According to Fraude, finding and promoting talent and creating a corporate culture that favors and values exceptional performance even more than before are key factors in the current strategic realignment in order to continue to play a decisive role in shaping the Swiss retail landscape in the future. "I am delighted to have Jeannette Matti join our management team and take Brack Alltron to the next level as an employer," says Stefan Fraude, CEO of Brack Alltron.

Matti has over 15 years of experience in senior HR positions. For the last five years, she was Head of Human Resources at Saviva, a gastronomy wholesaler. The HR expert has specialized in organizational and management development in the modern "Working World 4.0" in several postgraduate courses and speaks at public events on the topics of leadership, new work and digital transformation.

Jeannette Matti is 39 years old and lives with her family in the canton of Zurich. Matti succeeds Manuela Wendland, who announced in September that she would be changing employers. Wendland had been the company's HR manager since February 2023. CEO Stefan Fraude would like to thank her from the bottom of his heart for her significant contribution to shaping Brack Alltron as an attractive employer and for her intensive support, especially during the transformation process that Brack Alltron is currently undergoing. Wendland will leave the company at the end of January.

Source: www.competec.ch

Thanks to successful succession planning, the family business Richi AG has been in existence for 100 years. In the canton of Zurich, with its 113,000 companies, of which around 17,800 are facing an open succession, only just under 20 companies achieve this every year. The Swiss umbrella organization for corporate succession - CHDU - recognizes such outstanding entrepreneurial achievements with its succession award "Phoenix Award for long-term Swiss entrepreneurship". In the category "SMEs with up to 50 employees", the This year's award has already gone to Fröhlich Info AG.

A story of innovation and family succession

The award certificate was presented by Hans Jürg Domenig, President of the CHDU, and laudator René Spielmann, member of the Phoenix Award jury and co-owner and board delegate of H. Rüetschi AG, which received the Phoenix Award in 2020. In his laudatory speech, the experienced entrepreneur paid tribute to Richi AG with these words: "The history of Richi AG is characterized by the recognition of market opportunities, process optimization, innovation and, in particular, diversification. The latter from its foundation in 1924 with a haulage and gravel extraction business to its expansion into today's five business divisions. At the same time, the succession within the family, now in its fourth generation, has been well managed. An entrepreneurial and family challenge that needs to be mastered and for which I would like to congratulate them on their success."

Dr. Fabian Streiff, Head of the Office of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich, also offered his personal congratulations: "What an achievement to run a successful business for 100 years. Starting with a good succession plan with a lot of prudence and the willingness to let go, the courage to change, perseverance, innovative strength and much more. Richi AG has exactly that and thus demonstrates perfectly what is needed for long-term success. I am therefore all the more delighted that the company has received the Phoenix Award and thus the visibility it deserves. Especially as this successor prize is the first time an SME in the canton of Zurich has been honored in the '100 to 250 employees' category."

Jürg Sulser, President of the Cantonal Council of the Canton of Zurich, and Martin Saladin, Head of SECO's Location Promotion Directorate, also congratulated the award winners in person at their company headquarters. Jürg Sulser has been on friendly terms with the Richi family for decades and did not miss the opportunity to personally present a few more gifts - including a few bottles of "Cantonal Council wine" - together with his best wishes for the company's continued prosperity.

Honor and inspiration

The Phoenix Award for long-term Swiss entrepreneurship has been presented annually since 2020. The award honors Swiss SMEs that have mastered their succession planning for at least a century. Companies that have existed for such a long time have already had to overcome several crises such as world wars and economic crises and rise anew like the "Phoenix from the ashes". The focus as potential award winners is therefore on Swiss SMEs that are 100 years old in the respective year or have been entered in the Swiss commercial register for 100 years.

An expert jury and a jury advisory board with representatives from science, entrepreneurship and the media select the winner of the Phoenix Award from these companies in a multi-stage process. The evaluation focuses on the companies' innovative and disruptive capabilities, team performance and their contribution to society and the economy.

Foresight, courage for disruption and sustainable strategy convince the jury

In 1924, Jakob Richi comes across gravel and sand while working in the fields. He decides to mine both and from then on to use his own horse-drawn cart to supply gravel to builders in the Limmat Valley and Zurich. The foundation stone for the Richi company was laid. The company's development from then until today has been characterized by the ability to make sensible use of technological opportunities for healthy growth and to respond to changing market conditions and customer needs with both foresight and flexibility. Not forgetting a good dose of courage and pioneering spirit.

