The Albert Koechlin Foundation (AKS), founded in 1997, regularly supports sustainable projects in the fields of social welfare, education, culture, business and the environment in Central Switzerland. According to the foundation's purpose, the focus is always on the common good. As part of the "clever unterwegs" project, the foundation is currently supporting companies that want to change their logistics sustainably by purchasing an e-cargo bike. Central Swiss companies can choose from a limited number of different models of e-cargo bikes or trailers. Interested companies can now obtain information and apply online at cleverunterwegs.ch/e-cargobike. The current application window is open until all the e-cargobikes available this year have been allocated. A next application window is planned for spring 2023.

Foundation covers 60 percent of the acquisition costs

The integration of e-cargo bikes requires changes in everyday operations as well as upfront investments. Thanks to the financial support of the AKS, the purchase of an e-cargo bike becomes sustainable and financially viable. Companies that want to replace journeys previously made by car or van with an e-cargo bike receive financial support from the foundation amounting to 60 percent of the purchase costs. In addition to the purchase, the overall package includes an initial service after one year and appropriate labeling.

Companies whose applications are considered can receive advice from the specialist dealer Velociped in Kriens, view the available models and test ride them. After choosing the right model, the labeling will be realized in consultation with the company, so that the companies can take delivery of their e-cargo bike this summer.

E-Cargobikes: Advantages over short distances

The use of an e-cargo bike has many advantages for businesses. For inner-city trips of up to 3 kilometers, the e-cargo bike is faster than cars or delivery trucks. This means that businesses can reach their customers or branches more quickly and efficiently, without losing time in traffic jams or when looking for a parking space. In addition, the use of e-cargobikes can bring a commitment to climate protection into focus. However, so far only a few businesses have discovered these advantages for themselves and ventured to purchase an e-cargo bike. According to project manager Andreas Merz, the Albert Koechlin Foundation wants to break down this barrier with its commitment and help the e-cargo bike achieve a breakthrough: "In this way, we are opening up an additional, sustainable form of mobility for companies, which has long since become established in the private mobility of families."

Successful implementation with pilot operations

Together with Feinwerk and El Imposible Roasters, AKS has already been able to put the first two e-cargo bikes and trailers into operation as part of a pilot project. According to owner Sacha Zbinden, this is a long-awaited dream come true for the Feinwerk team: "Since we often work in the center of Lucerne, the e-cargobike and trailer now make it quicker and easier for us to get to the customer and back to the workshop.

For Mario Waldispühl, co-owner of the Horw-based roastery El Imposible Roasters and restaurateur, the new trailer also offers many advantages: "With the large trailer, we can handle coffee deliveries more efficiently and, in the future, also travel to events in the area and serve coffee directly from the trailer. This will allow us to take another step towards sustainable coffee enjoyment."

More information: cleverunterwegs.ch/e-cargobike

With more than 80 IT system houses and IT e-commerce companies in 14 countries, Bechtle is one of the leading IT companies in Europe. Bechtle Schweiz AG (System House German-speaking Switzerland) is now reorganizing its management team: Christian Speck takes over sole management of the system house activities of Bechtle Schweiz AG in German-speaking Switzerland. In future, Patrick Fischbacher, who has already managed the Eastern region, will be responsible for sales. His deputy will be Pierre Bolle, who is currently responsible for the Central sales region. Together, they will be responsible for sales in all regions of German-speaking Switzerland. "With his personality, experience and know-how, Christian Speck is the ideal choice for the position of Managing Director of Bechtle Schweiz AG. We are very pleased that he is now assuming sole overall responsibility and are convinced that he will continue to be very successful as a result," says Hanspeter Oeschger, Divisional Board Member for Bechtle IT System House & Managed Services Switzerland. By the end of the year, all operational sales tasks, which were taken over by Hanspeter Oeschger on an interim basis following the departure of Co-Managing Director Roger Suter, will gradually be handed over to the new sales management. "I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Patrick Fischbacher and Pierre Bolle to head up Sales. We have thus created the best conditions for successfully implementing the growth plan in Switzerland," says Christian Speck, Managing Director of Bechtle Schweiz AG.

Founded in 1983, the entire Bechtle Group, headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany, currently employs more than 12,800 people. We support more than 70,000 customers from industry and commerce, the public sector, and the financial market in their digital transformation and offer a comprehensive range of IT infrastructure and IT operations services across all manufacturers. Bechtle is listed in the MDAX and TecDAX. In 2021, the revenue was 5.31 billion euros.

Source and further information: bechtle.com

On May 10, 2022, Switzerland's Best Workplaces were honored for the 14th time - this year, for the first time since the COVID 19 pandemic began, at a live event at Kaufleuten Zurich. As part of the world's largest study, Great Place to Work worked with more than 200 organizations in Switzerland on the topic of workplace architecture, surveying more than 34,000 employees here. 51 organizations were named Best Workplaces by their employees in the categories Small, Medium and Large, making them among the best in Switzerland. To be named one of the Best Workplaces, organizations must achieve a Trust Index score of at least 70% and meet the criteria of the Culture Audit. Companies that do not receive the award will not be listed. Participation in the Best Workplaces - this is a registered trademark of Great Place to Work - is possible for any organization with 20 or more employees.

