In 2024, the new Group-wide climate targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) with a net-zero roadmap until 2045. Compared to the previous year, greenhouse gas emissions in Scope 1 and 2 were reduced by 5%, which is partly due to the increased proportion of biogas and new measures to optimize fuel consumption. "The validation of our climate targets by the SBTi was the logical next step in our ambitious environmental management. In the long term, APG|SGA is committed to significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. We have planned a series of further measures to support us on this reduction path," says Andres Trautmann, Head of Sustainability at APG|SGA.

Sustainability and social responsibility are firmly anchored in the corporate strategy. This is demonstrated by the fact that APG|SGA's sustainability management was awarded the "EcoEntreprise Sustainable Development - Social Responsibility" certificate in 2024. The certificate is based on the ISO 26000 standard and is awarded following an independent audit. The CSR organizational structure was specifically revised in advance in order to improve the holistic integration of the sustainability strategy into the operational business.

A key step was the establishment of the "CSR Board" in order to consistently involve all areas of the company and combine the strategy with day-to-day business. APG|SGA is also committed to diversity, equal pay and fair working conditions along the entire supply chain. In addition, the company supports numerous cultural and social initiatives through poster sponsorship.

22nd Sustainability Reporting 2024 with measures and targets

Impact levels of the CSR strategy

APG|SGA, Allgemeine Plakatgesellschaft AG, is the leading outdoor advertising company in Switzerland. Specializing in digital and analogue advertising solutions as well as special forms of advertising at highly frequented locations on the street, in railroad stations, at the point of sale, at the point of interest, in the mountains as well as in and around means of transport and airports, it covers all areas of outdoor advertising. Supplemented with mobile advertising and interaction options, APG|SGA stands for quality and tradition combined with innovation and aims to inspire people with the best communication solutions in public spaces. Over 500 employees work with customers, the authorities and the advertising industry to create a lasting impression. They work with great care, technical We manage the screens and billboards with a high degree of competence and ecological responsibility and ensure successful advertising broadcasts and posters throughout Switzerland with the utmost precision.

With this step, Codata is positioning itself even more clearly as a technical sparring partner for the design, implementation and operation of digital solutions in the areas of web/CMS, software development, e-commerce, PIM systems, MDM data management / business intelligence and system integration.

"We can't do everything. But we can do some things really well. We want to develop these further," explains Andrin Spring, CEO of Codata. "With Flin, we are gaining a
partner who perfectly complements our technical services in marketing - and with whom we speak the same language."

Flin brings many years of expertise in content and performance marketing to the collaboration. In the future collaboration, the Zurich-based agency will cover marketing via Google and social media, SEO, GEO and content marketing, tracking and analytics as well as AI-driven marketing. Part of the team lives and works in Lucerne and will also use the Codata office in future in order to strengthen operational proximity and exploit synergies.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Codata," says Flurina Klarer, co-founder of Flin and responsible for the Lucerne site. "Future-oriented digital marketing thrives on customized technological solutions. With this partnership, we can offer our customers exactly that and thus achieve greater impact."

Companies are currently struggling with three major challenges: their digital transformation, strengthening their resilience and the shortage of skilled workers. As the study Voice of our Clients of the global IT service provider CGI Group shows, they often fail because of their internal silo boundaries, which prevent the development of cross-departmental end-to-end solutions. As a logical consequence of this dilemma, companies are increasingly working with managed service providers. This is no longer just about cost-effective IT services according to an SLA agreement, but about solving complex tasks that can be solved much better, faster and more flexibly by external specialists. The prerequisite for this is intensive cooperation that also takes into account the maturity level of the respective company. The following list shows which quality criteria a managed service provider (MSP) must meet in order to help companies with their digital transformation:

• Range of servicesManaged services come from the external provision of IT infrastructure, such as servers, clients or storage. Transferred to the cloud model, this is the lowest layer (Infrastructure-as-a-Service or IaaS for short) of the stack. But that alone is no longer enough. Instead, an MSP must be able to cover all layers - such as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) - and integrate them with the latest automation and AI solutions, from the hardware to the application.
• Depth of integration and partnershipThe solution must be tailored to the maturity level of the company's IT, which is why a maturity level analysis is carried out at the start of every collaboration. The more intensive and long-term it is, the more effective it is. The goal is a lasting strategic partnership that relieves companies of IT tasks and allows them to concentrate on achieving their business goals.
• Flexibility and provider diagnosticsGiven the pace of digital innovation, an MSP must be able not only to deliver standard services, but also to constantly adapt new solutions, for example from the provider market in the AI sector, which is changing almost daily. They must be at the forefront of technological developments and use them to meet company-specific needs. An MSP must therefore not be tied to specific providers and their offerings. Provider diagnostics (analogous to cloud agnostic: running an application on different clouds at the same time, editor's note) is also a must in order to rule out dependencies.
• Automation and AIArtificial intelligence is now indispensable for more than just data analysis, forecasting, complex planning and process automation. Corresponding expertise is therefore an essential part of an MSP's service portfolio. They must be able to correctly analyze a company's AI maturity level and, based on this, implement AI projects that create real added value.
• Consolidation and complexity managementConsolidating the IT landscape is currently one of the most difficult, but also most important tasks for companies in order to make it manageable, agile and affordable. The quality profile of an MSP therefore includes mastering complex IT infrastructures and application landscapes, restructuring and modernizing them and integrating them into business processes.
• Transformation and focus on resultsIT is not an end in itself, but a tool for achieving the company's goals. Analogously, this also applies to an MSP. The value of its services and performance is therefore no longer reflected in the fulfillment rate of SLAs. Rather, it is crucial to not only consider pure IT services, but to increasingly focus on business results.

"Companies are currently struggling with a multitude of challenges," explains Ralf Bauer, President CGI Germany. "The economic situation is difficult, the pressure to innovate is high, complexity is high, the shortage of skilled workers is a dangerous brake on growth and IT resources urgently need to be consolidated. In this situation, companies need a competent and long-term oriented partner who not only provides IT services, but also keeps an eye on the company's success."

Source and further information: www.cgi.com/de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/wichtige-qualitaetskriterien-fuer-managed-service-provider/

The brand day was held on Wednesday in Laufen at Ricola's production site. Over 250 guests and members of the Promarca association were well looked after by Ricola, with various guided tours showing how the 13 herbs contained in every Ricola BonBon are lovingly stored. The guests were able to marvel at the production facility and sniff the dried herbs. After a flying lunch in a beautiful rural setting, the Promarca event, the day of the brand, began.

President Monique Bourquin gave a detailed overview of the political and social situation in the industry and emphasized the importance of the association as a strong backbone for its members. The moderator then conducted an interview with Barbara Castegnaro, Director of the Promarca Association since January. She gave a competent and far-sighted description of the agenda she has in mind for her office and provided support and confidence for the industry.

The Promarca Brand Award was then presented.

This year's winner: Zweifel Chips & Snacks, a traditional Swiss family business that already won the award in 2018.

"The Promarca Brand of the Year award is a huge honor for us and the result of fantastic teamwork. It's more than just a title for us - it's a vote of confidence that spurs us on to continue giving our best every day," says Christoph Zweifel, CEO of Zweifel Chips & Snacks.

 Representative consumer survey with over 6,000 participants

The award is based on an independent study conducted by Havas Switzerland among 6,251 consumers from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. The survey evaluated 396 brands, including those of Promarca members. The decisive factors were perceived dynamism and the public's trust in the brand. Jonas Eliassen, CEO of Havas Switzerland, adds:

"Zweifel wins the prestigious Promarca Brand of the Year Award for the second time. This exceptional development is the result of a consistently pursued brand and innovation strategy: With a constantly evolving product portfolio, sustainable packaging solutions, tangible customer proximity and a modern, appealing brand image, Zweifel proves how tradition and progress can be successfully combined."

Zweifel combines tradition, innovative strength and local roots

Zweifel is a traditional family brand with deep roots in Switzerland that focuses on customer proximity - including through its "FriendZ" community network. The brand pursues a clear innovation strategy, for example by diversifying its snack range with brands such as Zweifel VAYA and Berger. With the expansion of its product range and the new plant in Spreitenbach (ZH), the company is reaffirming its commitment to quality and sustainable jobs in Switzerland.

Ricola and Kambly on the podium

Ricola took second place. The brand is a symbol of Swissness and impresses consumers with its natural ingredients, sustainable production methods, clear brand identity and unmistakable Ricola image.

Third place went to Kambly. The traditional biscuit brand inspires with its quality craftsmanship, gentle innovation, brand experiences and the ability to create an emotional taste experience with every product.

Promarca members remain Switzerland's innovation engine

Promarca is pleased to recognize outstanding brand achievements every year. The innovative strength of the member companies remains consistently high: in 2024, Promarca members launched 8,750 new products on the Swiss market - impressive proof of their role as economic and technological trailblazers. Last year, the member companies generated a total turnover of over 14.2 billion Swiss francs, including exports.