This is demonstrated by milestones such as the Berna tipper truck purchased in 1929. During the war years 1939-45, this truck ran on a wood carburetor and wood from the Weiningen forest instead of petrol. Until the 1970s, the main business of gravel extraction grew steadily. At the same time, the first diversification took place with the addition of a skip service due to major construction activities. Further transportation and logistics services are added. In 1983, the company makes a name for itself with the most powerful hydraulic pneumatic crane in Switzerland at the time. The initial spark for the current constellation of the Weiningen SME came from various setbacks and adverse legal requirements, which prompted the current Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jakob Richi, then Managing Director, to reorganize the company's logistics in 2002 in a star-shaped structure designed for short distances.

Weiningen becomes a center for material processing and recycling. With the completion of the disposal and processing center in Weiningen in 2003, the step into the material cycle economy was taken. From now on, the motto is "Turn old into new". Richi AG has remained true to this philosophy ever since. Extensive measures to reduce CO2, such as a PV system covering almost 5,000 m2 on the roofs of the company buildings and the operation of the company's own biomass power plant, in which the wood from dismantled buildings is used to generate electricity and heat energy, are just a few examples. The construction of a noise barrier to relieve the surrounding population from the accompanying noise emissions of the company are also testimony to Richi AG's code of values: "In harmony with people, nature and the environment".

Richi AG impresses with diversification, sustainability and a strong brand presence

A clear attitude which, in combination with the long-term success, convinced the Phoenix Award jury and jury advisory board. They summarized the company's award worthiness in these points, among others:

Consistent and forward-looking succession planning as a family business, today still in its third generation, soon to be in its fourth generation

• Outstanding transformation performance and stable growth from an agricultural and gravel pit business to today's company (group of companies) with five divisions >> Securing future viability through diversification.
• Development of a strong brand with a regional connection
• Commitment to sustainability: use of recycled gravel and concrete, recycling of building rubble, own photovoltaic system, biomass power plant, etc.

"We are delighted to have received the Phoenix Award. This succession award is a wonderful tribute to us as a family or family entrepreneurs, for whom a succession plan that is right for everyone is an important concern. At the same time, the award is a great recognition for our entire team, for whose constant commitment we are very grateful," summarizes David Richi in his acceptance speech, representing the third and fourth generations. His father Jakob Richi was also delighted with the award and pointed out how important the whole family was and still is in supporting the company's success. Because: "Being an SME is a wonderful thing. But I am now concerned about a few developments," said Jakob Richi, referring to increasing regulation and the growing administrative apparatus that is swallowing up more and more money. In particular, he also warned of the effects of the inheritance tax initiative, which aims to tax assets of over 50 million francs at 50 percent. With a view to future succession planning, such an undertaking would also have consequences for many family-run SMEs. But aside from such political statements, David Richi opened the drinks reception with the words: "Full speed ahead into the future".

Source: www.chdu.ch, Further information on the award winner

The Swiss domestic economy is growing solidly. Economiesuisse estimates that real Swiss gross domestic product (GDP) will increase by 1.1% overall in 2024 (unchanged). At 1.4%, growth will also remain slightly below potential in 2025. The labor shortage will ease slightly. The unemployment rate will remain low at 2.4% (2024) and 2.6% (2025). Inflation continues to fall year-on-year and is within the SNB's target range.

Global markets in the grip of trade conflicts and inflation

Geopolitical tensions are continuing and global markets are fragmenting further into trading blocs and individual markets that are isolating themselves from each other. This will not change once Trump takes office; instead, further trade barriers are likely to be erected, accompanied by countermeasures from other countries. However, governments will have to be careful not to rekindle inflation in their countries by raising tariffs. Consumers are too aware of the negative consequences of inflation, which has had and continues to have a particularly negative impact on the lower-income population in the USA and EU countries.