A "perennial winner" among the best workplaces

First place in the category "Large companies" with more than 250 employees goes to UMB AG. The IT company already topped the rankings in 2020, 2018, 2016 and 2014. In the "Medium-sized companies" category with 50-249 employees, Spitex Malters takes first place. This is the first time that a company operating in the healthcare sector has held this position. In view of the challenges it has faced in recent years, Great Place to Work sees this as a pleasing sign. In the "Small" category with 20-49 employees, the medical research company Alnylam Switzerland GmbH made it to first place. They thus make it to the top in their category for the second time in a row. Also recognized as Best Workplaces were well-known Swiss employers such as Hilti Switzerland, IWC Schaffhausen, AbbVie, Strassenverkehrsamt des Kantons Zürich, Globegarden, Decathlon and blue entertainment, among others. This shows that workplace culture is also a strategic focus, regardless of industry, in order to retain the best talent and attract new talent in the face of a shortage of skilled workers and demographic change, according to the statement.

The role of managers is gaining importance in Best Workplaces™

Overall, Great Place to Work concludes that organizations in Switzerland have solidly mastered the challenges surrounding the Corona pandemic and are slowly going "back to normal" or to a "new normal." In this context, the issue of the role of managers in particular has become more important, it said, and expectations of managers have also increased. For example, the credibility and role model function of managers is a key success factor for employee satisfaction, it said. "Managers are easy to reach and straightforward to talk to" received an approval rating of 87% in Best Workplaces this year. This is 4 percentage points higher than last year and 22 percentage points higher than we see for the average of all employees in Switzerland (Representative benchmark of randomly selected employees). Cornelia Schättle, consultant and co-owner of Great Place to Work Switzerland, says: "We see a development from a culture of rules to a culture of values. Shaping all the challenges of the modern working world with rules is no longer flexible enough. Instead of being the sole decision-makers and knowledge carriers, good managers are increasingly characterized by a coaching and mentoring attitude: They offer employees an opportunity to reflect on themselves, delegate responsibility, support the development of competencies, and at the same time take on an important role as role models for the values of an organization. And they can only do that with a trust-based workplace culture."

Holding on to old working environment as a risk

An increasing challenge for even Best Workplaces is maintaining employees' attachment to and pride in the organization. The statement "I would like to continue working here for a long time" was agreed to by 80% of employees at this year's Best Workplaces (down 4 percentage points on the previous year). The Swiss average is just 60%, and the sometimes high turnover further exacerbates the shortage of skilled workers for many organizations. Michael Hermann, consultant and co-owner of Great Place to Work Switzerland, sums up the challenges as follows: "Anyone who stubbornly wants to stick to the old way of working (e.g. with a presence in the office) will lose employees. Organizations that respond to different needs and also involve employees in the search for solutions to all issues will be able to adapt much better. Even for these, however, the following applies: attachment to the employer decreases and the meaningfulness of the task as well as the appreciation received make the difference here".

Best Workplaces 2022: The top 3 in the various categories

Large companies (250+ employees)

1. UMB AG (Information Technology), 400 employees
2. SAP (Switzerland) AG (Information Technology - Software), 898 employees
3. Vebego AG (Construction, Infrastructure & Real Estate - Property Management), 6000 employees

Medium-sized companies (50-249 employees)

1. Spitex Malters (Health Care), 52 employees
2. dbi services (Information Technology - IT Consulting), 78 employees
3. APP Unternehmensberatung (Professional Services - Consulting - Management), 84 employees

Small companies (20-49 employees)

1. Alnylam Switzerland GmbH (Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals), 37 employees
2. Hilton (Hospitality - Hotel/Resort), 41 employees
3. Digital Luxury Group, DLG SA (Professional Services - Advertising and Marketing), 32 employees

The complete ranking is available here.

The times could not be better for discussing ethics, sustainability and leadership concepts of the future: A war is raging in Eastern Europe, climate change is making itself increasingly felt in our country as well, a pandemic has highlighted the limits of global supply chains, and all of this brings home to us the fragile foundations on which our prosperity is built. This was grist to the mill of Werner von Allmen, founder and CEO of the Swiss Excellence Forum, which held the Future Leadership Forum on May 11, 2022 and once again presented the Swiss Ethics Award. Werner von Allmen made it clear that the award alone cannot make the world a better place, but it should help to sensitize society to the issue of sustainable excellence.

As on earth, so in the universe

Before the awards ceremony took place, the 150 or so guests at the KKL Luzern enjoyed exciting and sometimes thought-provoking presentations. First, Michael Brenner, member of the Collegial Executive Board of the Weleda Group, gave an insight into what "Future Leadership" can look like in concrete terms: Guided by values and a purpose for the company's existence supported by the entire workforce. Thinking, feeling and wanting are the basis of everything we do - and having the courage to take responsibility for the whole.

