Anyone looking for money for a start-up, a youth culture initiative, a film production or a commitment to environmental protection is increasingly finding it on crowdfunding platforms. The "Crowdfunding Monitoring Switzerland" conducted for the third time by the Institute of Financial Services Zug IFZ of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts shows that this alternative form of money brokering is becoming increasingly popular and again grew very strongly last year: Although the volume of money brokered is still small compared to the USA or the UK, for example, it has increased almost ninefold in Switzerland since 2011 to CHF 27.3 million in 2015. Compared to the previous year, this represents growth of 73 percent. For the analysis, data from 31 platforms active in Switzerland was taken into account. They are divided into four categories (see box for details): crowdinvesting (money in exchange for a stake in a company), crowdlending (money in exchange for interest), crowdsupporting (money in exchange for goods/services) and crowddonating (no direct consideration).

New offerings and platforms as growth drivers

As in 2014, crowdlending grew the most in 2015, by a full 127 percent. "This strong growth is primarily due to the market entry of platforms that enable not only private individuals but also SMEs to access loans via crowdfunding," explains co-study leader and finance professor Andreas Dietrich. In the area of crowdinvesting, which has increased by more than half, a new offering has also emerged since 2015: so-called real estate crowdfunding, in which one can become a proportional co-owner of real estate. "Both SME lending and real estate crowdfunding have large sums of money flowing through them, which has had an impact on the overall volume," Dietrich says. Crowdsupporting/crowddonating, however, remains the most significant category in terms of volume, with 12.3 million francs in funds brokered. The cultural and creative industries account for a considerable CHF 5.5 to 6 million.

A decisive reason for the general growth is the number of platforms as well as the stronger anchoring of crowdfunding among the Swiss population. While only 14 platforms were active in Switzerland in 2013, this number had doubled by the end of 2014. In April 2016, 40 platforms were already counted. In total, more than 90,000 people financially supported crowdfunding campaigns last year. The study authors estimate that since crowdfunding came into existence in Switzerland, around two percent of the Swiss population has supported this alternative form of money transfer.

Campaign supporters are often female, tend to be older, and live urban

For the first time, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts also conducted a survey among project supporters - so-called backers. The aim was to explore their motives and characteristics. The research team evaluated the responses of over 430 backers. The analysis showed that women are more likely than men to co-finance projects, that Backers tend to be older than 35, and that they are more likely to live in cities than in rural areas. In the area of crowdsupporting/crowddonating, the majority of motives are altruistic and idealistic. Personal acquaintance with the borrower also has a significant influence. In the case of crowdlending and crowdinvesting, on the other hand, financial motives are clearly in the foreground.

Marked growth expected in 2016

For 2016, the study authors expect growth to accelerate further to around CHF 65 million. "SME lending and real estate crowdfunding in particular will ensure higher volumes," says Dietrich. "However, we also expect further growth in crowdsupporting because the level of awareness in Switzerland is now very high."

The "Crowdfunding Monitoring Switzerland" is conducted annually by the Institute of Financial Services Zug IFZ of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in cooperation with Swisscom and with the support of the Swiss crowdfunding platforms.

Source: www.hslu.ch/crowdfunding

Biodiversity and its services to the economy and society are under pressure. Since 1900, the intensive use of natural resources through agriculture, mobility, settlement expansion and recreational activities has caused the areas of floodplains to shrink by 70%, peatlands by 80% and dry meadows and pastures by 95%. More than one-third of all species surveyed in Switzerland are threatened. The increasing spread of invasive alien species and climate change are putting further pressure on biodiversity.

Immediate measures for biodiversity 

The Federal Council wants to counteract this development and has therefore reallocated 80 million from the FOEN budget and allocated an additional 55 million Swiss francs to complement the existing efforts of the federal government and the cantons to promote biodiversity. These funds will be used to quickly address the most urgent restoration and enhancement measures. They will be deployed in tranches (2017: CHF 20 million; 2018: CHF 35 million; 2019 and 2020 CHF 40 million each). The cantons will participate to a similar extent in financing the urgent measures.

