CIM2025 - Metrology for the future

The International Metrology Congress (CIM) took place from March 11 to 14, 2025 at Eurexpo Lyon (France). The event was organized by Global Industrie, the largest industrial trade fair in France.

CIM2025 once again provided ample opportunity for professional exchange. (Image: GL Event, Sébastien Ferraro)

From 11 to 14 March 2025, experts from all over the world gathered in Lyon for the 22nd edition of the International Metrology Congress (CIM2025), organized by the Collège Français de Métrologie (CFM). The event was held as part of the Global Industrie trade fair and once again demonstrated its central importance for science and industry in the field of metrology.

150 years of the Meter Convention - an anniversary edition

The year 2025 marked a special highlight: the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention, a milestone in international cooperation in metrology. In his speech, Martin Milton, Director of the BIPM and President of CIM2025, paid tribute to this occasion with the words: "We are celebrating 150 years of the Metre Convention - it is the basis for measurements for all nations." This emphasized the fundamental role of metrology for science, industry and society.

Growing international resonance

With around 500 participants from 40 countries, the scope of the congress was clearly demonstrated. Current topics such as the digitalization of measurement technology, artificial intelligence and sustainability were discussed intensively in a total of 180 lectures and poster presentations. New formats such as the QI Digital Atelier and a short seminar on ISO/IEC 17025 also enriched the program.

Bridge between science and industry

A central element of the congress was the "Metrology Village" - a 1,000 square meter exhibition area where 60 companies presented their innovations. The close connection to industry was also reflected in the opening, where Thomas Courbe (DGE), Laurent Labatut (Trescal) and Cosimi Corleto (CFM), among others, took to the stage. The latter emphasized: "Cooperation between metrology and industry is essential for technological progress."

Voices from the experts

The scientific exchange and the international atmosphere were particularly appreciated by the participants. Andrea Giura (INRiM), awarded for the best poster presentation, emphasized: "It was fascinating to see how different fields of metrology interact and enable technological advances." Pauline Lemaire (MERSEN) praised the organization and the diversity of the audience: "The international community was strongly represented, the environment was open and collegial."

For young scientists such as Térence Bordet (COLAS), winner of the prize for the best presentation, the congress was a valuable platform: "This award motivates us to push our research further."

A successful milestone

With over 45,000 visitors to the Global Industry trade fair, an increase of 20 % compared to 2023, the relevance of CIM was once again underlined. The congress offered a unique space for knowledge transfer, networking and the promotion of joint innovation dynamics. The next edition of the International Metrology Congress CIM will take place in 2027.

Source and further information: https://www.cim-metrology.org/en/. This report was prepared with the support of KI. 

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/cim2025-metrologie-im-zeichen-der-zukunft/

Advertising market March 2025: traditional media still under pressure

The Swiss advertising market recorded a year-on-year decline of 4.0% in March 2025. According to Media Focus, no traditional media channel was able to escape the downward trend - declines are also evident in the digital sector.

The advertising market in Switzerland remains in reverse gear in March 2025. Gross advertising expenditure in traditional media amounted to CHF 340.7 million, which corresponds to a decline of 4.0% compared to the same month last year. A decline of 3.2% was already recorded in February.

None of the traditional media groups were able to achieve a positive result compared to the previous year. However, the ranking within the media mix remains stable: TV is still ahead of print, followed by out-of-home, radio and cinema.

Accumulated gross value added for the first quarter amounted to CHF 859.5 million, which corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 4.3%.

The digital advertising market is also showing declining trends in the areas of search and display. With a share of 52.3%, search nevertheless remains the leader, ahead of display with 33.1%. Only YouTube recorded growth, with a market share of 14.6%.

(Graphics: Media Focus)

Retail trade dominates - but with moderate growth
Only eight out of 21 sectors were able to grow in the traditional advertising market. With gross advertising expenditure of CHF 36.2 million in March, the retail trade remains in the lead, but only recorded an increase of 5.8%. Stronger growth was recorded by the media (+18.2 %), cleaning (+17.6 %) and digital & household (+17.0 %) sectors, among others.

Leisure, gastronomy, tourism (+6.4 %), pharmaceuticals & healthcare (+4.4 %), transportation (+13.7 %) and personal care (+2.1 %) also developed positively.

13 sectors showed a downward trend. Nevertheless, the food industry is in second place with a decline of 6.9%. Other sectors affected include construction, industry, furnishings (-9.6 %), vehicles (-9.1 %), initiatives & campaigns (-3.7 %) and finance (-1.1 %). At the lower end of the scale are energy (-58.8 %) and tobacco products (-29.1 %).

