The Brand Predictor from Havas Switzerland examines brand preference for the most relevant brands in the Swiss market. Since 2012, the key indicators of dynamism and trust have been the central measures of the Brand Predictor. Both are regarded as indispensable indicators of brand preference and thus also of consumers' purchase intentions. While a high dynamic value from the point of view of the respondents indicates increased popularity and thus high brand attractiveness, a high value in trust shows that the respective brands are perceived as reliable.

The most dynamic brands 2023

Digital brands and brands in the area of sustainability once again dominate the top 20 ranking in dynamics. The differentiated analysis in the area of sustainability shows that classic sustainability labels on product origin such as "Miini Region" and labels on production and agricultural standards such as "BioSuisse" and "Migros Bio" have clearly lost momentum compared to the previous year. Instead, the sustainability trend is shifting further and further into the area of plant-based nutrition.

"At a time when consumers are becoming more demanding and informed, it is important for brands to act quickly. Planted, Beyond Meat and V-Love are particularly successful in this respect, as they offer not only sustainability but also convenience and make it easier for consumers to implement their eating behavior according to their personal values," explains Rachel Montalbo, study manager at Havas.

Twint once again occupies the top position among digital brands this year and remains unchallenged despite a slight decline in momentum. However, the momentum ranking also highlights the fast pace of digital brands: social media app BeReal is the strongest newcomer brand in the momentum ranking, positioning itself ahead of TikTok and Netflix, the high-flyers of recent years. The winners in the Dynamik ranking also include the video streaming platform Twitch, which shows a continuously positive development in the Dynamik ranking. The mobile bank neon can also reclaim a place in the top 20.

Momentum Factor: The trendiest brands

In addition to the core indicators momentum and trust, further key figures are reported: The Momentum Factor provides information on which brands are showing a strong increase in perceived popularity and are therefore trending strongly.

A look at the Momentum Factor confirms the observed trend toward the most dynamic brands. While classic organic and regional labels are losing relevance, vegan food manufacturers and digital lifestyle brands in particular are gaining ground. Twint can also defend its leading position in the category of the trendiest brands.

"Twint is a fine example of a brand responding to current consumer needs. The constant development of the service offering strikes a chord with the times and satisfies needs for efficiency and convenience. This creates an overall positive customer experience," reasons Rachel Montalbo.

The results from the Havas Brand Predictor show how societal and global megatrends can impact brand perceptions and preferences, as well as consumer behavior: The relevance of those brands that serve the needs of an efficient, authentic and sustainable lifestyle is increasing. For example, the strongest newcomers in the Momentum Factor include BeReal, CoffeeB, Polestar and Alpro.

Trust: Various factors play a role

Trust plays a decisive role in determining brand preference, with the time factor being of great importance. Nevertheless, a long existence of a brand alone does not automatically guarantee a high level of trust. Other factors, such as the industry to which a brand belongs, play an important role. Experience shows, for example, that health insurance companies score lower than brands from consumer electronics or retail brands.

Central, however, is the performance delivered in terms of core competence. Similar to previous waves of the survey, traditional Swiss brands, mainly from the food industry, score the highest trust ratings - including Le Gruyère, Cailler and Rivella. Migros also cements its leading position. The fact that the Group generally enjoys a great deal of trust is demonstrated, among other things, by the fact that "From the region, for the region" and "M-Budget" are two other brands from the Migros universe among the 20 most trusted brands in Switzerland.

New key figures: Likeability and sustainability

Two important brand evaluation indicators have now been added to the Brand Predictor. The value for perceived likeability provides information on how much respondents like a brand and also takes into account subconsciously perceived brand experiences. The likability ranking shows similarities to the trust ranking and includes many traditional brands such as Le Gruyère and Wernli. Surprisingly, the sustainability label "From the region, for the region" makes it to the top of the most likeable brands. Switzerland, Wikipedia and SBB are also rated as very likeable.

The sustainability metric measures how sustainable a brand is perceived by respondents. Apart from the sustainability labels, which operate in the area of sustainability due to their core business, the following brands, among others, are perceived as particularly sustainable: The search engine Ecosia, Beyond Meat, Migros and Planted. At the top of this ranking is SBB, which is perceived as a driver of sustainable mobility. The car-sharing provider Mobility is also rated very highly.