Promarca, the Swiss Branded Goods Association, has been the committed voice of brands in Switzerland since 1929. Today, Promarca counts 102 well-known national and international companies among its members. The association is committed to representing the values of the brand and to ensuring good framework conditions for brand companies in Switzerland. Last year, the member companies generated a total turnover of over 14.2 billion Swiss francs, including exports. The units of these companies based in Switzerland create 18,811 jobs and invest millions in the location every year. The branded goods industry thus makes a significant contribution to the competitiveness and stability of the Swiss economy.

Marketagent, which specializes in online research, has an online panel of more than 3 million people, which was the first access pool in the D-A-CH region to be ISO-certified in January 2010 and recertified in January 2024 in accordance with the current ISO 20252 standard. Within this panel, Marketagent carries out consumer research projects for well-known clients. Recently, 1000 Swiss people from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland were asked about their experiences in restaurants as part of such a study. 

Served, but not spoiled

Around 7 in 10 Swiss people treat themselves to a meal out at least once a month (69 %) - more than in Germany (54 %) or Austria (65 %). But culinary pleasure has its limits: Overall, the majority of Swiss people feel that the customer really is "king" in the restaurant trade (75 %). However, only just over one in five experience this frequently (22 %) and 52 % only occasionally. A further quarter only rarely or never feel that they are treated like royalty (25 %). Guests are most frequently annoyed by poor value for money (32 %), followed by long waiting times (28 %) and unfriendly or poor service (27 %).

Around one in four people have the impression that the quality of service has declined in recent years (27 %). The Swiss respondents gave a slightly better assessment than the Austrians. In the neighboring country, a good third perceive a decline in service quality (35 %). Despite the occasional annoyance, the tone in local restaurants is usually friendly - or not at all. On average, the Swiss only leave a critical comment around twice a year and a clear complaint only once.

Between tips and standard wages

When it comes to tipping, there is an area of conflict: almost 9 out of 10 Swiss people are prepared to give an "overtip" for good service. At the same time, 86 % are in favor of rewarding good service with fair wages - instead of voluntary tipping. 80 % are in favor of making tipping tax-free and almost 4 out of 10 would like to abolish it altogether.

Top 2 box values: "strongly agree" + "somewhat agree" || n = 1,039 people from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland

Reservations with decency - but without a credit card

The majority of local restaurant guests stick to their agreements: Only 16 % have ever failed to show up despite making a reservation and without canceling. Just as few have already made reservations in several restaurants at the same time (16 %). On the other hand, new practices in the restaurant industry that aim to further increase the reservation ethic are not very popular with the Swiss. For example, 72 % clearly reject the idea of having to provide credit card details when making a reservation. Time slots, fixed service charges or penalties are also clear red lines for the majority of Swiss diners that would deter them from (further) restaurant visits.

Free services yes - but not for an extra charge

Ordering tap water is widespread in Switzerland - around two thirds have already done so (63 %). However, very few people want to pay for it: on average, they would accept a maximum of CHF 1.50 for a glass of tap water. If this service becomes a chargeable service, many would rather do without it.

Overall, Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland, sees a mixed result in terms of service quality: "The Swiss appreciate good food and are prepared to dig deeper into their pockets for it - as long as the quality and service are right. But satisfaction is crumbling: One in four people perceive a deterioration in quality. New rules such as tap water for a fee, additional charges for plates or the obligation to use a credit card for reservations are offending many. The catering industry needs to act with tact and sensitivity so as not to gamble away the pleasure of eating out."

Source: www.marketagent-schweiz.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/befragung-zeigt-nachlassende-servicequalitaet-in-der-gastronomie/

There is a handover in the Certifications division at the Swiss Safety Center: Heinrich A. Bieler is retiring. His responsibilities will be taken over by Michael Grünenfelder, Dr. oec. HSG. As an experienced leader in the professional services industry, Michael Grünenfelder has headed national and international departments as a line manager and has extensive experience in managing large projects and project teams for infrastructure projects (thermal power plants and renewable energies). He also has extensive experience in working with authorities and in compliance, avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring impartiality. His practical experience in the field of certification includes numerous use cases for process optimization and the establishment of management systems according to various standards.

Dr. Elisabetta Carrea, CEO of Swiss Safety Center AG, sees the appointment of Michael Grünenfelder as the new head of the certification body as an opportunity to consolidate the company's position as a renowned and leading certification provider in Switzerland. At the same time, the Swiss Safety Center intends to continue its successful path for further growth in this area. Swiss Safety Center AG is a company of the SVTI Group and thus part of the competence center for technical safety and risk management. The company offers solutions for all industries with specific services, products and qualifications in the areas of safety and quality. 