In the digital market, the leisure, gastronomy and tourism sector is at the top of both the monthly and annual rankings, while the retail sector leads the traditional market.

The rankings of individual sectors show parallels between the two markets: Beverages is ranked 14th in each case, while Pharma & Health and Cosmetics & Personal Care are in the midfield. While tobacco products bring up the rear in the traditional market, the cleaning sector occupies this position in the digital sector.

In the Display segment, mobile phone provider Spusu.ch is once again in first place. Booking.com remains at the top of the SEO rankings, while the nicotine brand Zyn achieved the top position on YouTube. The Swiss Airlines flight offering and the Swiss.com platform both appear in ninth place in both areas.

Beat Imhof new member of the Board of Directors of Switzerland Tourism

On Wednesday, GastroSuisse President Beat Imhof was elected to the Board of Directors at the general meeting of Switzerland Tourism. This means that the representation of the hospitality industry's interests remains firmly anchored in the national tourism marketing body.

(Image: zVg. GastroSuisse)

Beat Imhof succeeds Massimo Suter on the Board of Directors of Switzerland Tourism. He will thus assume the role of representative of the hospitality industry in the highest body of the national tourism marketing organization. He takes up his new position with immediate effect.

Since summer 2024, Imhof has been at the helm of GastroSuisse, the largest employers' association in the Swiss hotel and restaurant industry. The qualified chef and graduate of the Master's degree course in General Management at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts previously worked as CEO of the Casino Theater Winterthur, among other things.

Ochsner Sport becomes main partner of the Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais

Ochsner Sport is involved as the official main partner of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais. With mountain bike legend Nino Schurter as a brand ambassador, the sports retailer is strengthening its presence in Swiss cycling.

The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will return to Switzerland in late summer 2025 - with Ochsner Sport as the official main partner. The country's largest sports retailer is supporting the major international event, which will take place at several venues in Valais from August 30 to September 14. The successful mountain biker Nino Schurter will act as brand ambassador.

The partnership underlines Ochsner Sport's long-term strategy of broad involvement in Swiss sport. In addition to existing collaborations with organizations such as Swiss Olympic, the Swiss Football Association and Swiss-Ski, the Mountain Bike World Championships are a further opportunity to strengthen the connection to an active local target group.

"Switzerland has always been a mountain bike country, which is impressively demonstrated by the outstanding successes of recent decades," says Marco Greco, Head of Marketing at Ochsner Sport. "As the main partner of the World Championships, we are sending out a strong signal of our close connection with Swiss cycling."

Ochsner Sport will be present at the World Championships with various activities.

Control 2025: Topic-focused, international and future-oriented

Quality assurance managers are eagerly awaiting the 37th Control, the international trade fair for quality assurance (QA). It will take place in Stuttgart from May 6 to 9, 2025. The important industry event traditionally focuses on quality, relevance and a high level of expertise.

From May 6 to 9, Control 2025 invites quality assurance professionals to visit the trade fair. (Image: Control Messe / Schall Messen)

Preparations for Control 2025 are entering the final phase. From May 6 to 9, 2025, suppliers and users of solutions for the quality of a product, process or service will meet in Stuttgart. The trade fair company P. E. Schall is planning the international trade fair for quality assurance, which will showcase various types of measurement technology and present cross-industry relevance, in the four halls 3, 5, 7 and 9 of the Stuttgart exhibition grounds. The range of topics covers the areas of vision, image processing, sensor technology and measurement and testing technology, including state-of-the-art software and evaluation technology.

Control Quality Talk 2025 discusses AI in QA

Artificial intelligence will play an important role at this year's trade fair. AI systems have become an important technology trend in quality assurance. This year, exhibitors, trade visitors and guests will experience the first edition of a new event format as part of the trade fair program - the Control Quality Talk 2025. Under the heading "AI in QA - Will the future be error-free? AI as a turbo for profitability and efficiency", a panel of renowned experts will talk about AI in quality assurance. They will discuss which AI systems already exist, which are already being used in the industry and what concrete effects they have in terms of cost-effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, it will be explained to what extent future AI systems will pave the way for error-free products and processes as part of full automation and simplify QA. Ira Effenberger, Group Leader at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, Dr.-Ing. Ralf Christoph, Managing Director and owner of Werth Messtechnik, Florian Schwarz, CEO CAQ AG Factory Systems, and Dr. Christian Wojek, Head of AI, Zeiss IQS. The discussion will be moderated by Dr.-Ing. Peter Ebert, Editor-in-Chief of the trade journal "inVISION". The organizers expect exhibitors, trade visitors and guests to take away a lot of background information and further inspiration from this discussion.