Inflation in the USA is still at 2.6% and in the EU at 2.3% and is therefore no longer far above the target of 2%. However, core inflation - i.e. the inflation rate excluding the volatile components of food and energy prices - clearly exceeds this target value in both the USA at 3.3% and in the eurozone at 2.7%. Increased import prices, for example, would very quickly fuel the inflation rate again. Although inflation is less of a problem in China, the country is no longer playing the role of growth engine for the global economy. The domestic economy there is suffering from the consequences of the burst real estate bubble: consumption is weakening and investment is low. The export economy is also being held back by the trade conflict, particularly with the USA. The war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East continue to weigh on the global economy and cause uncertainty.

Export industry: a year of challenges

The rough global economy is weighing on the Swiss export industry. Overall, however, it is holding its own even in a difficult international environment thanks to its focus on highly specialized niche products and innovative specialties. The Swiss export industry benefits from its broad diversification with a good mix of sectors and a global orientation. This helps in uncertain times. If demand is weak in the European automotive industry, for example, this is problematic for Switzerland, but does not threaten its existence because other markets at least partially compensate. However, the challenges abroad will increase rather than decrease in 2025.

Economiesuisse expects only a slight overall increase in exports of goods and services next year. The pharmaceutical and medical goods industries, which are less exposed to economic fluctuations, will see stable growth. Weak demand is having a particularly negative impact on the machinery and watchmaking industries. The outlook for the textile and chemical industries is mixed. Industries that are strongly oriented towards China and Germany are struggling the most. However, the sectoral perspective distorts the picture somewhat, as individual companies in each sector can expand successfully. Swiss service exports are somewhat less in focus, although they are growing robustly. Tourism may not be able to match its post-pandemic figures, but it has a positive outlook for the future. Banking and insurance services are stable. Commodity trading tends to benefit from the more volatile market environment and higher prices.

Solid development of the domestic economy

The domestic economy can rely on stable consumer demand. Private households are benefiting from real wage increases and low unemployment. The state is also consuming strongly. Companies are much more cautious, with the uncertain market development dampening investment. However, investment in equipment should increase again in 2025. Many sectors that are mainly domestically oriented will also develop positively in 2025 after a good 2024: construction and in particular the finishing trade, wholesale, retail, healthcare, consulting and IT/telecoms will be able to grow overall. It will be more difficult for the printing and publishing industry. The domestic economy will be supported by low interest rates, low inflation, rising nominal wages, falling electricity prices and a slight increase in employment.

The Swiss labour market is currently normalizing somewhat. The number of vacancies is decreasing and the labor shortage is easing slightly. However, the employment outlook remains good overall, as more companies want to expand their workforce than reduce it. Economiesuisse expects the unemployment rate to rise only slightly from 2.4% (2024) to 2.6% (2025).

Inflation in Switzerland is low. It has fallen faster than expected. As long as energy prices do not rise sharply again, price increases for 2025 are limited. Inflation will remain within the SNB's target range and fall to below one percent. The Swiss franc will strengthen (in nominal terms) year-on-year for several reasons. Firstly, the interest rate differentials between the Swiss franc and the euro and the dollar are falling. Secondly, inflation in Switzerland is sustainably lower than in other currency areas. Thirdly, our country's overall national debt and new borrowing are low. And fourthly, Switzerland's trade surplus continues. As a result, the franc will gain strength against the euro. Economiesuisse expects an average Swiss franc/euro exchange rate of 91 centimes in 2025. As the economic development in the USA is significantly better than that of the eurozone, the appreciation against the dollar will be smaller. We are mainly dealing with a weak euro.

Economic risks and obstacles to growth

Participants in the Economiesuisse survey in November believe that geopolitical tensions pose the greatest risk to the economy. As the unsupported responses show, the risks are primarily located abroad, with Germany and the USA being particularly emphasized. However, domestic conditions are also hampering economic growth, with bureaucracy and regulations leading the way. Almost a fifth state that this is restricting growth. Compared to June 2024 and last year, the proportion of companies suffering from an acute labor shortage has decreased. However, around 7% of survey participants state that this is still the biggest economic risk for their company. In addition, 10 percent are concerned about the exchange rate.

Source: www.economiesuisse.ch

The current situation in companies is currently very different. While some are desperately looking for new employees, others are preoccupied with downsizing. While for some, it is largely "business as usual", others are undergoing a transformation process and are trying to open up new areas of business with the help of AI.