These measures aim to improve the quality of biotopes of national importance and to promote biodiversity in the forest. For example, old but still effective drainages and drainage ditches are to be removed from peatlands, measures are to be taken against problematic alien species, and forest reserves or old-growth and deadwood islands are to be created to support forest species. Currently, there is an urgent need for restoration of 25% of amphibian spawning areas, 30% of floodplains, 80% of raised bogs, 30% of fens, and 20% of dry meadows and pastures. In forest biodiversity, the focus is on promoting forest reserves, old-growth and deadwood islands, and national priority species and habitats.

Switzerland's strategy on invasive alien species

The funds allocated are also to be used to implement measures of the strategy on invasive alien species. The Federal Council also approved this today in fulfillment of the Vogler postulate (Po. 13.3636) in order to combat the damage caused by these species and prevent future ones. Invasive alien species can have a negative impact on human and animal health (for example, through pollen that triggers allergies or the transmission of diseases), permanently alter habitats that are particularly sensitive or worthy of protection (for example, by displacing endangered native plant species), or damage infrastructure (for example, by destabilizing dams for flood protection). Part of the implementation of the strategy is the harmonization and adaptation of the legal basis on alien species. DETEC has now been commissioned to prepare a corresponding draft.

Action plan for the implementation of the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy

With its decisions, the Federal Council underlines its intention to implement the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and to achieve the goals formulated therein. Today, it took note of the results of the preliminary consultation on the SBS action plan. By the end of the year, DETEC will prepare a corresponding consultation draft for the attention of the Federal Council. The SBS forms the basis for the long-term preservation of a rich biodiversity that is adaptable to changes (e.g. climate warming). In addition, future generations of the Swiss population should also be able to benefit from the free services provided by biodiversity (such as the provision of food, clean water, energy sources or genetic resources).

SES has compared the per capita production of solar and wind power in European countries. In this country ranking, Switzerland performs poorly: just 167 kWh of electricity from solar and wind power was produced per inhabitant in 2015. That is just under 2 percent of annual per capita consumption in Switzerland and significantly less than was produced in surrounding countries. If all the projects on the KEV waiting list had been implemented by now, Switzerland would still be in the European midfield.

Broom wagon Switzerland
In comparison with surrounding countries, Switzerland takes last place. Even countries with similar geographic conditions as Switzerland, for example the Czech Republic (even with fewer hours of sunshine) and Austria (a landlocked country with a similar population) produce more electricity from wind and sun. In a pan-European context, Switzerland does not fare any better: only Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary and Latvia produce even less electricity from solar and wind power. At least Switzerland has moved up one place since 2014. In the pan-European ranking, Switzerland is now in 25th place out of 29. If all the projects on the KEV waiting list had already been implemented, Switzerland would still be in the European midfield.

Beznau 1 nuclear power plant already replaced
This poor list position of Switzerland shows: The expansion of new renewable energies is necessary so that Switzerland, which is otherwise technically highly developed, does not continue to lag behind. But so far, politics has put the brakes on the expansion. The financing for numerous solar and wind power plants is blocked. More than 37,000 projects are waiting to be implemented on the waiting list for the cost-covering feed-in tariff (KEV). These could produce a total of more than three terawatt hours of electricity annually. This would already replace the annual production of the Beznau 1 nuclear power plant, which is currently off the grid due to safety concerns.