The correlation between likability and sustainability is striking. "Respondents tend to rate sustainable brands more likable as well. Although no causality can be proven, the correlation is remarkable and reflects the current preferences of consumers," explains Rachel Montalbo. "This could be related to the meaningfulness of the brand. A brand generally has a harder time being liked if, from the respondents' point of view, it is not meaningful, in this case not sustainable. This is also confirmed time and again by the 'Meaningful Brands' study conducted annually by Havas. Almost 3 out of 4 people are of the opinion that brands already have to take responsibility for society and the planet. Brands that fail to live up to these expectations quickly lose relevance."

Sustainably oriented parties are dynamic

On the occasion of the 2023 elections, Brand Predictor also took a closer look at the perception of political parties. The two green parties, GLP and Grüne, score highest in terms of momentum, which is not surprising given the ongoing theme of sustainability. It remains to be seen whether they can maintain this momentum until the elections in order to win further seats in parliament.

The SP's very low rated momentum is striking. It is assumed that the rated momentum has suffered in recent months in connection with the Corona Leak entanglements of SP Federal Councilor Alain Berset.

Perceived trustworthiness will be particularly important for the parties in defending existing seats. The center, Greens and SP are seen as the most reliable parties, while FDP and SVP enjoy the lowest level of trust among respondents.

Gen Z likes sustainable and digital brands

The Brand Predictor also examines the assessment of the various segments within the study. It is particularly interesting to look at the 15-26 year olds. Members of Gen Z perceive either sustainable or digital brands as dynamic. The trends at the overall level are reinforced here, with the young in particular rating sustainability labels higher than the overall population. In addition, however, there is also a growing preference for digital brands. Thus, in addition to the aforementioned brands Twint, BeReal, Spotify, TikTok and Twitch, Disney+, ApplePay, digitec and Tesla can also be found in the top 20 ranking of the Young Generation.

The high affinity of the under-26s for digital brands becomes even clearer when looking at the Momentum Factor ranking. With Tiktok, BeReal, Twint (ranks 1-3) and Tesla (rank 5), four digitally associated brands are among the trendiest brands. V-Label ranks 4th as the strongest sustainability brand, with On performing better compared to the overall rating.

Among the under-26s, traditional Swiss brands such as Migros, SRF and food brands are particularly trusted. Migros positions itself in first place with top marks; but SRF's high ranking is also remarkable, as media brands are generally trusted less. Twint and Spotify represent the digital brands in the trust ranking, while trust in Switzerland as a country is high.

"As part of our marketing activities around travel, we want to appeal to our Swiss guests above all emotionally and inspire them. Travel connects people, it creates unique emotions. The same goes for Bligg's music, which is an integral part of Swiss German culture," explains Celina Calvetti, Head of Marketing at Tui Suisse. "For this reason, we are teaming up with Bligg and will jointly implement selected campaigns in the coming months to inspire our guests and his fans."

Starting point of cooperation was the shooting of the video for the first single "Milchstrass" from the new Bligg album "Tradition", which Tui facilitated in Ibiza in mid-August. In the course of the tour for the new Bligg album, which starts in October, Tui is planning targeted activities around its concerts, including ticket raffles for customers via social networks and the customer newsletters. In addition, exclusive experiences for Bligg fans with different surprise moments are planned.

A new Data Protection Act (revDSG) will come into force in Germany on September 1. All companies will then be obliged to adapt to the revised regulations, which are aligned with the EU directives. Secjur's founders are very familiar with the EU regulations. In 2018, Niklas Hanitsch and Manuel Stahl founded their start-up for automated compliance, with Simon Pentzien and Sven Moritz joining as co-founders by 2021. Since then, they have won the German Start-up Cup for their solution and convinced venture capital companies and prominent angel investors of their solution for automated compliance. Just in time for the adaptation to the EU data protection law, they launch their business in Switzerland with offices in Bern and Zurich.