Astrophysicist and space researcher Prof. Dr. Kathrin Altwegg then took the audience into completely different worlds. Is there a need for ethics in space? A question that the speaker answered in the affirmative. Because the same questions we ask ourselves on Earth - who "owns" it? Are there areas we need to protect or are we allowed to go anywhere? - also apply to the universe. In this respect, she was critical of the latest developments in the "privatization" of orbit, for example by super-rich people such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos or Richard Branson, who are helping to turn space into a new "Wild West" with space tourism or cheap satellites.

A paradigm shift is needed

Historian and philosopher Philipp Blom took a look at the history of mankind, which has always managed to solve problems on its own. But he sees us currently at a turning point: "We are at the end of a cultural history where man is the 'boss'," said Philipp Blom. Global problems can therefore no longer be solved simply "from within the system." A rethink and paradigm shift are necessary, as happened during the last "Little Ice Age" in the 16th/17th century, for example, when education and research formed the basis for a "Golden Age" in the Netherlands, for example.

Some aspects of the presentations heard were further deepened in a panel discussion led by Werner von Allmen. Jesuit Dr. Christian Rutishauser also brought in the theological and spiritual perspective. For him, one of the qualities of a leader is to be able to let oneself be led. When asked about the current situation in Eastern Europe, the panel agreed that ethics and war cannot be reconciled. But in the face of a clearly identifiable aggressor, even pacifist attitudes reach their limits: Those who are attacked should be allowed to defend themselves, if necessary also by force of arms...

Swiss Ethics Award 2022: Projects with a future

Then followed the presentation of the five organizations nominated for the Swiss Ethics AwardEnergie360° presented its climate-positive project for recycling wood residues into heating energy. Through a pyrolytic process, the residual product is not CO2, but pure carbon, which can be used e.g. as fertilizer or aggregate for building material. Hunziker Partner AG was nominated for its internal training concept, which follows a holistic approach and is not limited to professional skills. For example, employees are also trained in ecological behavior. Recycling Paradies, in turn, allows people with impairments or difficult biographies to regain their footing in the working world. The jury particularly emphasized the successful combination of ecological benefits and social responsibility.

Yourharvest's "Happy Hazelnut" project has set itself the task of providing a humane environment for the hundreds of migrant workers and their families who harvest hazelnuts in Turkey every year. Child labor is replaced by schools, and instead of living in shacks, the migrant workers have a clean shelter.

Clean oceans and livelihood security for fishermen

The winning company, Tide Ocean SA, represented by Thomas Schori, was singled out by the jury for special recognition for several reasons: Firstly, the organization is tackling the global problem of ocean plastic pollution. To this end, Tide Ocean operates a complete value chain for upcycled ocean plastic and is particularly active in Southeast Asia, the region with the highest plastic waste rate. A specially developed process converts the plastic waste into high-quality plastic granules that can already be used in many products. On the other hand, fishermen who used to live from fishing as sea nomads and can no longer continue this traditional lifestyle today receive a price from Tide Ocean for collecting plastic well above the market and thus a new source of income. Social enterprises sort and process the plastic. The workers employed there receive social security, training and, in some cases, housing. The potential for recycling plastic waste is great: According to Thomas Schori, only just under ten percent of the plastic produced worldwide is not yet recycled, but "ends up somewhere in the world" - or just: In the oceans, which with their flora and fauna make an important contribution not only to our climate, but also form the basis of life for millions of people.

More information: www.swiss-excellence-forum.ch

Barbara Rüttimann, owner of rb Rüttimann consulting, has created a thoroughly innovative event format: A business lunch accompanied by short speeches. In "speed speeches" of a maximum of 10 minutes each, the more than 40 guests received input on sustainability, culture and corporate responsibility. The event took place at the premises of Felfel AG, the young and up-and-coming catering company (motto "Good Food at Work"), in Zurich-Binz.

Entrepreneurial success: A matter of culture

After a short introduction by hostess Barbara Rüttimann, the first short presentation started. Anna Grassler, Co-General Manager of Felfel, gave a brief insight into the corporate culture of the young company, which has already managed to inspire many corporate customers with an innovative catering concept. She emphasized that culture cannot be standardized. Happiness at work ensures performance and leaves room for individual solutions. Anna Grassler does not see the rapid growth of her company as a reason to change this culture - for example, by creating more structure. On the contrary: "The culture defines the structure," says Grassler.

Michael Fahrni, Managing Director of the Swiss Venture Club SVC, known for the Swiss-wide "Prix SVC" business awards, outlined Switzerland's rich entrepreneurship with three examples. The award-winning companies show that social responsibility and entrepreneurial success are not mutually exclusive, but rather mutually dependent.