The challenges that managers in companies are currently facing in their day-to-day work are correspondingly diverse. This is why the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ), Wiesbaden, has entitled its current online survey of managers, which it conducts several times a year, "The biggest challenges currently facing managers". In concrete terms, this means that the survey, known as the Leadership Trend Barometer, aims to find out which issues managers are currently facing.

• most burning under the nails and
• which topics cause them the most headaches in their day-to-day management work.

In the survey on SurveyMonkey, they are presented with a total of twelve statements. For each statement, they are asked to tick whether it is of great relevance to them: yes or no. In addition to existential statements such as "How (crisis) secure is my own position as a manager?", there are also statements that deal with the transformation of the economy, such as "How do I integrate AI and digital technologies into our work processes in a meaningful way?" Others deal directly with the topic of employee and team leadership. For example, the two questions

• "How can I motivate my team and build a sense of unity despite physical distance?" and
• "How can I convey security and orientation even though I myself am confronted with uncertainty?"

The survey is designed in such a way that participation takes a maximum of five minutes, even if participants think about individual questions. If you voluntarily enter an e-mail address in the field provided after completing the anonymous survey on SurveyMonkey, the survey results will be sent to you automatically in around 6 weeks. If you would like to take part in the survey, please click here https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/S23MP5X

Source: www.ifidz.de

Dimitri Korostylev has been working at Swiss Infosec since 2022 in consulting and training in the areas of data protection, IT law and legal & compliance. Most recently in the role of Managing Consultant and Deputy Head of the Legal & Data Privacy Consulting Team. The lawyer and experienced consultant is a member of the IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals) and holds numerous certifications such as Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) and Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT).

Internal succession solution

"This internal succession solution is a stroke of luck for Swiss Infosec AG," emphasizes Reto Zbinden, CEO of Swiss Infosec AG. Dimitri Korostylev has broad knowledge and expertise and is very familiar with the interdisciplinary approach that characterizes the company.

This refers to the combination of technical, legal, organizational and human aspects that Swiss Infosec AG offers from a single source. It makes it essential to consistently look beyond one's own sphere of activity and turn management functions into hub functions.

Dimitri Korostylev, who as Head of Legal & Data Privacy Consulting is also a member of the Executive Board, is taking over a well and broadly based team from Michael Widmer. Notably, it is probably the largest data protection team in Switzerland in terms of the number of people working outside of law firm structures. In addition to his new duties as head of this data protection team, Dimitri Korostylev will continue to provide advice and training and will be available as an external data protection officer (DPO) in accordance with the FADP and GDPR.

Swiss Infosec AG wishes the former Head of Legal & Data Privacy Consulting, Michael Widmer, all the best and thanks him for his great commitment.

Source: www.infosec.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/dimitri-korostylev-ist-neuer-head-of-legal-data-privacy-consulting-bei-der-swiss-infosec-ag/

As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, Canon's sustainability strategy is based on its ten principles on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption and actively supports the 17 SDGs. The Young People Program is a central component of Canon's social sustainability strategy under the motto "For the future of people".

A prelude full of inspiration

The project was launched as part of the "World Unseen" photo exhibition organized by Canon Switzerland. This took place in Zurich from November 16 to 20, 2024. This multisensory exhibition combined photographs in relief print, Braille and audio descriptions to give visually impaired people access to photography and to sensitize sighted visitors to their perspective.

"World Unseen offered the ideal framework program to show young people how photography can be not only an art form, but also a powerful tool for raising awareness," explains Kim Jäggi, Sustainability Manager at Canon Switzerland.

Using the power of photography for positive change

The SDGs provide a suitable basis for encouraging young people to engage with important social and environmental issues. Younes Benmansour, B2B Business Development Manager at Canon Switzerland, explains: "The Young People Program empowers creative people to consciously address social issues with a visual language - for a better coexistence, both socially and environmentally. Canon's cameras serve as tools, the SDGs as guidelines."

The Young People Program is committed to the following three core pillars:

• Inspiration: Access to world-class content, devices and experiences to tell stories creatively.
• Education: Raising awareness of global issues through visual storytelling and critical thinking.
• Qualification: Personal development and strengthening of self-confidence through creative engagement with social challenges.