Source and further information: Swiss Safety Center

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/neue-leitung-fuer-den-bereich-certifications-im-swiss-safety-center/

In close collaboration with Helsana, the Zurich-based consulting and creative agency Zense structured the complex strategy content, visualized it and made it tangible through storytelling. The aim: to get to the heart of the content in a simple way and to take around 3,400 employees on an emotional journey through the upcoming strategy.

In a first step, the result of the collaboration is a strategy presentation, a concise key visual, an interactive intranet page and accompanying
Communication tools such as posters and screensavers. The strategy launch with the management presentation took place in January at a major employee event.

Even though the strategy communication is still ongoing, the first positive interim results can already be drawn: The central messages have been received and Helsana employees are using the key visual developed by Zense independently and with pleasure - in presentations, visualizations or as decoration in the office, says Marisa De Faveri Schweizer, project manager for the strategy project on the part of Helsana Corporate Communications.

The Kestenholz Group, headquartered in Pratteln, specializes in Mercedes-Benz and has quadrupled in size over the last twenty years. Most of the expansion has taken place in Germany, which has prompted the owner family to fundamentally rethink the meaning of the brand. An analysis carried out by Yellow showed that "Kestenholz" could make a significant contribution to differentiation, especially in highly competitive Germany. This was the starting point for the renewal of the brand.

Based on the company's origins and history, the Basel brand specialists worked with the owner family and management to sharpen the values and positioning and identify the differentiating features. In a second step, they revised the corporate identity and design.

The results are documented in a comprehensive brand manual, which serves as a guide for the marketing managers in the individual sales regions. The creative team also designed a compact brand booklet for employees, which serves as a guide to actively living the brand in their day-to-day work.

Yellow also sensitized the members of the management team as part of a brand camp, during which the new corporate movie also celebrated its premiere. Yellow's creative department is now overseeing the rollout of the new corporate design and providing ongoing support to the marketing teams in the development of communication measures that strengthen internal brand awareness and external brand perception.

Responsible at the Kestenholz Group Thomas Kestenholz (CEO), Jan Kriwanek (Marketing), Agency Yellow, Partner Corporate Movie Grunerfilms

With an anniversary appearance at Rhema and various communication measures, the location brand Rheintal.com celebrated its tenth anniversary. The platform was launched in 2015 by the St.Gallen Rhine Valley Association and aims to make the region visible beyond municipal boundaries - for skilled workers, returnees and companies as well as for the local population and guests.

Rheintal.com sees itself as an instrument for regional location marketing. The brand portrays people, companies and places in the Rhine Valley and presents the region as a cohesive unit. In terms of content, it focuses on proximity and authenticity, for example with contributions on quality of life, economic prospects and regional ties.

High-profile projects

One of the successful projects is the image film "Wa macht üsers Rhintal so grossartig?", which was created in collaboration with Widnau artist Nico Arn. The video reportedly reached 2.8 million views within two months. The "Rhinfluencer:innen" social media initiative, in which people from the region acted as ambassadors, also achieved a high reach.

At the Rheintal.com stand at this year's Rhema, visitors received information material and a printed bag with a night motif of the Rhine Valley. In addition, a video was produced on site with voices from the local population, capturing personal perspectives on life in the region.

Ruedi Mattle takes over

The anniversary also saw a change at the top of the association: Reto Friedauer, who had been President for many years, handed over his office to Ruedi Mattle, previously Vice President. Sabina Saggioro is now in charge of management. She emphasizes: "With Rheintal.com, we are making visible what distinguishes our region as a place to live and do business. The brand brings people, communities and companies together - and shows that the Rhine Valley is more than just a geographical term: it is a shared promise."

Nine tourism organizations from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy form the AlpNet network to promote the development of responsible and nature-friendly Alpine tourism.

The members of AlpNet include Allgäu Tourismus, Tirol Werbung, SalzburgerLand Tourismus, Graubünden Ferien, Luzern Tourismus, Made in Bern, Valais/Wallis Promotion, IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige and Trentino Marketing. Together they represent around 155 million overnight stays per year.

As part of the Alpine Climate Summit 2025 on the Zugspitze, AlpNet presented the so-called Alpine Manifesto which formulates ten common guiding principles. The aim is a sustainable approach to nature, people and the environment in the Alpine region.

Karin Seiler, President of AlpNet and Managing Director of Tirol Werbung, emphasizes: "The Alpine Manifesto is more than a symbolic solidarity. It is a practical guideline and a common mission to ourselves."

