coop Fund for Sustainability, which Coop uses to support innovative and sustainable projects. Alternatively, customers can continue to purchase reusable bags at Coop supermarket checkouts.

Migros has tested model

Migros will follow suit from November 1. It wants to introduce the tax nationwide right away. A test has already been running since 2013 in the canton of Vaud, where Migros charges 5 centimes for the bags. According to Migros, customers quickly got used to it - and consumption has fallen sharply. Migros also wants to have the bags made from 100% recycled material.

Migros is also not earning any money from the new levies - it wants to channel the profits into external environmental projects.

Pack vegetables for free - or with reusable bags

Vegetable and fruit bags are still exempt from the tax. Here, however, Migros is also currently testing an alternative: reusable vegetable bags made of polyester, with flags on the side to attach the labels. The bags are washable and were developed in collaboration with the marine conservation organization Ocean Care. A pack of four costs 9.90 Swiss francs and is sold under the name "Veggie Bags".

Source: Coop Switzerland / Swiss Retail Federation / IG DHS

71 percent of transalpine freight traffic was transported by rail in Switzerland in the first half of 2016.

This is the highest figure since 2001, when new framework conditions were introduced with the introduction of the Distance-related Heavy Vehicle Fee (HVF) and the gradual increase in the weight limit to 40 tons. In the first half of 2016, fewer than 500,000 trucks crossed the Swiss Alps for the first time.

The federal government's measures and instruments to shift transalpine freight traffic from road to rail are having an effect : thanks to the HVF, modernization of rail and terminal infrastructure, more competition and financial support, rail freight traffic was again able to increase its market share in freight traffic through the Alps in the first half of 2016. This is shown in the report on the development of transalpine freight transport in the first half of 2016, which the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) published today.

Road transport declining

A total of 20.8 million tons of goods passed through the Swiss Alps by road and rail in the first half of the year. Rail transported almost 14.8 million tons via the Gotthard and Lötschberg-Simplon axes, 7.7 percent more than in the same period last year. Both wagonload and unaccompanied combined transport increased. The volume of goods transported by road decreased by 2.1 percent. As a result, rail's market share of the transport volume through the Alps increased to 71 percent. This is the highest value since new framework conditions were created in 2001 with the LSVA and the gradual admission of 40-ton trucks for transalpine freight transport.

From January to June 2016, 496,000 trucks, road trains and semitrailers crossed the Swiss Alpine crossings. At 3.8 percent, the number of journeys fell slightly more sharply than the transport volume (- 2.1 percent).

Around 300 companies and organizations are based here, more than 2,500 new jobs have been created since its foundation in 1993, and around 2,000 people currently work here. Many different sectors work here under one roof. Some Technopark start-ups have attracted attention in recent months due to their particular dynamism and success. The following are two typical start-ups:

New production methods  

For example, 6C Tools, the spin-off of the Institute for Machine Tools and Manufacturing (IWF) at ETH Zurich founded in 2015, develops, produces and sells cutting tools made of solid polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN). The company's products include drilling, milling and threading tools for machining very hard materials.

The technology of 6C Tools enables completely new manufacturing methods. In addition to a wide range of catalog products, 6C Tools offers customized tools for very specific tasks as well as consulting services to optimize manufacturing processes. The company wants to aim high with its diamond tools and achieve good market penetration in the coming years.

A financial ecosystem?

Fractal Labs is a technology company that connects companies to the financial ecosystem. Fractal Labs was founded in 2014 with the goal of driving economic growth through the analysis and aggregation of data. While the company is headquartered in London, its development center is located at Technopark in Zurich.

The Fractal platform automates financial analysis for SMEs by applying artificial intelligence, among other things. The technology provides a layer of communication that makes the underlying data stream discoverable, connects companies with other key financial partners such as banks and accountants, and significantly simplifies decision-making thanks to a financial assistant.

www.technopark.ch

Lidl Switzerland is abolishing the standard plastic carrier bag at the checkout, for which a charge is made. It is being replaced by a reusable carrier bag made of unbleached paper. This is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is recyclable. This means that all Lidl paper carrier bags are made from 100 % renewable and recyclable raw materials. With this measure, Lidl Switzerland saves over 70 tons of plastic every year. Lidl has already dispensed with the widespread free plastic bags at the checkout since its market launch.

Complementing the sustainability commitment
By switching to exclusively paper and permanent carrier bags, Lidl Switzerland aims to promote the multiple use of carrier bags for purchases and thus conserve resources. The measure is part of Lidl Switzerland's comprehensive commitment to sustainability, such as comprehensive recycling, certified products, CO2 neutrality and the avoidance of food waste. Lidl's national organizations in Germany and Austria will also refrain from selling plastic bags at checkouts in the future.

Source: Lidl Switzerland

On behalf of the oil companies, the KliK Foundation fulfills their legal obligation to offset an average of 5% of the CO₂ emissions generated by the use of gasoline and diesel between 2013 and 2020. To achieve this, 6.5 million tons of CO₂ must be saved through climate protection projects recognized by the federal government. The KliK Foundation achieves this goal by promoting innovative projects and programs in the areas of transport, the environment, buildings and agriculture. In addition to CO2, emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and highly climate-impacting industrial gases are also reduced.

Support programs in the field of transport, buildings, agriculture, companies

In the Umwelt Arena, the KliK Foundation shows concrete examples of its activities, its successfully realized projects in appealing short films and short portraits. Visitors get an overview of KliK's offering and contribution to Swiss climate protection.