Insights and results 

As a first step, the 22 students aged 16 to 18 from the Swiss Art School were given an introduction to Canon's sustainability strategy and the importance of the SDGs. They then deepened their technical and creative knowledge in a practice-oriented photography course. Under the guidance of a professional Canon photographer, the young people put what they had learned directly into practice. Their task was to take a meaningful picture of one of the six selected SDGs in an urban environment within one hour:

• SDG 3: Health and well-being
• SDG 5: Gender equality
• SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
• SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production
• SDG 13: Climate protection measures

The resulting photographs showed an impressive variety of creativity and expressiveness. The photographs now serve as references for the young people's artistic portfolios and a selection of ten particularly outstanding works were awarded prizes.

"It was impressive and touching to see how deeply the young people engaged with the topics. Their photographs reflected not only creativity, but also an extraordinary sensitivity to social challenges. This shows the enormous potential that creative young people bring to the change towards a more sustainable world," says Kim Jäggi.

A look into the future

With this successful pilot project, Canon Switzerland plans to further expand the Young People Programme, extend partnerships with partner schools and organizations and run the programme on a regular basis from now on.

With projects like this, Canon is reaffirming its commitment to inspiring young people and giving them the tools to use their creativity for a sustainable future.

Source: en.canon.ch/sustainability/empowering-young-people/

Raphael Hauser brings a wealth of experience from his previous position: In his last position at Hilti, he was Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance for the Tool Services division. Among other things, he was responsible for company-wide risk management, IoT security standards and ISO audits. Prior to this, the 38-year-old also worked at Hilti as a project, quality and process manager in the software sector and in various roles at Namics and Ernst & Young.

Focus on customer needs

Abraxas CEO Reto Gutmann is delighted with the addition: "With his expertise and management experience in the area of compliance, risk and security, Raphael Hauser is very well qualified for this important role at Abraxas. He is the ideal person to meet and fulfill the security needs of our company and our customers."

Source: www.abraxas.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/raphael-hauser-wird-neuer-ciso-und-leiter-crs-bei-abraxas/

Technical professions dominate the ranking

The average annual salary for construction cost planners is significantly lower at CHF 131,879. Although they earn slightly less per year, Swiss software architects are still the top earners with an annual target salary of CHF 128,466. Fourth place also goes to a digital architect: the solution architect, who earns an average of CHF 124,832 a year to design and define technical solutions that meet a company's requirements by integrating different systems, software and technologies and ensuring that they work together efficiently.

Small salary differences at the lower end

At the bottom of the ranking is the job profile of construction manager, whose average salary of 100,633 Swiss francs is not too far off the top five professions. The penultimate place goes to the systems engineer, who earns only slightly more with an average salary of 105,228 Swiss francs. The application manager also earns only slightly more with an average of 105,228 Swiss francs per year and is therefore in 18th place. The civil engineer is even ahead of this with an average of 105,979 Swiss francs and 16th place goes to the network specialist with an average of 106,571 Swiss francs per year.

The top five with the least competition

"Our analysis shows which jobs are currently particularly lucrative for suitably trained applicants. Not only in terms of salary, but also the opportunity to actually work in this profession. In addition, the particularly high salaries may also have something to do with how much certain professions are in demand. At the same time, professions such as software architects and construction cost planners reflect the strong demand for technical specialists in booming industries driven by digitalization and urban growth," says Thomas Kaiser, Sales Director of Indeed in Switzerland.

Source: ch.indeed.com

The winners

The winner of the evening was Isabelle Kunert from Koblenz University of Applied Sciences with her Master's thesis on "Accessibility of career websites - status quo in theory and practice". Second place went to Leonie Mertens from DHBW Stuttgart with her analysis "Artificial intelligence in the recruiting process". Friederike Lindauer from Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences took third place with her work "Learning from Failure Culture - A novel approach for effective workplace training".

Max Bulenda from Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences came fourth with his bachelor's thesis "Burnout or not? Assessing the affect of digital employee resiliance on work stress" and, last but not least, Kevin Steinbrugger from the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna came fourth with his study "Effect of gamification models with digital achievements on employee motivation".

Captivating keynote and exciting pitches

In the middle of the event, Axel Singler, CEO of Abacus Umantis, inspired the audience with his keynote speech. He took the audience of around 100 on a journey through the history and into the future of HR. The top 5 finalists then presented their thesis to the jury on the big stage. It came down to an exciting pitch. Mischa Hollenstein (CSMO) and Philipp Bösch (Head of Sales Consulting) also hosted the evening in a very entertaining manner. "It was a great honor to accompany these young talents. We are very excited to see how they will move the HR world in the future," summarizes Mischa Hollenstein.