QS favors the production of safe products

Quality assurance measures are essential for companies and determine their future. Especially in times of difficult economic conditions, the importance of modern QA solutions is high. This is why Control is one of the trade fair highlights of the year for many companies. In all industries, it is currently more important than ever to use the advantages of digitalization, networking and intelligent evaluation of information and to implement them within daily QA processes. This is because, in addition to the opportunities for increasing efficiency in production, intelligent QA also significantly benefits the manufacture of safe products. This means reducing potential error costs and additional work as well as high customer satisfaction, uncovering hidden errors in the value chain, avoiding legal consequences and often also directly preventing danger to life and limb. Whether sustainability, climate protection, energy transition, e-mobility or automation: hardly any of the current megatrends can be mastered without the digitalization of processes and production methods relating to QA. Modern QA measures therefore make a direct contribution to mastering many challenges of global importance.

TOP supporting program with special show and expert forum

In the workflows of industrial production, QA measures now extend to the full automation of testing processes; they are becoming faster and more efficient, they are carried out inline and integrated into a wide variety of processes. AI systems are increasingly providing support, particularly in the acceleration of measurement processes, measurement data evaluation and further automation. They have already penetrated the QA sector deeply and will be discussed in many areas of the trade fair. Trade visitors to Control traditionally have the opportunity to obtain up-to-date information and make new contacts via a top-class supporting program. This includes the specialist forum with topic-specific and practice-relevant presentations as well as the special show "Non-contact measurement technology" by the Fraunhofer Vision business unit, which is being held for the 19th time this year. The special show presents technologies, applications and system components from the field of non-contact measurement and testing technology at a central location and has established itself as a marketplace for innovations among both exhibitors and trade fair visitors. On the one hand, the special show offers interested parties and potential users initial guidance when selecting a suitable technology for their own testing tasks. This is because the performance and flexibility of modern systems is constantly increasing. Larger and larger scale ranges are being covered and new fields of application opened up. Due to the rapid technical development, it is not easy for users to find their way around the market and make a suitable selection with regard to their own requirements. In addition to this initial orientation aid, the exhibitors at the special show stand also offer complete non-contact measuring and testing systems, where visitors with specific tasks can find possible solutions.

Indispensable personal contacts

The organizers are optimistic, despite the rather gloomy economic outlook: "We are looking forward to Control 2025, it will once again be a first-class industry gathering," says Bettina Schall, Managing Director of trade fair organizer P. E. Schall. "At this traditional event for the expert community, a lot of new specialist information is exchanged and important new business contacts are made. That's why personal discussions at the trade fair are so important." Exhibitors, including 25 companies from Switzerland, meet pre-informed trade visitors at Control who bring with them in-depth specialist knowledge about measurement technology. The concrete illustration and direct explanation on the object, the high level of visitor quality, the bridge from research to industry and, last but not least, the personal contact make the trade fair indispensable for many industry participants. n

www.control-messe.de

 

Application example inline measurement technology

Canadian manufacturer Polyrix will be showcasing its PolyScan V series for fully automated in-process inspection at Control 2025 (hall 9, stand 9205). The "V" stands for "versatility", explains the company. By adapting the scanning unit to a specific part or complex application, manufacturers can seamlessly integrate high-precision measurement technology into their production processes. The motionless PolyScan Surround 3D scanners will be presented. These are multi-sensor measurement systems that enable comprehensive three-dimensional measurement of a wide range of components. With a focus on speed, simplicity and reliability, the PolyScan system is suitable for dimensional inspection, in-process quality assurance and the inspection of components, tools and models.

Example of a product on show at Control 2025: the PolyScan 3D scanner from Polyrix. (© Polyrix)

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/control-2025-themenfokussiert-international-und-zukunftsgerichtet/

Oppenheim & Partner takes over PR mandate for Relais & Châteaux

The international Relais & Châteaux network has appointed Oppenheim & Partner as its new PR agency for Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The aim of the collaboration is to strengthen the brand presence in both markets.

(Image: zVg.)

Relais & Châteaux currently has 580 establishments in 65 countries, which together have 385 Michelin stars. The network is represented by several establishments in Switzerland. The global network of independent top hotels and restaurants is now relying on Oppenheim & Partner for its PR work in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The owner-managed agency is taking on the role of official press office and is to increase the visibility of the brand in the region.