Revolutionize compliance with automation

Compliance has become a challenge for companies of all sizes, and the work behind it is often manual, repetitive and expensive. Hamburg-based Secjur has developed its Digital Compliance Office, an AI-based automation platform for compliance processes that can save hundreds of man-hours. Secjur helps companies in diverse industries digitally automate their compliance processes, including data protection, information security, anti-money laundering and whistleblowing. In addition to international corporations such as Siemens and Samsung, customers primarily include SMEs and fast-growing companies such as Tomorrow Bank. "In the coming years, there will be many more compliance challenges, such as the AI regulation. Regulation can help protect consumers' rights and make both the digital and the real world a better place," says lawyer and Chief Innovation Officer Niklas Hanitsch.

Leveraging knowledge in Switzerland

With the new data protection law in Switzerland, Secjur's founders recognize the optimal time to implement their expansion strategy in the DACH region. In addition to the more than 70 employees in Hamburg, Berlin, Regensburg and Munich, around 20 employees will in future look after the Swiss business from Berne and Zurich. "In Germany, we have already easily implemented the General Data Protection Regulation for many hundreds of companies in 2018. With this head start in knowledge and our intelligent platform, we support our Swiss customers in correctly implementing all requirements right from the start." Secjur addresses both corporate groups and SMEs that want to create trust among customers and partners, prevent cybercrime, avoid fines and optimize processes.

Expertise and audits at the touch of a button

Secjur's data protection experts are familiar with the specifics of over 60 industries and identify corresponding risks and compliance challenges. Secjur's data protection solution, Digital Compliance Office, provides a comprehensive overview of all relevant processes and documents and is easy to use even for beginners. The central control of all compliance issues saves time-consuming multiple audits: With over 60 API connections (such as Jira, Slack, Hubspot, Salesforce or Lexoffice), Secjur easily integrates into existing tech stacks. This allows audits to be partially automated - and specific recommendations for action to be generated at the push of a button. For a company with around 50 employees, the audit effort can be reduced from around 14 to 2 hours per week so far, and from around 23 to 2 hours for 250 employees - an immense resource saving. The data is hosted in Germany.

Ambition and prominent investors

"We aim to offer the best and most widely used compliance automation solution in the world," says co-founder Manuel Stahl. The founders' subject matter expertise in the key fields of law, IT, finance and business gives Secjur a distinct advantage. One of Secjur's key investors is the Berlin-based Visionaries Club, which manages a €600 million venture capital fund. The club is supported by a network of founders of companies such as Flixbus, Spotify and Hello Fresh as well as family-run business dynasties such as Swarovski, Miele, Siemens and Stihl. The circle of investors also includes business angels who support Secjur financially and in an advisory capacity. Among them are prominent personalities such as soccer star Mario Götze and Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.

For individuals interested in learning more about the new data protection law and Secjur's solutions, the company is offering a free webinar on Sept. 4, 2023, at 12 p.m. Learn more at www.secjur.com

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/automatisierte-compliance-deutsches-start-up-expandiert-in-die-schweiz/

The summer vacations are over. Many photos remind of the beautiful experiences and new acquaintances. However, when photos, contacts or other important data are lost, many only realize how important data backups are. Unfortunately, this is too late. The awareness campaign S-U-P-E-R.ch therefore puts the current focus on the "S" like "Backup.

With backups to more cyber security

Backups not only protect data from loss due to broken devices or theft, they are also an important backstop against cyberattacks and extortion attempts. Those who can fall back on their backed-up data are less vulnerable to blackmail by cybercriminals in the event of data encryption. Data backups are therefore an important step towards greater cyber security. Backups should also be kept separate from the network and secure so that attackers cannot additionally encrypt the backups. Data backups should be made regularly and integrated into everyday life. This applies to companies, organizations as well as private individuals. Interested parties can find out how to do this on the campaign website S-U-P-E-R.ch.

National data security awareness campaign

From September 1, the NCSC, the SKP and the cantonal and municipal police corps, with the support of iBarry and EBAS, are raising awareness among the Swiss population about the importance of data backups. On the communication media, a possible data loss is visualized with slowly disappearing text, combined with the request to make a backup in time. On the campaign website S-U-P-E-R.ch learning videos convey the most important information. With the knowledge acquired and a little luck, you not only win more cybersecurity, but also a competition prize. The campaign lasts until September 30, 2023. 