Without waiting list in the European midfield
The grid surcharge for financing these projects is currently capped at 1.3 centimes per kilowatt hour. This makes it impossible to reduce the KEV waiting list. The Energy Strategy 2050 brings a slight improvement: With a higher legal maximum of 2.3 centimes per kilowatt hour, the waiting list could be largely reduced. This would be worthwhile: if these projects were implemented now, Switzerland would at least move up to the European midfield and achieve 12th place out of 29 in Europe as a whole, and even 5th place out of 9 in comparison with the surrounding countries. "SES therefore calls on the Swiss parliament to approve the Energy Strategy 2050 in the final vote in order to get Switzerland off its embarrassing last place on the list," says Myriam Planzer, project manager at SES.

(SES)

Olivier Steiger, who is very familiar with Suva, will take over as head of the actuarial department. Steiger studied mathematics at the University of Zurich and received his doctorate in 2004. In 2005, Steiger joined Suva as an actuary and completed the additional studies to become an "Actuary SAV" of the Swiss Actuarial Association while working. Since 2011, he has headed the actuarial department. In this function, he is responsible for premium measures and for assessing and determining actuarial balance sheet provisions. In addition, the 41-year-old performs tasks in Suva's financial management and risk management. On September 1, 2016, Olivier Steiger succeeds Felix Jenni, who will remain with the company for special tasks and is taking his staggered retirement from active professional life at his own request. (Source: SUVA)

For the study, 1,486 people between the ages of 16 and 60 were surveyed during active and passive job searches. Probably the clearest result of the study is that as many as 78 percent of respondents would prefer a good work-life balance to a high position in the company.

Only 43 percent said that their career was very important to them. Personal advancement seems to be more important to the western Swiss than to the German Swiss (52 versus 40 percent). If the "chemistry" is right, respondents can well imagine staying with the same employer for more than five years (89 percent). Even the younger generation between 16 and 24 sees no problem with this (81 percent).

Western Switzerland more active

In terms of the distribution of job seekers, there are more active and passive job seekers in German-speaking Switzerland overall: 41 percent versus 36 percent in French-speaking Switzerland. However, the French-speaking Swiss are more active: 45 percent of them have applied for a job in the last 12 months.

In German-speaking Switzerland, the figure was only 38 percent. In the same period, the French sent out an average of 28 applications, while the German-speaking Swiss only managed 15 per head. Overall, it can be observed that older job seekers applied more frequently than younger ones.

Popular channels

The most popular channel for job searches are online job portals with 65 percent. This is an increase of two percent over the previous year. In second place are company websites with 53 percent, the same figure as last year. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines are used less each year for job searches (down 6 percent on the previous year).

At 21 percent, social networks continue to play a rather subordinate role in the search for the dream job.

http://www.jobcloud.ch

Search engine and e-mail marketing are on the rise, while event marketing is losing importance. These are key findings of the current study "Digital Marketing Trends 2016" by Dr. Torsten Schwarz, Head of the Online Marketing Competence Group at eco - Verband der Internetwirtschaft e. V. (www.eco.de). For the report, 172 experts were surveyed on the distribution of online budgets and the importance of online and mobile topics in their companies.

Rising budgets for search engine, email and data-driven marketing

According to the survey, 46 percent expect budgets for search engine and e-mail marketing to increase. 44 percent expect budget increases for data-driven marketing, 41 percent for social media marketing. The frequently hyped topic of mobile marketing can expect more budget in a good third of all companies (36 percent).

Event marketing on the retreat

According to the survey, event marketing will have to accept the most drastic cutbacks in funding: 15 percent of respondents expect cuts, while another 21 percent will not spend any money on it anyway. In social media, too, the trees no longer seem to be growing to the sky: 45 percent do not want to expand the budget, and 5 percent even want to cut it. By the way, public relations has the most stable budget: A good three-quarters (76 percent) of companies simply want to "leave everything as it is" in this area.

Half of the budgets remain unchanged

Across all communication channels, one third (34 percent) of respondents expect marketing budgets to increase this year. A good half (51 percent) expect last year's budget to remain unchanged for 2016. Only 5 percent are planning a reduction.