The jurors

The Umantis HR Student Award 2024 attracted a high-caliber jury made up of renowned personalities from the worlds of business and science. The members of the business jury included Elke Berger, Head of HR at Raiffeisenbank NÖ-Wien, Erestina Januzi, Head of People Operations at Zurich Airport, Erwin Stickling, publisher of the magazine Personalwirtschaft and Adrian Stuber, Head of HR at BKW Building Solutions. From the academic world, Simone Kauffeld, Head of the Chair of Work, Organizational and Social Psychology at TU Braunschweig, Matthias Mölleney, Head of the Center for HR Management & Leadership HWZ, Patrick Müller, Dean of Studies & Academic Director at Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, Barbara Aeschlimann, Managing Director ZGP, and Katrin Winkler, Professor of Human Resources Management, Leadership, Personnel Development and Knowledge Management at Kempten University of Applied Sciences were involved.

Attractive prize money and funding

The winners can look forward to a total prize money of CHF 20,000. Their work will also be advertised on the Abacus Umantis digital platforms to attract the attention of potential employers. All five will have the exclusive opportunity to be included in the Abacus Umantis Talent Pool. Koblenz University of Applied Sciences will also benefit: Isabelle Kunert's victory means that the university will receive an additional CHF 20,000 in research funding.

Evening full of successes and an atmospheric finale

Incidentally, the event not only offered academic highlights, but also brilliant entertainment. After the presentations, all attendees were able to relax at an elegant gala dinner. The evening ended with an exuberant after-show party.

Cooperation with Human Resources and HR Today

The success of this event was also due to the cooperation between Abacus Umantis and its partners Personalwirtschaft and HR Today. All in all, the Umantis HR Student Award sends out a strong signal for the promotion of young talent in the HR industry and offers a valuable platform for exchange between graduates and experts.

Source: www.umantis.com

Artificial intelligence (AI) is presenting the whole world with new challenges. Companies all over the world are trying to keep pace with developments and use the new technology profitably. According to the latest Cisco "AI Readiness Index", Switzerland has made up ground, with 34% of Swiss companies in the top group this year. Last year, the figure was 24 percent.

Despite the progress made, challenges remain in Switzerland when it comes to AI. In view of the rapid technological developments and the importance of AI for competitiveness, there is a dangerous gap in readiness that urgently needs to be closed.

"Swiss companies are gaining ground in AI, which is important news," says Christopher Tighe, Head of Switzerland at Cisco. "However, Swiss companies are not yet where they need to be to leverage the potential of AI. Especially in the area of IT infrastructure, there is a need to catch up in order to make data centers fit for AI requirements. The good news is that Switzerland is globally competitive when it comes to AI talent, and we need to take advantage of this."

The Cisco "AI Readiness" Index is based on an anonymous survey of 7,985 IT managers in 30 markets whose organizations have at least 500 employees. 300 respondents came from Switzerland. The assessment of AI readiness is based on six pillars: strategy, infrastructure, data, governance, talent and corporate culture. In all categories, the companies are divided into four groups - "Pacesetters", "Chasers", "Followers" and "Laggards" - based on specified performance characteristics.

Urgency drives investments, results fail to materialize

AI has become a central component of corporate strategies. In Switzerland, all companies surveyed (100 %) state that the urgency to introduce AI has increased in the past year - primarily driven by the management level. Almost half (48 %) of the companies spend between 10 % - 30 % of their IT budget on AI projects.

Despite these investments, the results show that expectations are often not met. More than 60 % of respondents report that their AI initiatives have not yet brought significant progress or results in the automation, optimization and support of processes.