Invitation to participate

The principles of the manifesto range from respectful behavior in nature to climate-friendly travel and the promotion of regional value creation. The regions rely on measures that have already been tried and tested. Tyrol, for example, is focusing on coordinating use and dialog with the "Bergwelt Tirol - Miteinander Erleben" program. In Salzburger Land, projects such as "GuestMobility Ticket" and "Respect and Protect" enable gentle mobility and visitor guidance.

In the Allgäu, over 120 partner businesses are contributing to the "Climate-neutral Allgäu 2030" project to reduce CO₂ emissions. South Tyrol is focusing on sustainable offers and collaborations with "Mindful in the mountains" and "Visiting pioneers". Trentino emphasizes safety and local quality with projects such as "Prudenza in montagna".

The Swiss destinations are also making concrete contributions: Lucerne offers overnight guests free travel on public transport, Bern promotes conscious tourism with "ViaBerna" and educational programs on climate issues, and new approaches are being implemented in Valais with "Fairtrail Valais" and the future "Mobility Ticket", among others.

According to AlpNet, the Alpine Manifesto is not just a position paper, but an invitation to guests, businesses, municipalities and politicians to actively contribute to sustainable development in the Alpine region. Further information on the manifesto and the regional projects can be found at Alp-net.eu.

The guiding principles at a glance

1. We respect the nature and wildlife of the Alps. 
2. We behave respectfully towards other guests and locals. 
3. We leave nothing behind in the natural alpine landscape. 
4. We prefer the existing accommodation offer.
5. We select tours in the Alps carefully and prepare them well. 
6. We cross the Alps carefully and stay on paths, trails and pistes. 
7. We respect the operating times and rules of snow sports facilities and cross-country ski trails. 
8. We buy regionally and support local companies. 
9. We travel environmentally friendly. 
10. We carry the beautiful memories of the Alps in our hearts. 

Dr. Ursula Nötzli will become co-director of the CAS Strategic Communication Management with AI at the HWZ Zurich School of Business on September 1, 2025. She will gradually succeed Stefan Eggenberger, who has led the course to date and will focus on consulting mandates from spring 2026.

The handover will take place as part of the strategic development of the Marketing & Digital department. The staggered handover is intended to ensure a continuous transfer of knowledge and high program quality. According to the HWZ, additional experts have already been recruited in addition to the new appointment in order to further expand the range of continuing education courses.

"With Ursula Nötzli, we are gaining a leading personality with excellent and proven practical and research experience," says Dr. Valerio Stallone, Head of the Department of Marketing & Digital. "Her profile perfectly complements our team and strengthens the HWZ's position in the field of communication in the long term."

Nötzli himself emphasizes the relevance of the topic: "The rapid development of artificial intelligence challenges us to rethink communication practices. Efficiency gains are quickly visible - but real strategic rethinking requires experience, depth and openness. I find passing on my knowledge and developing new perspectives in dialog with the students very enriching."

With a doctorate in economics, she has extensive experience in strategic communication, sustainability and corporate management. In September, she will also become a partner and co-owner of Hirzel.Neef.Schmid.Konsulenten (Markt-kom.com reported). Previous positions include the TX Group, ABB Switzerland, Credit Suisse, GAM Holding and editorial offices of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and Finance and economy. She completed the Advanced Management Program at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

With the "LLM Content Ingest API Initiative", the IAB Tech Lab has proposed a new framework that responds to the growing challenges posed by generative AI. The aim of the initiative is to provide publishers with a technical option to control the use of their content by large language models (LLMs) and AI agents and to ensure fair remuneration.

The background to this is the increasing use of web content by AI systems, which have been proven to reduce traffic to publisher sites. According to studies by the IAB Tech Lab, a decline of 15 percent or more is not uncommon. At the same time, the importance of AI-controlled search results and chat interfaces is growing, which means that brand content is also being played out without direct control.

The new framework is intended to support rights holders in monetizing their content on the one hand and, on the other, offer the opportunity to actively control their own presence and content in AI systems. "It's clear that AI agents based on large language models are changing the way users interact with content," says Anthony Katsur, CEO of the IAB Tech Lab. "This initiative aims to provide publishers and brands with a fair, enforceable and technically sound path forward."

Martin Radelfinger, President of the IAB Switzerland Association, emphasizes the relevance for the local market: "The LLM Content Ingest API initiative launched by the IAB Tech Lab is an important step towards securing the economic foundations of the open web in the age of generative AI. For publishers and brands, it is about gaining transparency and controllability in AI-based playout and creating a fair framework for the monetization of their content."

The initiative is open for discussion and further development. Publishers, brands and developers are invited to participate in the standardization process. Further information is available on the Website of the IAB Tech Lab retrievable.