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/sensibilisierungskampagne-zur-datensicherung-lanciert/

Beat Hürlimann, Werbewoche.ch: What is the spirit of Bühler & Bühler?

Becca Knobel: Basically, we are a very young-at-heart team and are all bubbling over with curiosity. In our work, we often make connections to subareas that you might not have expected at first.

Clemens Fachinger: Curiosity is a good key point. I also notice time and again that we have the urge to develop and discover new things without having to ask permission.

What talent do you have, or in other words, what are you damn good at?

Fachinger: I think we are very good at direct marketing. That means we know our customers, we know what they have done with us before, and we can build on that. We can conduct dialogs and understand our customers' needs.

Knobel: Exactly, communication is a very relevant topic at our agency anyway. I'd also like to praise Clemens for his incredible research skills. While he can spend hours immersing himself in something, I'm more the one who keeps information short and to the point.

Having a talent is one thing, what do you do with your talents?

Knobel: My talent, the curiosity that exists in the entire team, we use to not stagnate. We keep our eyes open and try to discover something everywhere that we can integrate into successful measures.

Fachinger: My talent lies in understanding complex interrelationships well and then preparing them for everyday use in an understandable way.

What would you describe as the specialty of Bühler & Bühler?

Knobel: Of course, we are a full-service agency, as we like to say. But our top discipline is dialog marketing with new approaches and a lot of storytelling. But we are also extremely good at branding, campaigns and employer marketing.

Detached from the topic of nudging, which we'll talk about in a moment: Why a podcast?

Fachinger: We have discovered a podcast to be the ideal medium for breaking down complex problems in a relaxed dialog situation - actually, it is a trialogue - and making them tangible. Everyone can contribute their part, and the audience walks out with valuable insights afterwards.

Knobel: And honestly, I'd love to tell you about it over a bottle of whiskey at the bar. But I can't sit there with each of you, so we'll do it over headphones. It's much easier to digest.

Now to the title of the podcast, "In a Nudgeshell". To be honest, it wasn't easy for me to get into the topic...

Fachinger: It is a word creation of Becca. "In a Nutshell" is an English expression that means to put something big in a small space, a nutshell. Becca said, "when we talk about nudges, it makes more sense to say "In a Nudgeshell" instead of "In a Nutshell." We condense complexities into our podcast episodes so they fit into a 30-minute episode.

Why the topic of nudges? What is the benefit of it?

Knobel: We make a lot of decisions throughout the day, and decisions can cause stress. We use nudges to make decisions easier and less stressful, so people are left feeling positive. They are techniques based on insights into how our brains work. They help shape decisions so they are easier to make.

What does the recipient get out of it?

Fachinger: The recipient is guided to their destination faster and with less stress. This increases the likelihood that he will achieve his goals, whether in the digital or physical world.

So your customers are the senders, and their customers are the recipients. Give us an example of how the two come together in an effective way.

Knobel: A good example is scarcity. When something is scarce, it becomes more desirable. This is based on the primal need to eat food when it is available before it disappears. We use such insights to make communication more effective.

Fachinger: There's another example: people often don't have a clear idea of numbers. We give them anchor points to help them better understand price relations. In the case of price quotations, for example, how this relates to the initial price. This is called anchoring.

How do you get customers on board? How can advertisers prepare themselves?

Fachinger: We critically scrutinize briefings and ensure that objectives are clearly defined. We have found that clear and understandable objectives significantly increase the effectiveness of measures from the recipient's point of view.

Knobel: The advisory function is essential. We also draw on evidence from studies to support our recommendations.

Where do you get these studies from?

Fachinger: We search technical literature and follow scientific publications. In addition, I have set up a Google Alert for the topic of nudging in order to always be up to date.

Is there a:n nudging guru?

Becca Knobel: Nudging has its origins in the social sphere, not in marketing. We are talking about scientists like the two Nobel Prize winners Richard Thaler and Daniel Kahnemann, who we have of course also looked at within our podcast and whose theories are a daily part of our work.