Wellness very practical

Caroline Wüest, Managing Director of the sauna manufacturer Klafs AG, gave the guests an "ABC of well-being": from A as in "getting up in the morning" to Z as in "going to bed satisfied", she enumerated how one can create actual "wellness zones" with little effort in everyday life, for example with conscious nutrition, patience or organization, which can ultimately lead to more quality.

Josephine Herzig from B Lab Switzerland, a non-profit organization that supports companies in their implementation of sustainability concepts, highlighted the success factors that make this possible: A company, she said, is like an orchestra that needs a conductor. Ideas have to grow, just like a coral reef does. And the speaker compared the creation of incentive systems to "carrots and sticks.

Oliver Hauri, CEO of office furniture manufacturer Haworth Switzerland, spoke about the change of mindset in offices after the Corona era. For companies, he said, it is now important to create freely selectable zones in their offices for different work scenarios. And last but not least, the furniture is also about sustainability: regionally produced, made from renewable raw materials and recyclable.

When the bite gets stuck in the throat for a moment at the business lunch...

Marine biologist Dr. Silvia Frey was the last speaker to provide food for thought. She pointed out the importance of the oceans for the global balance of climate, fauna and flora. "If we don't do something about climate change, two-thirds of the creatures in the oceans will be dead by the end of this century," she warned. She also appealed to limit the consumption of marine fish - all the more so because Switzerland is, after all, a classic landlocked country. Nevertheless, fish is popular, as Felfel's live statistics also show: A dish with smoked salmon ranked at the top that day...

Interested guests were then given the opportunity to get to know the Felfel company even better on a tour. Those present agreed: food for body and soul and easily digestible portions is good for you. Organizer Barbara Rüttimann thus succeeded in adding sustainable value with the "Business Lunch" format.

More information: https://www.rbconsulting.info/

The global tax landscape is in upheaval - with consequences for Switzerland and its resident companies. Switzerland is an attractive location for both companies and private individuals. KPMG's Swiss Tax Report focuses on the following tax issues in 2022: With a view to the introduction of a global minimum tax for large companies, Switzerland must hurry if it does not want to accept any disadvantages. In addition, the topics of environmental taxes and tax transparency are gaining in importance and may become a challenge for some companies.

Profit tax rates in Switzerland down slightly

Ordinary corporate income tax rates in Switzerland fell slightly year-on-year - from 14.9% to 14.7%. This is due in particular to the tax cuts in the cantons of Valais (-1.6 percentage points), Aargau (-1.1 percentage points, subject to referendum on May 15, 2022) and Jura (-1.0 percentage point). The cantons of Central Switzerland and Glarus and Appenzell-Innerrhoden continue to have the lowest ordinary profit tax rates. Canton Zug, for example, leads the ranking of cantons with a rate of 11.9%, followed by the cantons of Nidwalden (12.0%) and Lucerne (12.2%). The canton of Bern brings up the rear with a profit tax rate of 21.0%.

In an international comparison, Switzerland taxes companies at a low rate. Only the classic offshore domiciles, Guernsey, Qatar and some (southern) eastern European states offer lower tax rates than the low-tax cantons. Ireland remains Switzerland's most important competitor in Europe.

Almost half of the cantons provide relief for top earners

Swiss tax rates for top incomes also fell slightly year-on-year - from 33.7 to 33.5%. The reason for this is that twelve cantons have slightly reduced the tax rate for top incomes. The biggest reductions were made by the cantons of Schwyz (-1.5 percentage points), Schaffhausen (-1.0 percentage points), Thurgau and Lucerne (around -0.6 percentage points each). Top incomes are taxed lowest in the cantons of Zug (22.2%), Appenzell Innerrhoden (23.8%) and Obwalden (24.3%). The highest tax rates are applied in the cantons of Geneva (44.8%), Basel-Landschaft (42.2%) and Vaud (41.5%).

Key tax issues in 2022: Environmental taxes

Countries around the world are turning to so-called "green" taxes to increase tax revenues and enforce the polluter-pays principle in the environmental sector. The spectrum ranges from energy taxes and emission-related measures to transport taxes and taxes on pollution, resource management and waste disposal. The share of environmental tax revenues in relation to GDP is still low. According to OECD statistics, it is around 1.5% in OECD member states, around 2.3% in the EU and around 1.4% in Switzerland. "With the expected entry into force of significant environmental policy measures in the area of taxation of CO2 emissions and plastics, the share of environmental taxes in total tax income will increase significantly in the future," predicts Anne Marie Anselmi, tax expert at KPMG.

Although recent statistics indicate a slight decline in environmental tax revenues as a share of GDP from 2019 to 2020, this decline mainly reflects delays in environmental policy implementation and tax compliance during this period. "While countries have been primarily preoccupied with dealing with the Corona pandemic over the past two years, governments need to quickly gear their budgets to the next looming crisis: climate change. Environmental taxes are one way to raise tax revenues while providing targeted incentives for a more sustainable economy," Anselmi said. Because environmental taxes are implemented very differently in different countries, the scope for action on environmental policy is often unclear, especially for companies operating internationally.