The collaboration focuses on strategic communications consulting, media relations and the organization of press trips and events. The aim is to anchor the aspects of the brand - outstanding hospitality, culinary excellence and cultural roots - more firmly in the local market.

Tina Seiler, Partner at Oppenheim & Partner and responsible for the new mandate, comments: "We are delighted to be able to support such a traditional and internationally renowned brand as Relais & Châteaux. The addition to our portfolio in the hospitality sector is a significant milestone and underlines our passion for the hotel and restaurant industry."

Management systems at the limit?

Can the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) obligations be based on the "EHS" (Environment, Health and Safety) topic area? A few key aspects speak against this.

EHS and ESG terminology: While the former term has an inward-looking, local-regional reference (orange circles: company locations, green circles: regional environment), the latter has an outward-looking, strategic, global reference that is broadened to include the supply chain issue and the aspect of responsible corporate governance with integrity and transparency (blue circle: company in its global impact context) © IPSO ECO 2024
EHS and ESG terminology: While the former term has an inward-looking, local-regional reference (orange circles: company locations, green circles: regional environment), the latter has an outward-looking, strategic, global reference that is broadened to include the supply chain issue and the aspect of responsible corporate governance with integrity and transparency (blue circle: company in its global impact context) © IPSO ECO 2024

Large public companies, banks and insurance companies in Switzerland have had to publish reports on non-financial matters since the 2023 financial year. Since 2024, companies have also had to disclose their climate impact as set out in the Climate Reporting Ordinance. What's more, at the end of June 2024, the Federal Council opened a consultation on further provisions on reporting obligations. As in the EU, even more companies are to report on the risks of their business activities in the areas of the environment, human rights and corruption and explain what measures they are taking in this regard.

Many companies are now faced with the question: Can the evaluation of such ESG obligations be integrated into existing EHS management systems? Or does this require additional efforts? The answers are not easy. It is therefore worth comparing the topics of "ESH" and "ESG".

EHS: locally and regionally oriented management system

Safe and environmentally friendly operating and production processes, resource conservation (e.g. cradle-to-grave optimization approaches or cradle-to-cradle cycles) and the avoidance of critical incidents and thus the avoidance of monetary and reputation-related costs are established in many companies. Such EHS management concepts are often institutionalized in the form of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification systems, in which compliance plays a central role in addition to the mission statement, environmental or safety policy, continuous improvement process (CIP), the use of measurable indicators and the derivation of key figures. For example, audits are carried out to check whether the site-specific operating processes are designed in such a way that, for example, the heating systems do not exceed the applicable limit values in accordance with the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC) or whether waste water is treated in accordance with the Water Protection Ordinance (WPO). Other points include the legally compliant storage of chemicals and waste disposal. In the area of occupational health and safety, the aim is to protect employees, for example, from dangerous mechanical impacts as a result of suboptimal installation or improper handling. There are many other examples of EHS. What they all have in common is that most of the potential impacts or resource consumption are of an internal, local or regional nature. Aspects relating to international supply/value chains, the "upstream", as well as consumption and end-of-life-related issues, the "downstream", are not included here.

ESG: Thematically, geographically and stakeholder-related expanded

In contrast, ESG has a global, universally diverse claim: although "E" and "S" in the term ESG basically mean the same or similar concepts as in the case of EHS, they extend the frame of reference to the global level. Upstream processes that, as part of the supply chain, are associated with a disregard for environmental regulations or human rights are searched for with a sustainability telescope, identified and dissected as precisely as possible under the microscope, evaluated, the necessary conclusions drawn and measures taken. Downstream processes are also at least considered (e.g. with regard to modular product design and therefore better reparability). Finally, the "G" in the meaning of integral, exemplary and ethical corporate management extends the concept of sustainability to the ethical and philanthropic.

Investors and decision-makers are involved in the stakeholder-centered sustainability strategy and policy, as are manufacturers far "upstream" in the supply chain. Furthermore, price structures are established that allow living wages in low-wage countries, and agreements are made with local authorities in other countries or NGOs, e.g. to support the education system. "Downstream", consumer organizations are consulted in order to initiate or establish, for example, the recycling, upcycling or reuse of certain goods. The ESG claim to overall social responsibility contrasts with the self-serving ESG drivers that also exist to position a company as "sustainable" in order to increase its reputation, turnover and shareholder value.