When does your podcast start and where can you listen to the episodes?

Insert answer

About Becca Knobel: During her studies, she always thought she was heading for radio. But as soon as she got her BA in online journalism, Becca Knobel entered the agency world and stayed. Starting at Bühler & Bühler 5 years ago as a trainee, she has since become a junior creative director and, more recently, a podcaster.

About Clemens Fachinger: After studying history and literature, Clemens Fachinger followed his first love of music into marketing at entertainment companies. Stations in digital marketing then led him into the agency world. For more than 4 years, he has dedicated himself to his second love of written (and now also spoken) texts as a copywriter/concept developer at Bühler & Bühler.

Among other things, Kargo unified the various organically grown appearances of the services and created an overarching brand on this basis. By separating the colors into pink for "seeing" and green for "hearing," Kargo was able to clearly emphasize the two offerings, while blue served as the overarching color.

The aim was to create an accessible corporate design that is easy to read in both print and digital form. Particular emphasis was placed on easy-to-read fonts and font sizes as well as harmonious but easily perceivable color contrasts.

Lean feasibility

To ensure a lean and cost-efficient implementation of the branding in the long term, photographs, which also quickly lose their relevance, were dispensed with. Instead, a simple but playful world of illustrations and complementary icons were created, inspired by particularly well-known works of pop art, to shape and brighten up the new look across all touchpoints.

While accessibility could be implemented according to the latest standards, especially on the digital level, there was room in the analog area to make the innovations haptically tangible through the choice of paper, among other things.

The rebranding also included screen design and development support for the WebsiteThe project included the creation of printed matter and stationery, templates for the office palette, greeting cards and job advertisements, signaling for the education center, as well as the realization of the first annual report in the new look.

Responsible at Landenhof: Stefan Buchmüller (Managing Director), Angie Ackermann (Communications), Sibylle Schelker. Ralph Bitterli (project team). Responsible at Kargo Communication LSA: Fabia Dellsperger (Art Direction), Pasquale Herren (Graphic Design & Illustration), Simon Thurnheer (Screendesign), Amanda Winter (Consulting & Project Management).

ÖKK is a health insurance company with Graubünden origins. Having grown up in Graubünden, it holds a high market share there. Thus, 21 of the 30 agencies are also present in Graubünden. However, ÖKK has also grown strongly outside of Graubünden. In the meantime, about half of the insured come from other regions. The new fronts should appeal to both existing and new customers.

Aroma combined forces from the "Creative" and "Productions" hubs, resulting in a complete in-house solution for the entire creative process, including production of screen locations, prints and assembly. A striking feature of this implementation is the fusion of digital content and traditional storefront design. The concept includes the integration of brand messages and campaign spots directly into the window surfaces. The modular design system offers an effortless design solution that can be tailored to different window formats and locations. Depending on the region, the window display is adorned by a characteristic mountain massif. For example, Piz Bernina, the highest mountain in Graubünden, lends a Grisons-like charm. The red frame at all touchpoints forms the connecting element.

Swiss and international cybersecurity experts will meet at the second Global Cyber Conference at the Dolder Grand in Zurich on September 14-15, 2023. The Swiss CISO Awards will also be presented for the first time at the conference.

Focus topic Prioritizing cyber resilience.

The two-day conference, which will focus on prioritizing cyber resilience, will provide a unique platform for networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration to improve cyber resilience, organizers say. The conference program revolves around three sub-themes: Cyber Governance, Cyber Risk Management and Cyber Technologies. Each subtopic will be discussed in depth, providing attendees with comprehensive knowledge and tools needed to address the complex challenges of cybersecurity in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Speakers and participants from Europe, America and Asia come from top companies such as Booking.com, Council of Europe Development Bank, EDGE Group, eBay, Equifax, ETH Zurich, IMD, Logitech Mars, Mastercard, Migros, Paramount Global, Philips, Pictet Group, Richemont Group, Saudi Arabian Government, Siemens, Spanish Government, SolarWinds, Swisscom, UAE Government, UBS, United Nations, US Army, Virgin Media O2, World Health Organization and many more. The conference will thus become a hub of the cyber security network - international attention is therefore certain.