Content marketing at the top of the agenda

Content marketing is at the top of the online marketing agenda for more than three quarters (77 percent) of companies. Right behind (70 percent) comes system integration, i.e., the networking of all systems to ensure the best possible process control. The other places, according to the eco study, are occupied by customer journey (64 percent), personalization (61 percent), conversion optimization (59 percent), moving image and video advertising (54 percent) and lead generation (53 percent). Less in demand are real-time marketing (24 percent), messaging and Internet of Things (20 percent), and programmatic advertising (15 percent). Often praised, but in last place in the marketing comparison, is virtual reality (10 percent).

Responsive design of high importance

Responsive design, on the other hand, is very high on the scale of importance: for 87 percent for the website, for 80 percent for e-mails. Multi-device user tracking is considered important by 56 percent of respondents. Mobile advertising is important for 44 percent, and a company's own app for 39 percent. Less interesting is apparently the integration of location-based content in real time (26 percent). Optimization for a smartwatch is far behind - only 5 percent of respondents currently attach importance to communication on the wrist.

Supposed marketing stars not quite as relevant

Dr. Torsten Schwarz, Head of the eco Competence Group Online Marketing, explains: "The supposed stars of modern online marketing, such as mobile and social media, are obviously not seen as being quite as relevant as perhaps suspected. Rather, the fastest-growing channels are search engine, e-mail and data-driven marketing. And content marketing continues to be an important topic: More than three quarters of respondents have it on their agenda for this year."

Source: www.eco.de

A full 45 percent of the participating trade visitors consider digitization to be the biggest task they will have to face in the next five years. In second place is globalization (20 percent), closely followed by the energy transition and resource scarcity (16 percent). Even though the digital transformation is seen as a major challenge by the majority, this trend is not taken into account in the business strategy by twelve percent of respondents. For 14 percent, the plans for a digital strategy are in place, but implementation is not yet taking place. In contrast, almost three quarters of the CeBIT visitors surveyed are taking a proactive approach to digitization: 41 percent have a comprehensive digital strategy in place and its implementation is well underway. 33 percent are already implementing digital projects in individual areas.

Security, complexity, costs: these are the biggest concerns

But what aspects are companies most concerned about when it comes to digitization? 38 percent of all survey participants stated that higher security risks are their number one concern. Rising complexity, meanwhile, clouds the expectations of 22 percent of respondents. At least one in five is frightened by the high costs for technology, for example, that could be incurred as a result of digitization. More than half estimate the level of these costs for their company as medium to very high (58 percent). Asked about the area in which there is primarily a need to catch up in terms of digitization, 22 percent named workflow. This is followed by production with 17 percent and sales with 16 percent.

Diffuse fears

"The topic of digitization is often accompanied by a mixture of timidity and diffuse fear in this country," comments Godelef Kühl, founder and CEO of godesys AG. "However, those who optimize their workflow in a planned manner and drive process automation forward with the necessary expertise will benefit from the opportunities of the development. This is precisely where we support companies in all industries with the appropriate user-friendly and agile business software."

Source: www.godesys.de

The more the digital transformation shakes the foundations of companies, the louder the call for more agility and innovative capability resounds. This also means that teamwork is once again moving more into the focus of corporate leaders: As a recent Spotlight analysis shows, the implementation success of innovations can be significantly improved if effective collaboration succeeds within the company. The study "Baustelle Kulturwandel: Mit Teamarbeit zur digitalen Transformation" identifies five fields of action in which managers must create the technical and organizational conditions for a collaborative corporate culture. The following checklist shows exactly what these are:

1. Does top management support agile project approaches and self-organizing collaboration in virtual teams?
2. Does top management take its virtual leadership role seriously? Do managers actively use the applications designed for this purpose?
3. Do collaboration activities count as productive time? Do you calculate productive times with a realistic share of approx. 30 percent for communication and collaboration?
4. When implementing conference and file-sharing applications, do you follow an overarching strategy to avoid technological proliferation? Can the tools used be integrated smoothly with each other?
5. Are employees sufficiently trained in the safe use of the various applications and technical tools? Are they provided with enough mobile devices for efficient project management?