Which decrees and obligations apply? Difficult to see through

Establishing legal compliance in terms of ESG within the framework of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 therefore falls short. These standards do require the identification of applicable regulations, status quo analyses, the formulation of measures and their review in the sense of continuous improvement. The legal compliance evaluation remains a key criterion for successful certification, but is limited to the EHS criteria and takes too little account of the global aspects. In addition, while the obligations are being extended to even more companies - unless the EU "omnibus laws" pointing in the opposite direction come into force - the mountain of laws and regulations that must be taken into account (e.g. CSDDD, CSRD, CBAM) is also growing in parallel. This means that an orientation solution is needed to keep key regulations on the radar, monitor ongoing changes and define measures. The consulting firm IPSO ECO identified around 40 key Swiss and European decrees. From these, the most important company-relevant, specific articles were prepared as separate question masks and categorized into meaningful topics and sub-topics. Such a user-friendly electronic solution in the form of a checklist can serve as an evaluation tool. Today, it should be part of the basic equipment of good corporate management. n

Author

Niklaus Renner, a qualified environmental scientist (ETH), is Head of Compliance Management and SENS eRecycling Auditor at IPSO ECO AG. www.ipsoeco.ch, www.complyant.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/managementsysteme-am-limit/

Design meets sustainability: rethinking the circular economy

Davide Mastrodomenico is Managing Director of Girsberger AG, a renowned Swiss furniture manufacturer. In an interview with the SAQ Swiss Association for Quality, he talks about sustainable business models, the role of design in the circular economy and why Swiss Quality Day is a place for real inspiration.

Davide Mastrodomenico: "Our aim is to reuse materials instead of disposing of them."© zVg / Girsberger AG
Davide Mastrodomenico: "Our aim is to reuse materials instead of disposing of them."© zVg / Girsberger AG

Mr. Mastrodomenico, what does quality mean to you in the context of the furniture industry?

Davide Mastrodomenico: Furniture should be aesthetically pleasing, functional and durable. It has to withstand everyday use for years - without losing any of its character or comfort.

On Swiss Quality Day, you will be talking about the implementation of a resource-saving vision. What is behind it?

Our vision is reflected in the area of remanufacturing: we extend the service life of furniture by refurbishing it - regardless of brand. This is unique. In our supreme discipline of "upcycling", we create customized solutions from existing recyclable materials. Together with architects and designers, we develop high-quality furniture without compromising on appearance or quality. The solutions must be economically viable for both customers and us - because sustainability can only be successful in the long term if it pays off.

Girsberger was awarded the German Sustainability Award 2023 for this commitment. How did this come about?

The idea arose from the desire to reduce our ecological footprint. Originally, we only offered repairs for our own products. Growing demand led us to expand our range of services independently of manufacturers. Getting there was challenging - both technically and in terms of communication. It took a lot of convincing, because the idea of refurbishing furniture instead of replacing it was anything but self-evident. Today, we feel that thinking is changing.

The motto of TSQ 2025 is "Taking off with vision". How do you interpret this theme in relation to your work at Girsberger?

For me, this means not acting in the short term, but developing long-term, sustainable solutions. The circular economy is central to this. Our aim is to reuse materials instead of disposing of them. This requires not only technical expertise, but also the courage to break new ground. Our manufactories with their high level of craftsmanship are a decisive factor in our success.

How do you convince customers to use remanufacturing instead of buying new?

We show that refurbished furniture can be just as high-quality and individual as new products. We create trust through workshops, transparent communication and ecologically and economically attractive offers. Much of the furniture we refurbish has a substance that is often superior to today's standards.

How do you ensure the quality of the refurbished furniture?

Through strict controls and specialists who know their trade. We only use high-quality materials and guarantee the same quality as new products - including a full guarantee.

Do you have an example of a successful project?

One highlight is the "ReCollection ZH" upcycling project for the Canton of Zurich. Together with the Department of Construction and the University of Zurich, we developed a collection of office furniture that had been put into storage. Instead of being disposed of, this was used to create soft seating furniture for common areas - resource-saving and cost-effective. The ReCollection ZH was included in the cantonal procurement catalog and sends a strong signal for sustainable building.

What trends do you expect to see in the furniture industry?

Remanufacturing and upcycling will continue to gain in importance - as will leasing and sharing concepts and, as a result, second-hand offers. Digital technologies will help to improve processes and promote the implementation of circular concepts.

What synergies do you see between the furniture sector and other industries?

The furniture industry benefits from synergies with architecture, materials science and technology. Sustainable overall concepts are created with architecture in particular - through the joint use of resources and know-how. Cooperation with network partners in specialist areas also creates helpful synergies.