"We are very proud to have the support of some of the most renowned organizations in technology, cybersecurity and business, as well as academic research leadership from the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the University of Information Technology St. Gallen (HSG)," says Samir Aliyev, founder and CEO of the Swiss Cyber Institute, which has just received a Swiss Digital Shapers Award 2023 from Bilanz, Handelszeitung and digitalswitzerland. "In today's digital landscape, cybersecurity resilience has become a critical aspect of business strategy. It is essential for companies to mobilize a collective response to protect critical assets and limit systemic damage. Effective governance foundations are required to manage cyber risks and enforcement is necessary to increase cyber resilience," emphasizes Samir Aliyev. "With this conference, we want to provide a networking and learning platform for key decision makers to gain a common understanding of what needs to be done to strengthen cyber resilience."

Appreciate the role of chief information security officers

The inaugural Swiss CISO Awards, for which a panel of experts has been specially assembled, will also highlight the central role of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in securing organizations against evolving cyber threats and recognize the exceptional achievements of Swiss-based security leaders who have dedicated their careers to strengthening the security of their companies or organizations. The awards ceremony will be an integral part of the Global Cyber Conference. A distinguished and expert jury will evaluate the nominations and select the winners.

The Global Cyber Conference is organized by the Swiss Cyber Institute, a cybersecurity education provider. With the goal of promoting cyber resilience, the Institute offers comprehensive training programs, conferences and networking opportunities to empower individuals and organizations in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. The Swiss Cyber Institute is a course provider registered by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI for the federal exams in Switzerland. It is also an ISACA Accredited Training Organization (ATO) and ISC2 Official Training Partner. 

For more information and registration details, visit the official Global Cyber Conference website at. https://globalcyberconference.com/.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/zweite-global-cyber-conference-am-14-15-september-2023/

In medical and analytical technology as well as in pharmaceuticals or pipetting applications, media separation in valves via a chemically resistant elastomer diaphragm that complies with regulations is important in order to prevent contamination of the fluid even during longer periods of use. When larger flow rates or flushing quantities also have to be metered quickly and precisely, the valves are often the weakest link in the chain. Until now, users have had to make compromises here, especially in terms of size, but also in terms of flow rate, permissible temperature or process times.

WhisperValve family expanded

Bürkert Fluid Controls Systems has expanded its WhisperValve series for the above reasons: The new Type 6757 analysis valve now covers the pressure range up to 16 bar and is insensitive to pressure surges, according to the manufacturer. In addition, its design enables switching times of less than 8 ms with a power consumption of less than 4.5 W, making it ideal for battery-powered field devices. The wetted components are selected according to the fluids involved. Therefore, the valve is also suitable for critical reagents or cleaning agents and withstands 90 °C media temperature for up to 30 min, for example in sterilization processes. This also applies to the smaller members of the WhisperValve family Type 6712 and 6724, which are designed for system pressures up to 7 bar. This results in a wide range of applications, from mobile and stationary measuring and analysis devices in medical and laboratory technology, to systems for endoscope cleaning or filling systems, to disinfection devices.

Energy efficient and virtually no heat input

According to the manufacturing company, the pulse variants of the WhisperValve switch back and forth between the switching positions practically silently with only a short current pulse and then also hold them currentless by means of permanent magnets. In this way, both long-term measurements with continuous reagent flow can be implemented in a battery-saving manner and sensitive media can be switched through the valve without heat input. Since energy is only required briefly during the switching process, both the energy consumption and the heat input do not depend on the duty cycle, but only on the switching frequency. The back-pressure-tight, easy-to-flush valves permit fast switching operations with operating noise levels during changeover of just under 20 dB(A) for the medium-sized Type 6724, which is therefore also suitable for use in particularly noise-sensitive areas at the point of care. The operating noise of the small Type 6712 is 36 dB(A), while the maximum noise level of the large Type 6757 is 45 dB(A). The 2/2- or 3/2-way valves of the WhisperValve family are only 7 mm, 9 mm and 18 mm wide and can be easily connected in series or combined to form complete system solutions. The technical functionality within the product family is the same, thus facilitating electrical control and, if necessary, approvals. An electronic expansion module can be used to implement analysis functions, for example feedback on switching positions, unwanted pressures, temperatures or energy consumption. Optional expansion modules also enable boost pulse or soft close functions.