Only 19% of companies in Switzerland publish tax transparency reports

At the same time, companies are also increasingly challenged on the topic of tax transparency, as this is emerging as an important metric for assessing the governance concept of companies and is closely linked to other ESG metrics. Many large Swiss companies now publish sustainability reports, but tax aspects are rarely covered in detail in these reports.

A KPMG analysis of the 150 largest companies listed on the SIX Stock Exchange shows that just 19% of the companies publish tax transparency reports. This will change in the future. For example, numerous companies are expected to be subject to the EU's Public CbCR Directive from 2025. This will require new disclosure obligations for multinational companies with a branch in an EU country and annual sales of EUR 750 million or more.

Global minimum taxation: Switzerland must hurry up

The fact that Switzerland cannot escape international tax developments is also shown by a look at the forthcoming introduction of a global minimum tax: 18 cantons have tax rates below the minimum profit tax rate of 15% targeted by the OECD. If these cantons or Switzerland do not raise their profit tax rates for affected companies to this threshold, the difference could be taxed abroad. "According to federal estimates, the Swiss treasury would lose tax revenues of around CHF 1 to 2.5 billion, at least in the short term, which it should not do without in view of the pandemic consequences and the challenges ahead," warns Olivier Eichenberger, a tax expert at KPMG.

In view of the ambitious roadmap of the OECD and the G20 countries - the first elements of the minimum tax are to come into force as early as January 1, 2023 - Switzerland and its policy system are particularly challenged. Thus, the Federal Council has decided to implement the minimum tax with a constitutional amendment and to ensure by means of a temporary ordinance that the minimum tax can be introduced on January 1, 2024. The Swiss electorate is due to vote on this on June 23, 2023. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, the global minimum tax will have far-reaching significance for international location competition. It limits the possibilities of low-tax countries to position themselves by means of competitive tax regimes. "Countries like Switzerland are strongly challenged to specifically cultivate their other location factors, such as access to skilled labor or flexible labor market conditions," says Stefan Kuhn, head of tax and legal advisory at KPMG.

Source: KPMG

In 2022, the CFO will step out of the famous ivory tower: the finance department will be more closely networked with the entire company to provide even better support for operational decisions as a strategic partner. Until now, one of the CFO's main tasks has been to present past figures in the company's annual report. But for a long time now, his position in the company has not just been about a status quo - today, it's about supporting future decisions - which sums up his new role. Today, a CFO must be able to provide management with the information needed to make directional decisions. In concrete terms, this means that the CFO of the future will become a strategic advisor and will influence the future development of the business. Information forms the basis for this - and not just from the financial area, but from other departments such as human resources or sales. Added to this is the issue of sustainability. Companies must position themselves accordingly in order to meet ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria. In the future, this corresponding information will be included in the annual report and will be relevant for the CFO so that he can fulfill his new strategic role.

Data understanding is essential

What can be expected from the data and what analyses can be implemented with it? To answer these questions, the CFO will become even more involved with data. Thus, analytical thinking and a basic technical understanding will become essential. A CFO will need significantly more data understanding than before. In this context, the term "data steward" comes into play. This refers to someone who has an overview of all relevant information, is responsible for its quality and brings it together. The CFO is thus entering an area of work that has been dominated by the CIO to date. Both functions will cooperate more closely in the future. Practical experience shows that the most successful companies are those in which this cooperation works particularly well. In these companies, the CFO has understood how important good data management is.

In the best case, IT supports the finance department by providing systems that are easy to use and administer. This lowers the hurdles for business users to be able to perform data analyses themselves, for example. This setting speaks for the use of solutions from the cloud. They are preconfigured, do not require their own infrastructure in the data center, and are relatively easy for the business department to support and maintain. The issue of sustainability is also driving further interest in the cloud. It can be assumed that in the near future, companies will not only have to carry out ESG reporting, but also corresponding accounting.

Reaching the next level with Machine Learning

But the cloud has even more advantages: it provides the necessary computing power for solutions that work with artificial intelligence. Because these will also play a greater role in the work of CFOs in the future. They provide valuable support for maintaining an overview in the flood of data. After all, the more data that is available, the more difficult it becomes for individuals to identify patterns or trends. Machine learning (ML), on the other hand, can be used to automate the analysis of data. One example: when dealing with customer payment behavior, ML can be used to provide appropriate analyses, suggest actions, and even write to customers on its own. But here again, everything depends on the quality of the data. The algorithm only works as well as the data with which it has been trained allows. In other words, without data of sufficient quantity and quality, the smartest technology is useless.