Both the public sector and companies and private individuals benefit from the wide range of funding activities. For example, thanks to attractive subsidies from the KliK Foundation, numerous district heating networks are being built with sustainable energy sources, marquees and construction sites are being heated with sustainable mobile pellet devices, and private individuals can purchase intelligent heating systems and hot water-saving shower heads and faucet attachments at reduced prices.

Opening hours: Exhibition: Thursday/Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday/Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Events/Guided Tours: Tuesday through Sunday by appointment. Current opening hours and dates indoor/outdoor course see  www.umweltarena.ch

Source: Environment Arena / KliK

France is making headway in environmental protection: it is the first country in the world to ban disposable plastic tableware.

The Regulation, which was passed on August 31, prohibits not only the sale but also the use and distribution of plates, cutlery and cups made of plastic. There are exceptions, however: Compostable tableware, as well as those based on bioplastics, is still allowed. Companies and manufacturers have until January 1, 2020 to make the switch.

According to the French Journal "Les Echos" the French throw away 4.73 billion plastic cups a year - stacked on top of each other, this would make a pyramid 25 times taller than the Eiffel Tower. Only 1% of this is recycled, the majority ends up on garbage heaps or is incinerated.

Environmental comparison
However, it is by no means certain that plastic cups are always the worst option. Ceramic cups, for example, are much more energy-intensive to produce and heavier, which is reflected in the energy consumption for transport. According to a Dutch study Ceramic cups only more environmentally friendly if they are reused between 500 and 3000 times. The second alternative is cardboard cups. However, these are not necessarily much better: the plastic coating makes recycling difficult, and production is also much more energy and water intensive than with plastic cups.

The background to the ordinance is the 2015 "Energy Transition for Green Growth" law, which follows a ban on plastic bags that has been in effect since July.

Large companies such as Coca-Cola, Ford, Zweifel and Victorinox have created a brand that has established itself worldwide. But how can small and medium-sized companies build a brand that is still successful even when the patron is long gone from the company? "What large companies demonstrate is not lost on smaller companies," said Stefan Rüssli, Managing Director and brand specialist at Assessa GmbH. "Strong personalities have shaped the company and transferred their expertise as well as their vision to the business and its brand." As a result, he said, the entrepreneur becomes the brand, but also the risk of the company. The key, he said, is to focus on what allows you to differentiate yourself in the market. "To successfully build a brand, you don't have to jump on every trend. Rather, a strategy should fulfill its purpose in the long term," Stefan Rüssli emphasized.

Sell moments of happiness

With long-term planning from a niche, Adrian Steiner, director of DAS ZELT AG, and his team built up the largest Swiss touring theater. The starting signal for the mobile event platform was given at Expo.02 in Biel. In the meantime, around 250 events with 18,000 visitors take place throughout Switzerland every year. The company shows an annual growth of 23 percent, as Adrian Steiner, known as a former bicycle acrobat in the Circus Knie, reported. "Our vision is to sell people moments of happiness at affordable prices. We have stuck to that to this day."

Quality and regionality

The family business KNEUSS Güggeli in Mägenwil is already in its third generation. At the heart of the company are the Güggeli as a Swiss product with high quality. "Quality is our marketing. But we also know what our customers want. And we are inspired by our gut feeling," said Vice Chairman of the Board Daniel Kneuss, adding, "We want to be regionally anchored, remain small and thus be able to make quick decisions."

Adolf Ogi: Use time windows when they are open

As the highlight of the KMU SWISS podium, former Federal Councilor Adolf Ogi spoke about his past in sports, business and politics. "Sometimes there are windows of opportunity that you have to take advantage of when they are open," Adolf Ogi said in connection with the two transalpine routes through the Gotthard and Lötschberg. He went on to emphasize the importance of open and transparent communication, both internally and externally. This has also solved many problems in the international arena that today pose major challenges to the world.

Text: Fabrice Müller, journalistenbuero.ch

Those who courageously cross boundaries have resounding success. This experience was impressively conveyed to the 260 participants (95% women) by four successful women: TV chef and entrepreneur Meta Hiltebrand, Pippi Longstocking actress Inger Nilsson and Honey Thaljieh, FIFA communications manager and co-founder of the Palestinian women's national soccer team. The event was moderated by business expert Gerlinde Manz-Christ.

Event booked out quickly

The demand for this unique event was so great that the event was fully booked within a few days. Only those who decided quickly were able to secure a ticket - and they were not disappointed. In the panel discussion, they learned how to combine competence, knowledge and courage into a powerful whole. Meta Hiltebrand emphasized how important it is to win against oneself and one's inner resistance. This requires pure egoism, which can be quite beneficial in terms of success. In addition, there is the urge for self-realization and to do what one thinks is right. In difficult situations, you sometimes have to reinvent yourself. Perseverance is also very important, because success usually takes a little longer.

Pippi Longstocking and football

Inger Nilsson, the world-famous Pippi Longstocking, had to learn to be herself in her private life - and not Pippi Longstocking. She recommended those present to do what one really loves and to fight for it with heart and inner fire. Honey Thaljieh described her childhood in Palestine as a challenge. In a patriarchal world, soccer was seen exclusively as a male sport, which she successfully opposed. Until the boys also realized: she has talent. Football not only gave her an identity, but also a stage for the fight for equality.

Making the impossible possible

Finally, the well-known business expert Gerlinde Manz-Christ, has summarized the success of these women: Make the impossible possible, never give up and swim courageously against the tide. That is the quintessence of these life stories, which they presented to an emotionally moved audience.

The interested questions and stimulating conversations at the subsequent flying dinner formed the successful conclusion to a unique evening that left a strong impression on all participants - and certainly practical implications for a successful career.

Event trailer and image gallery:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbupM2p8kyo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sko-asc-asq/albums/72157673813134945