Source and further information

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/energiesparende-und-kompakte-analyseventile/

According to the IAS consumer study in the DACH region, the topics of diversity and inclusion are playing an increasingly important role for the vast majority of German-speaking consumers (90 percent). And this is precisely the attitude they expect from companies: One in two of them (50 percent) already believes that brands should promote diversity and inclusion in Germany.

This expectation has a direct impact on the shopping behavior of consumers: Nearly one-third of respondents (30 percent) already regularly adjust their own shopping decisions to support companies' diversity and inclusion initiatives. On the other hand, 32 percent of consumers would be very likely to turn away from a brand if it did not take diversity and inclusion values sufficiently into account - even if they have actually always bought its products.

A further 31 percent would even boycott companies in general if they did not take the issues of diversity and inclusion seriously. For marketing, these survey results mean one thing above all: brands should definitely meet the diversity and inclusion requirements of consumers in their digital advertising campaigns in order to remain in the relevant set of their purchasing decisions in the future.

Advertising in diversity- and inclusion-friendly environments is preferred. Already in the planning and creation of their advertisements, it is important for brands to consider key diversity and inclusion aspects. Nearly one-third of consumers expect advertising and content to be accessible to people with disabilities (30 percent), to use inclusive language in advertising (29 percent), and to reflect a diverse society made up of different individuals (28 percent). However, in the perception of consumers, it is not only the ads themselves that are important, but also the content and environments in which they are played. 84 percent of them believe that brands should make a targeted effort to place ads in the environment of content that promotes diversity and inclusion. One in two (50 percent) would be likely to interact with an ad that appears alongside content that promotes diversity and inclusion.

"Our latest study shows one thing above all: German consumers expect brands to take a clear stance on important issues such as diversity and inclusion," says Patrick Stoltze, Country Manager CEE at IAS. "This makes it all the more important for companies to live up to this expectation and to present their values authentically already in their communication in order to remain successful in the future."

The complete study "Brand Communication in the Age of Diversity and Inclusion by Integral Ad Science IAS can be here can be downloaded.

Blockchain technology and associated digital assets are opening up exciting prospects and creating a new vision of money, but at the same time there are serious challenges to existing regulatory and compliance regimes. These have made themselves felt in a number of ways. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has targeted Binance and Coinbase, the two most powerful exchanges in the cryptocurrency world. The SEC accuses Binance founder Changpeng Zhao of operating a "web of deceit" and brings 13 violations against him and his platform. Binance and Coinbase have made billions of dollars in investments. What triggered the SEC's investigation?

"House of Cards on Foundation of Deception".

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than 46,000 people reported losing more than $1 billion in cryptocurrencies to various scams between January 2021 and June 2022, and that number only includes people who voluntarily shared this information with authorities. The blog Time.Stamped lists the most common crypto scams, such as business opportunities that promise to help you get rich. One common scam involves stealing your cryptocurrency from the exchange, as was the case with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). Investors seem to know little about how to keep their cryptocurrencies safe. According to the Wall Street Journal, Sam Bankman-Fried "built a house of cards on a foundation of deception" while telling investors that it was one of the most secure buildings in the crypto world.

With respect to Binance, the SEC alleges that while Binance publicly claimed that Binance.US was a separate, independent trading platform for US investors, Zhao secretly controlled the US company behind the scenes. The products that Binance.US is alleged to have illegally offered to its US customers include commodity derivatives.

What is a free market?

Perhaps it is worth revisiting what constitutes a free market. A free market is one that is not controlled by anyone; no individual buyer or seller has the power or authority to influence prices on the exchange. They simply build on the market; therefore, large and very liquid markets are required. One issue besides willful influence by a player, founder, or manager is the size of the market. If bitcoin is independent, it should not drop by 50 % the moment Elon Musk decides to sell the bitcoins accepted and used to pre-fund Tesla orders. The market should digest large orders without influencing the price and be rock solid and liquid so that no single player can influence the price. The Bitcoin example shows that this condition of market size, liquidity and independence of players is not always met.