CFO of the future works from person to person

The CFO of the future is a people manager who does not just rely on technology. It requires employees who are able to deal with the flood of data in order to derive insights from it quickly and in real time and, for example, to create forecasts based on it. It is a matter of selecting employees with the appropriate skills and competencies to match new job profiles such as that of a data scientist. For example, there are already companies that have assigned their Data Scientists to the finance department, but send them throughout the organization. As a CFO, who previously dealt primarily with accountants, the task now is to motivate and train team members. This would allow data experts to acquire the knowledge they need for their job. After all, it is crucial for them to understand the processes in the operational units in order to be able to develop a reasonable algorithm. In addition, the form of collaboration is becoming more important. Those who work in a home office are partially cut off from the flow of information from other departments. It is therefore crucial to be able to provide the team with comprehensive and continuous data.

Authors:
Frank Mens is Director for Financial Management DACH and Continental Europe at Workday, Alexander Rauchstaedt is Senior Manager Enterprise Performance at Deloitte Consulting.

Eight asset classes

The nominees for the Swiss Sustainable Funds Awards 2022

1. Global Equities: Aegon Global Sustainable Equity C Acc GBP Baillie Gifford Wldwd Positive Change B AUD Acc Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity G Inc Swisscanto (CH) EF Sustainable GT CHF Vontobel Fd (CH) Sust GI Eq ex CHF Conc S
2. Equities USA Amundi Funds US Pioneer Fund - I2 EUR C BA US Sust Growth C USD Acc BNPP Sustainable US Value Multi-Factor Eq I Cap Fisher Investments Inst US SC Core Equity ESG USD Nordea 1 - North American Stars Equity BI EUR
3. Equities Europe Baillie Gifford Wldwd Pan-European B EUR Acc DNCA Invest SRI Europe Growth - Class F - EUR DWS Invest ESG European Small/Mid Cap XC Ecofi Trajectoires Durables C NN (L) European Sustainable Equity I Cap EUR
4. Emerging markets equities Candriam Sustainable Equity Emerging Mkt V EUR C Carmignac PfI Emergents FW GBP Acc Driehaus Emerging Mkts Sustainable Eq CE EUR Acc Goldman Sachs Em Mkts Eq ESG Pf I Qdis USD Nordea 1 - Emerging Stars Equity BI EUR
5. Equities Switzerland BKB Sustainable - Equities Switzerland I1 Cadmos - Swiss Engagement A GAM Swiss Sustainable Companies D JSS Sustainable Equity Switzerland M CHF Dis Swisscanto (CH) EF Resp CH High Quality DT CHF
6. Equities Thematic DWS Invest ESG Climate Tech XC Green benefit - Global Impact Fund - P Luxembourg Selection Fd - Active Solar C USD NSF SICAV Climate Change + S EUR Swisscanto (LU) EF Sustainable Global Climate GT

1. Global Bonds AXA WF ACT Green Bonds I USD Hedged Cap Franklin European Total Return I (acc) EUR JSS Sustainable Bond - Euro Broad C EUR acc Mirova Euro Green and Sustainable Bond Fund MDE ODDO BHF Green Bond CR - EUR
2. Corporate bonds Allianz Euro Credit SRI W EUR DWS Invest ESG USD Corporate Bonds USD XC JSS Sustainable Bond - EUR Corporates M EUR acc PGIM Euro Corporate ESG Bond EUR I Acc Swisscanto (LU) BF Sustainable Global Credit DT

Würth AG has been supplying craftsmen in all sectors with quality products and coordinated system solutions for the workshop, the warehouse and on the road for 60 years now. Reinhold Würth, a trained wholesaler and retailer, took over the management of the Adolf Würth screw wholesaler based in Künzelsau, Germany, after the unexpected death of his father in 1954 at the age of just 19. Today, the international Würth Group claims to be the world market leader in the development, manufacture and sale of assembly and fastening materials. In addition, trading and production companies, the Allied Companies, are active in related business fields. These include, for example, electrical wholesale or the electronics sector through to financial services. The Group employs more than 83,000 people in over 400 companies with over 2,400 branches in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Würth AG in Switzerland

Even as a child, Reinhold Würth had been able to accompany his father on sales trips to Austria and Switzerland. This paved the way for the expansion of the business field. In an interview in January 2022, Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Reinhold Würth, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Würth Group's Family Trusts, what his fondest memory of the founding period is: "Those were my own trips to the Swiss Confederation to help set up the sales force organization and canvass customers." But he also has fond memories of private matters: "As a passionate skier, I was in Davos almost every winter season for 40 years. Today, at the age of 86, I treasure the memories of the descents from the Weissfluh summit to Küblis with a difference in altitude of 2,000 meters."

From a two-man business to a wholesale company

The first employees of Schrauben Würth GmbH were true pioneers. Virtually from nowhere, they conquered new territories with their pointing book and order pad - with success. Schrauben Würth GmbH grew rapidly and as early as 1966, sales exceeded 1 million Swiss francs. In 1979, the 10 million franc sales mark was cracked. Anno 1983 the transformation from Würth GmbH to Würth AG took place. Würth AG moved into its current headquarters in Arlesheim in 1985. In 2003, the administration and sales center was expanded by two large warehouses, an office wing and the architecturally sophisticated Forum Würth, where art and culture moved in. In 2021, Würth AG generated annual sales of around CHF 183.5 million. Among other things, Würth AG attributes this to its successful multi-channel strategy, through which customers are reached via all customer contact points.