Further information can be found in the full study. It is available for free download here: http://dialog.damovo.de/virtuelleTeams

The appreciation of the Swiss franc had a substantial impact on the TRISA Group, consisting of TRISA Holding AG, TRISA AG, TRISA Electronics AG, TRISA Accessoires AG, TRISONIC AG, Ebnat AG and TRISA Bulgaria GmbH. However, it was possible to react quickly and prudently, according to the statement. The clear priorities of customer, innovation and cost focus, coupled with adaptability and flexibility, have proven their worth in this extraordinary environment and have proved to be right for TRISA, the company says. The structure and orientation of the TRISA Group also helped to cushion some of the negative currency effects.

Different development in the world regions

TRISA was able to achieve positive market development above all in the countries of the Middle East and in the USA, while currency-related sales declines occurred in the European markets. The domestic market proved to be robust for TRISA overall. Particularly in challenging times, the trust and loyalty of its large national and international clientele are key values, according to the Group's credo. The stable sustainability of these relationships was once again proven, as could be seen.

Renewed high proportion of innovation and lively investment activity

With 22.6 million Swiss francs invested in new products, machines and buildings, the TRISA Group once again recorded a high level of investment activity. In early summer, the fully automated high-bay warehouse with space for around 9,100 pallets went into operation at the Triengen site. Thanks to this additional storage capacity, the needs of the TRISA Group companies can be bundled centrally, work processes can be organized more efficiently and synergies can be exploited. In addition, the subsidiaries Ebnat AG were able to commission a new production building and TRISA Bulgaria GmbH a new office and warehouse building in the fall.

Into the future with innovative strength and increased productivity

As long as the Swiss franc moves beyond purchasing power parity, there is no all-clear from the currency front. Those responsible at TRISA assume that the measures already introduced will continue to have an effect this year. The focus is on exploiting synergies within the TRISA Group, further productivity improvements, lean processes and sustainable efficiency improvements, as well as cost optimization across the entire value chain. The measures are supported by an optimized product development process and fast throughput times in order to respond even better to opportunities and guarantee an attractive "time to market". TRISA will continue to build on its proven strengths in the future: The commitment and innovative strength of its teams as well as the high quality of its products.

www.trisa.ch

With an increase of 169 percent compared to the previous year, the volume of sustainable investments in Switzerland amounted to CHF 191.9 billion at the end of 2015. More and more asset managers are integrating environmental and social aspects into asset management. For the first time, self-managed assets of institutional investors were also recorded, which also contributed to the strong growth. At 75 percent, the share of institutional money is higher than ever before.

The significant growth is largely due to the sharp rise in the volume of sustainable mandates, which, at CHF 96.5 billion, is 165 percent above the previous year's figure. The CHF 55.2 billion in assets of institutional investors recorded for the first time also contributed to the strong growth, as did the increase of around 16 percent in sustainable funds. This shows the latest Swiss market study sustainable investmentswhich was jointly prepared by the Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen (FNG) and Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF) and presented by both organizations in Zurich on May 10.

"The exceptionally high growth of sustainable investments reflects the increased attention the topic is gaining among institutional investors in Switzerland," explains SSF Managing Director Sabine Döbeli. "But the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria is also playing an increasingly important role in private asset management," she adds. "It is striking that, as a result of the Paris climate conference, more and more investors are also including climate risks in their investment decisions," explains FNG Vice President and Head of FNG Switzerland Patrick Wirth. "From the measurement of climate risks to clear disinvestment decisions, the spectrum is wide there," he describes the results of the special survey on climate investments.