Compliance issues in the crypto world

Let's get back to the scams. While investor education and increased scrutiny from regulators is a must, we can also question the governance and compliance culture of crypto exchanges. The Global Investigation Review published in September 2022 identifies a number of compliance issues and regulatory challenges in cryptocurrencies.

Broadly speaking, there are two main approaches that governments are taking in different combinations: (1) they seek to fit digital assets into existing regulatory and compliance regimes (the approach that has so far been taken primarily at the federal level in the United States), and (2) they create new laws or amend existing laws to specifically address digital assets (as is the case in countries such as Switzerland and Dubai and in certain states in the United States such as New York).

CIP culture is missing in the crypto world

But what about a compliance and governance culture at the level of the stock exchanges themselves? An important part of a compliance culture is that employees feel comfortable raising issues and reporting violations without fear of retaliation. It also requires an internal reporting and resolution system to address issues as they arise. This means creating a culture that encourages open and transparent communication and gives employees the opportunity to voice their concerns. As cryptocurrencies claim to place the value of freedom at their core and take an ecosystem approach, one might assume that this is the industry in which a culture of compliance can thrive. A culture of compliance starts with leadership. The leader must manifest and live the compliance values. There are enough examples to show that this does not happen by itself in the crypto industry. There also seems to be a lack of clear policies, procedures and training. Where is the "speak-up" culture and continuous kaizen improvement in the crypto world? We see it in the community's commitment to the protocols, but it doesn't translate to corporate behavior and culture.

Let's sit back and think about risk management for a moment. What does this missing link in corporate culture, this missing compliance culture, mean for cryptocurrency risk management for investors, regulators and, of course, for the crypto company itself? The risk that has already materialized for investors and companies is in the 10 billion dollar range. Perhaps not all, but some of these losses could have been avoided if good business practices such as ISO standards had been applied, if a good example had been set and a culture of compliance had been created within the company.

Sources used:

• https://globalinvestigationsreview.com/guide/the-guide-compliance/first-edition/article/compliance-issues-in-cryptocurrency
• Investors club https://emotional-agility.dg1.com/vc4diversity/pages/memberships

Author: 
Karen Wendt is president of SwissFinTechLadies, a group of women actively encouraging women in the FinTech, tech and blockchain ecosystem to take more leadership positions in startups and become shareholders in tech companies. More articles and information here: https://www.presseportal.ch/de/nr/100096065

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/eine-compliance-kultur-in-der-kryptowelt/

You have to celebrate leftovers as they fall - and in the production of Innocent smoothies and juices, whose only ingredients are fruits and vegetables, a few leftovers naturally occur. Pressing apples, for example, produces apple pomace. In collaboration with the sneaker startup Vlace, innocent is now using this for a stylish, sustainable sneaker.

The apple pomace is processed into apple leather in collaboration with a company specializing in vegan leather in northern Italy. This not only eliminates waste, but also reduces the carbon footprint by 8 times compared to a sneaker made of animal leather. In addition to the ecological benefits, the apple pomace material also has other advantages over traditional leather or polyurethane (PU): it is lighter than real leather and more breathable than PU. Moreover, it is easy to clean and does not lose its shape or color over time.

The rest of the shoe is also sustainable

Innocent and Vlace also rely on recycled materials for the rest of the shoe: the padding inside is made from recycled PET bottles and the soles are largely recycled from old soles. Each individual shoe is then handmade in 50 steps by a small, family-run shoe manufactory in Portugal.

Simona Schmid, Brand Manager of Innocent in Switzerland: "We are proud to work with Vlace to create this innovative sneaker made from apple pomace and recycled materials. We are committed to keeping the environmental footprint of our products as small as possible, but we are not at the end of the road yet. With this project, we want to show that the impact of corporate action can extend far beyond the boundaries of our own production. We hope to inspire other companies to take the path to more recycling and upcycling and to leave the world a little better than we found it."