Proximity to customers as a success factor

According to Würth AG, it is optimism, dynamism, appreciation of employees and commitment to customers that have shaped and continue to shape the corporate culture in Switzerland. The ability to constantly reinvent the business, the products and Würth itself are the factors behind the outstanding success story that Würth AG has been writing for 60 years now.

Würth also began to develop its own products in 1975. ORSY®, ASSY®, ZEBRA® and M-CUBE® today stand for functionality, durability and high quality. More than 400 sales staff, 43 tradesmen stores, the online store and the Würth App with the Click&Collect function ensure great proximity to customers. For the past year, Würth AG customers have also been able to collect points with every purchase and redeem them for attractive rewards. E-business as part of the multi-channel strategy will continue to grow in importance in the future. And company patron Prof. Dr. h. c. mult. Reinhold Würth promises: "You can be sure that the employees of Würth AG will continue to go to great lengths in the future to fulfill the wishes of our customers and to provide service in the true sense of the word, namely to serve and to perform."

More information: www.wuerth-ag.ch

The Event Trend Study Switzerland 2022 paints the first comprehensive mood picture of the event and live communications industry after the pandemic. "Our industry has changed significantly over the past two years as a result of the crisis. The effects are still great, but the majority of our members are meanwhile looking ahead with confidence for the live format," sums up Daniel Wyss, board member of Expo Event Swiss LiveCom Association. Expressed in figures, the consequences of the pandemic are as follows: In 2020, the revenues of the companies surveyed plummeted by more than half. A large number of orders were not carried out during the past two years - for projects under 50,000 Swiss francs, there were an average of 50 projects per company, and for projects over 200,000 Swiss francs, four.

Live remains the favorite - hybrid formats catch up

Hybrid formats in particular have gained strongly in importance according to the survey. At 47% of the companies surveyed, this form of event showed the strongest growth rate in the last two years. Many companies have added various online technologies to their business model: live streaming was the most popular. Other technologies included audio and video production, and image and video portals. Although the share of digital and hybrid events increased sharply, offline events still generated 56% of revenue. Virtual, hybrid and other event formats, such as pop-up events or Corona-compliant micro events with certificate requirements, accounted for between 13 and 16%. Regardless of execution mode, public and employee events generated the majority of revenue. To a lesser extent, special trade fairs or specialist congresses as well as public trade fairs or general meetings were to be found in the sales portfolio of the last two years. For the next few years, however, companies are again counting on the live format: 61% predict that the immediate encounter will see the greatest growth. Again, the live experience is closely followed by hybrid solutions with 55%.

Training and recruitment get a boost

For half of the respondents, the number of employees has decreased by an average of three people over the last two years. Only 12% recorded an increase in employees. However, most are now expecting growth again. In addition, apprenticeships and internships are an integral part of the HR strategy of the companies surveyed. Thus, 88% stated that they generally have offers for interns or apprentices. Around one-third are currently training apprentices. The shortage of labor was identified as the greatest challenge in the coming years. To actively counteract the brain drain, most respondents are focusing on their attractiveness as an employer and investing in training and work culture.

Success through diversification and partnership

Numerous survey participants - 43 % - have used the last two years to open up new business areas. The spectrum of diversification is wide: among other things, there has been an increased focus on streaming and consulting. It has also become apparent that challenges can be better overcome together - which is why two-thirds of respondents were working with a partner or actively seeking cooperation. Overall, nearly half of the companies were also actively engaged in promoting sustainable events. In this regard, 46% made their clients aware of sustainable events and offered the corresponding services. In addition, there were a number of other measures to improve sustainability such as internal projects, use of sustainable materials or investment in sustainable infrastructure.

Good report for the associations

The Event Trend Study Switzerland was conducted as a member survey by Expo Event Swiss LiveCom Association, by the Swiss Association of Technical Stage and Event Professionals svtb and by the Association of Swiss Stadium and Arena Operators VSSA. A total of 179 companies took part in the survey period from January 17 to February 11, 2022. The work of the associations themselves was also well received by members, with 84% of all companies expressing satisfaction to very satisfaction with the work of Expo Event, svtb and VSSA. Crisis management during the pandemic also came off well: 91 % of respondents said the association had done a good to very good job.

Source and further information: Expo Event

Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Sursee Campus, the new event hall was opened on May 5, 2022. Gian-Luca Lardi, President of the Swiss Association of Master Builders (SBC) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sursee Campus, was visibly proud: "We see great potential in the new event hall to achieve national charisma. The hall is versatile, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and meets the highest ecological requirements." During the construction work, great importance was attached to high-quality craftsmanship. This can be seen, for example, in the parapet in the foyer of the event hall or in the exposed concrete surfaces, which also form the foundation for art on the building in the foyer. Most of the beech wood used for the supporting structure comes from regional and sustainable forestry.