Swiss key findings of the report:

• Switzerland is strong in AI strategy and AI talent: 72 % of Swiss companies are in the top two AI performance groups when it comes to their company's AI strategy. This puts them on a par with British companies and only just behind German (77 %) and American (79 %) companies. Switzerland also scores very well in comparison when it comes to IT talent, with 52 % of companies in the top two groups. These are the strongest values in Europe.
• Infrastructure remains a weak point: Only 35 % of Swiss companies are well or very well prepared for the infrastructure requirements of AI. This is slightly above the European average of 33 %, but a long way behind American companies (56 %)
• High investment, moderate results: Swiss companies primarily use AI in the areas of cyber security (37 %), IT infrastructure (36 %) and data management (31 %). While the priorities are to increase efficiency, innovation and sales growth, the hoped-for profits often fail to materialize.
• Management pressure is growing: 51 % of the companies report strong pressure from management to implement AI quickly. At the same time, investors (37 %) and middle management (33 %) also play an important role.
• AI culture expandable, governance and data average: In the remaining categories, Swiss companies are at a low level in line with the European average, but significantly behind the Americans. This is particularly the case in the area of "AI culture", where only 26% of Swiss companies are in the top two performance categories, while countries such as Germany and the UK are at 40 and 41% respectively, and the USA at 47%.

In the face of growing pressure, 29 % of companies plan to allocate more than 40 % of their IT budget to AI in the next five years - a significant increase compared to just 5 % today.

Source: www.cisco.com/c/de_ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/ai-readiness-schweizer-unternehmen-machen-boden-gut/

#thewholejob in climate protection

What actually happens until companies reach their net zero target? Companies that only focus on the long-term reduction of CO2 emissions often forget that a lot of emissions accumulate over the years on the way there. According to a projection by ClimatePartner based on the SBTi's Net Zero standard, the cumulative figure can be up to 15 times higher than the current carbon footprint of these companies.

With a catchy video to kick off a global digital campaign, ClimatePartner is therefore explicitly targeting companies under the motto #thewhole-job to draw attention to precisely this. The message: No half measures - climate protection must not stop at legally prescribed emission reductions. Instead, emissions outside the company's own value chain must also be taken into account on the way to Net Zero in order to do the "whole job". Financial contributions to climate protection projects should therefore be anchored in parallel as an integral part of the corporate strategy.

Voluntary climate protection measures urgently needed

With this recommendation, ClimatePartner is following on from discussions at this year's UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku. The conclusion for the economy after the weeks of negotiations there: without the massive use of private capital and thus the voluntary climate protection commitment of companies in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), it will not be possible to achieve the global climate financing targets.

"Climate investments at government level are not enough, now companies in particular need to take action. Avoidance and reduction targets are essential, but we must exhaust all measures in order to act immediately and comprehensively. Carbon markets offer a valuable tool for this. This is also underlined by the agreement on Article 6 at COP29," emphasizes Moritz Lehmkuhl, founder and Managing Director of ClimatePartner.

Voluntary carbon market in transition

However, in order to motivate companies to volunteer, the VCM must regain trust. Transparent and robust market structures are essential for this. This is because the market and individual climate protection projects have been repeatedly criticized in the past. The VCM is currently undergoing radical change. Market players are launching various quality initiatives and intensive efforts are being made to continuously develop the methods and technologies of climate protection projects and improve them on the basis of the latest scientific findings.

As a company that, in addition to calculating the carbon footprint and advising its customers on the long-term reduction of emissions, also supports them in selecting suitable climate protection projects from the VCM for a holistic climate protection strategy, ClimatePartner would also like to contribute to this positive development. The focus here is on increasing the transparency of the selected climate protection projects and communicating the company's commitment to end consumers. ClimatePartner will soon be introducing new products that will gradually be incorporated into the campaign. In addition, the climate protection pioneer now also offers its customers other ways to make a contribution to climate protection that work independently of traditional offsetting models.

Source: www.climatepartner.com/de/thewholejob

Occupational safety and fire protection are often concerned with similar issues - but they often have conflicting objectives. It therefore makes sense for fire safety experts and occupational safety managers to regularly exchange information and develop solutions together.

They do this in the VBSF, the Swiss Association of Fire Protection and Safety Professionals, among others. Its members include many fire protection specialists as well as many occupational safety experts.

Fire protection meets occupational safety

It will be exactly the same on March 20, 2025 at the KKL Lucerne. The VBSF Conference 2025 will take place there, which is aimed at all those interested in fire protection and occupational safety, regardless of whether they are VBSF members or not.

Participants can look forward to a total of ten lectures, each between 30 and 60 minutes long, as well as two workshops of 90 and 120 minutes each. All presentations and one workshop will be bilingual and translated from German into French. There are also continuing education credits for participation: Swiss Safety Center AG counts the event as one day of continuing education for specialists in fire protection ISO 17024. The VKF recognizes the VBSF symposium as 1 day of further training. The SGAS awards 2 continuing education points for the occupational safety track.