"Stimulated by various studies from the federal government, the public debate on the responsibility of investors has intensified over the past year," explains SSF President Jean-Daniel Gerber. "However, the growth shown is only the beginning. Initiatives, such as the establishment of SVVK-ASIR by a number of public investors last year, will further accelerate the trend," says the SSF President on the positive dynamics in Switzerland. "Also looking beyond national borders, we are currently seeing a lot of movement in the sustainable investment market, in particular due to the debate on climate change, but also in connection with human rights and other issues," adds FNG Board Chairman Volker Weber. "Institutional investors have been and continue to be key drivers of this."

While exclusion criteria are still the most important approach, the integrated approach has displaced the best-in-class approach from second place with a growth of 300 percent. This means that social, environmental and governance-related criteria are increasingly finding their way into financial analysis, where they are used to better identify performance opportunities. The third most important approach is standards-based screening, in which violations of international standards are specifically filtered out of portfolios. With an increase of 274 percent, the engagement approach, in which an active dialog is conducted with companies on sustainability issues, has also gained in importance.

In addition to sustainable investments in the narrower sense, responsible investments were also included, which are mostly based on the exclusion of controversial areas such as internationally outlawed weapons. Such criteria are applied to investments totaling CHF 2.4 trillion, making this area mainstream.

Go to Study

Bruno Wickart AG sees itself as a consultant for office, contract and residential furnishings in the upscale segment. The Zug-based company represents renowned furniture brands such as USM, Vitra, Cassina, Fritz Hansen, Wilkhahn and Zoom and occupies a leading position in German-speaking Switzerland in the planning and design of office and administrative spaces. Bruno Wickart AG employs around twenty people. The company was founded in 1951 by Josef Wickart as a stationery and typewriter store in Zug. In 1970, Bruno Wickart founded the AG and focused the company on office and contract furnishings. Since the end of April 2016, the company has been 100 % owned by Isidoro Celentano, who has many years of experience in the furnishing industry.

Isidoro Celentano has management experience in SME companies and has more than ten years of furnishing and sales expertise in the upscale home and office furniture sector for companies and private individuals. The 58-year-old entrepreneur from Nottwil/LU holds an MBA from the University of Zurich and most recently acted as an independent contractor. Celentano wants to consolidate the company's market leadership and further develop the business: "This will be a great challenge that I am looking forward to. Together with the long-standing employees, I will make targeted investments in the future. Nothing will change for our customers. They will continue to benefit from the usual high quality of service and the furnishing know-how of the long-standing employees."

More information: www.bruno-wickart.ch

Anyone who has their annual financial statements audited by an external auditor must officially publish this or the auditor. Based on these publications, it is possible to count the number of audit mandates per auditor. For the present ranking, the business information service Bisnode D&B examined all companies entered in the Swiss Commercial Register in April 2016 and compiled a ranking list of the largest auditors in Switzerland. PricewaterhouseCoopers holds the most audit mandates with 6,493 mandates, followed by BDO with 5,220 mandates. Third place is held by Ernst & Young with 3,766 audit mandates, followed by KMPG with 3,297 mandates. Deloitte is the auditor of 1,117 companies, directly followed by OBT with 1,038 mandates. All other auditors have fewer than 1,000 mandates.

The ranking of the largest Swiss audit firms:

1. PricewaterhouseCoopers AG Zurich: 6,493 mandates
2. BDO AG Zurich: 5,220 mandates
3. Ernst & Young AG Basel: 3,766 mandates
4. KPMG AG Zurich: 3,297 mandates
5. Deloitte AG Zurich: 1,117 mandates
6. OBT AG St. Gallen: 1,038 mandates
7. Fiduciaire FIDAG SA Martigny: 764 mandates
8. Balmer-Etienne AG Lucerne: 600 mandates
9. PROVIDA Wirtschaftsprüfung AG St. Gallen: 511 mandates
10. T + R AG Gümligen: 423 mandates

The top 100 list as well as information on the mandates of the auditing companies can be found at www.wer-revidiert-wen.ch.