New event hall with small ecological footprint

The building is divided into two parts: On the one hand, into the event hall itself, which offers space for up to 1000 people. It is therefore well suited for congresses, banquets or even car presentations. On the other hand, there is the spacious and modern entrance area with hotel reception. According to Andrea Ming, building owner and director of Campus Sursee, the new building should be perceived as a beacon in the construction industry, especially since the purpose of the foundation is the promotion of professional education and training of professionals in the construction industry. Accordingly, the Sursee campus sees itself as a role model - also in terms of ecology. Thus, with the new building, the CO2-neutral path is being further pursued. The yield from the photovoltaic system on the roof, for example, could supply 20 single-family homes with electricity. Campus Sursee uses rainwater for watering toilets and gardens. The total costs of 15 million Swiss francs are borne by the Campus Sursee Foundation of the Swiss Master Builders' Association.

A look behind the scenes at the open days

The opening of the event hall marked the start of the anniversary celebrations, which will continue until May 10, 2022. The celebrations will be held together with the founder, the Swiss Association of Master Builders, which itself can look back on a 125-year history. The program includes meetings, the Construction Industry Day or the Education Days. On May 7 and 8, the Sursee campus opens its doors and invites all interested parties to take a look behind the scenes. Variety is provided: from culinary to hotel rooms, from large excavators to digital construction, from Olympic pool to wheelchair basketball, from crane and construction machine operator cup to rock concert.

More information: Campus Sursee

Thanks to new customers, projects and products, the technology company Noventa continues to grow as a development and manufacturing partner of established OEMs and innovative young companies. "After challenging times, we are looking forward to a promising year with new customers and pioneering products. In the process, we could achieve sales of over CHF 100 million for the first time," says Patrick Besserer, CEO of Noventa AG. Projects for existing customers such as CWS, LaPreva, Laufen, V-Zug, Kärcher and Winterhalter will also contribute to this.

Noventa's growth offers opportunities for new employees

With its growth, the company is also opening up career opportunities for new employees. "Thanks to full order books, new customers and new projects, we are clearly on course for growth. In almost all areas, we are opening up opportunities for new talent to actively shape the future of our company," says Chief Business Administration Philippe Bürki. In the coming months, the company will advertise numerous vacancies, according to the statement. The Diepoldsau site is already looking for personnel reinforcement for business administration tasks, but also for project management, development, procurement and finance.

Modernization and expansion plans for all sites

The industrial products and sanitary and hygiene products segments in particular are developing positively, but growth is also picking up significantly in the consumer goods, automotive and coffee machine segments. As a result, all sites are operating at full capacity and Noventa AG is pressing ahead with its further development, the statement to the media continued. The site in Romania is being modernized and expanded with new office and production space as well as additional injection molding machines. An expansion of production space is also planned at the Thailand production site. At its Swiss headquarters, the company is continuing to invest in its innovation center to create even more space for creativity and development.

Noventa develops and produces trend-setting products for customers

With around 700 employees and production sites in Switzerland, Thailand and Romania, the technology company supports the development and manufacture of products for the future. "We are proud to work with our customers to develop and manufacture innovative products to market readiness," says product developer Christian Frei. "This also particularly benefits companies that want to work with a specialist for sophisticated product systems."

One recent example is the Dokoki "Sandy" baby monitor, which is equipped with cameras, a sleep aid, integrated media player and two-way communication, and can be conveniently controlled via a smartphone. Noventa also illustrates its enthusiasm for new ideas with a world first: The hygienic and waterless toilet system Clesana for motorhomes and boats is to be launched as early as the second quarter of 2022. For Laufen, Noventa manufactures the high-quality shower toilet Aqiva especially for the Chinese market, and for CWS the visually appealing, modern hygiene systems of the CWS PureLine product line.

From plastics specialist to innovation and manufacturing center

Noventa's roots go back to 1958. In the meantime, the company has developed into a high-performance innovation and manufacturing center for sophisticated product systems that are realized and produced on behalf of customers. With around 700 employees at three locations (headquarters in Switzerland, Thailand and Romania), the Noventa Group achieved annual sales of around CHF 82 million in 2021. It is led by a three-person management team, which also holds a majority stake in the company. Its customers include Bernina, Compleo, CWS, Laufen, LaPreva, Ivoclar, Kärcher, Siemens, SKROSS, V-Zug and Winterhalter. Since 2004, Noventa has acted as a showcase company for lean management. Following the introduction of lean production, the company has significantly increased its sales on the same floor space. The company's customers also benefit from this know-how. The Noventa Group includes the subsidiaries Noventa (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Noventa Romania S.R.L. (Romania), Noventa Tooling AG (Widnau), Noventa Consulting AG (Diepoldsau), and LaPreva AG (Diepoldsau).

More information