Track occupational safety

The VBSF Conference 2025 is divided into two parallel themed tracks. Participants can choose which parallel presentations they would like to attend.

The occupational safety track starts with a workshop on digital tools for occupational safety and health protection. Requirements for occupational health and safety measures are constantly increasing, particularly with regard to documentation. Digital tools are ideal for maintaining an overview and legal certainty. Marco Lobsiger (Managing Director of Lobsiger & Partner GmbH) will run through various scenarios with the participants to show how such tools can support safety officers.

The following lectures deal with topics such as:

• First aid concepts in the companyDoes every company need a first aid concept and what needs to be thought through and included? What are the differences between such concepts for smaller and larger companies?
• Laboratory guideline and hazardous substances - practical application examples: The lecture presents current examples of the practical application of the EKAS laboratory guideline. Common questions that a project is confronted with are outlined, corresponding articles of the directive are explained and answers found in projects are presented.
• CMR substances - carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction: CMR substances are often underestimated, as affected employees can often be exposed for a long time without causing illness. Why are CMR substances dangerous, how do you recognize them and where can you find information to protect employees?
• Minor quantities of solvents: Solvents can be found in some companies - where do they exceed the limit of de minimis quantities and how do companies have to deal with them if they are below this limit?
• First responder systems in Switzerland: More and more cantons in Switzerland have first responder systems. The aim is to be able to provide first aid more quickly and therefore more successfully in a medical emergency. What different approaches are there and how can you get involved?

Track fire protection

The fire protection track also addresses current and sometimes complex topics and issues - and this track also includes a workshop: for around 120 minutes, the participants plan various practical tasks, including SHEVS with special issues or façades with additional benefits for PV systems or greenery. In the workshops on fire protection planning conducted by Christian Kohler and Alois Schälin (AFC Akademie / AFC AG), participants will work on sample projects under guidance and with discussion and presentation of the plans.

The other presentations in the fire protection track cover the following topics:

• How do fire alarm systems and technical evacuation systems work together? The The lecture describes the basics of interaction, shows existing solutions and possibilities for the future and discusses the advantages of technical evacuation solutions.
• Fire protection for electric vehicles in buildings: The cause of the risk discussion, technical comparisons of the vehicles and their risks, the influence of the load, the installation location, fire prevention and firefighting and the purpose of simulations - this presentation addresses all these topics.
• Fires involving electric vehicles in (underground) parking garages: What does the fire department do when an electric vehicle catches fire in a (underground) garage, and how does this differ from a fire in a conventionally powered vehicle? And: how can a company do the best possible preparatory work for the fire department?
• Fire risk from home storage systems - challenges and prevention strategies: The number of photovoltaic systems and associated home storage systems is increasing rapidly. This development also increases the potential fire risk, which is also relevant for businesses. This presentation will shed light on the risks and discuss possible prevention measures.

Occupational safety and fire protection at KKL Lucerne

The two tracks come together again at the end - namely when Jürg Schär (Head of Buildings & Safety at KKL Luzern) talks about occupational safety and fire protection at the venue of the VBSF Conference 2025. The KKL Luzern hosts concerts, congresses, a museum, restaurants and exhibitions, which means that different people are here at different times. So how are occupational safety and fire protection organized at KKL Luzern and what is important?

Accompanying exhibition and VBSF General Assembly 2025

There will also be an accompanying exhibition during the VBSF Conference 2025, where up to 16 exhibitors will present their products and services during the breaks. After the VBSF Conference 2025, the 47th VBSF General Assembly will take place from 4.50 p.m., followed by an aperitif, to which only VBSF members are admitted.

The VBSF Conference 2025 is organized by bentomedia GmbH and the online platform safety-security.ch and supported by various sponsors: Siemens Schweiz AG is a gold sponsor, while AFC Akademie, CSF Wunderle GmbH and Lobisger & Partner GmbH with the web application safely are silver sponsors. They are joined by bronze sponsors Flumroc AG, Routil AG, Promat AG and TOTEC Innovation SA.

Source: www.vbsf.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/vbsf-fachtagung-2025-brandschutz-trifft-arbeitssicherheit-2/