Why should you not miss the TSQ 2025?

Because the event offers a platform for exchange, inspiration and concrete learning. Participants benefit from insights into other industries and implemented concepts. This in turn provides valuable inspiration for their own solutions.

Thank you, Davide Mastrodomenico, for the inspiring insights. Your commitment shows how quality and sustainability go hand in hand and how quality can be rethought.

 

About the person

Davide Mastrodomenico joined Girsberger in 2002 and discovered his passion for high-quality furniture. He successfully managed the Customized Furniture and Remanufacturing divisions, which he played a key role in shaping and expanding. Since mid-2023, he has been Managing Director of Girsberger AG with responsibility for the Swiss and French markets.

 

Swiss Quality Day 2025

The Swiss Quality Day was launched in 2008 by the SAQ Swiss Association for Quality. The aim of the event is to promote a cross-industry exchange on the topic of quality as one of the cornerstones of the Swiss economy. The annual congress is organized by the SAQ Swiss Association for Quality in cooperation with Shift Switzerland. The next Swiss Quality Day will take place on May 13 in Bern.

More information and registration

 

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/design-trifft-nachhaltigkeit-kreislaufwirtschaft-neu-gedacht/

Dentsu is the first global agency group to sign the EU AI Pact

Dentsu claims to be the first global agency group to commit to a responsible approach to artificial intelligence by joining the voluntary EU AI Pact. The Group is thus responding proactively to regulatory developments and increasing customer concerns about generative AI.

The global agency group Dentsu has become the first global marketing and advertising holding company to sign the EU AI Pact - a voluntary initiative of the European Commission to promote the responsible and transparent use of artificial intelligence. With this step, the company is not only positioning itself in a forward-looking regulatory manner, but is also responding to increasing concerns on the part of advertising companies, as a recent survey by the World Federation of Advertisers shows: 80 percent of the brand companies surveyed expressed reservations about the use of generative AI by agencies.

The EU AI Pact is aimed at companies that want to voluntarily align themselves with the basic principles of the upcoming EU law on artificial intelligence (AI Act). The focus is on governance structures, the risk assessment of AI systems and the development of expertise within organizations.

As part of the pact, Dentsu is committed to introducing company-wide training, implementing high-risk mapping and expanding existing AI governance models, among other things.

Implementation is based on existing collaborations with technology partners such as Microsoft, Adobe, AWS, Google and Salesforce. Dentsu has already developed over 80 AI-based product solutions as part of prototyping initiatives and hackathons. The aim is to create business solutions that are both brand-effective and compliant with data protection and ethical standards.

Dentsu is also driving forward its own AI ecosystem with the support of start-ups such as Inworld, Fidder and VidMob. With projects such as GenStudio dentsu+ - a content workflow solution with Adobe - the Group is demonstrating how creative processes can be efficiently scaled using AI.

André Andrade, CEO of Dentsu EMEA, emphasizes: "Signing the EU AI Pact is a natural step for us. At Dentsu, we see AI as a tool to increase creativity and efficiency and achieve better results for our customers. Our commitment to the responsible use of AI not only keeps us one step ahead of regulatory requirements, but also fulfills our promise to deliver innovations that make a real impact."

Sandro Tschuor becomes Senior Director Brand & MarComs at Sunrise

Sunrise has appointed Sandro Tschuor as its new Senior Director for Brand & Marketing Communications as of the beginning of April 2025. He was previously Chief Client Officer at Ingo.

(Image: zVg.)

Sandro Tschuor, a high-profile leader with extensive experience in branding, campaigns and sponsoring, is taking over at Sunrise. He succeeds Andreas C. Caluori and in his new position will focus in particular on increasing the impact of the advertising strategy, strengthening the "Sunrise Moments" loyalty program and intensifying partnerships, according to a press release.

The 45-year-old brings with him many years of experience on the agency side, most recently as Chief Client Officer at Ingo and Client Lead for Migros Fachmärkte in the WPP network. Parallel to his agency work, Tschuor also worked as an ice hockey expert for MySports and can look back on a career as a professional ice hockey player.

In addition to his professional career, Tschuor is also involved as President of the EMBA Alumni Organization of the University of Zurich.

ZHAW becomes a new partner member of Perikom

The IAM Institute for Applied Media Studies at the ZHAW is a new partner member of Perikom and adds scientific expertise to the association. The association now has sixteen partner members.

Annette Pfizenmayer (left) and Katharina Krämer, co-directors of the CAS Corporate Communications at the ZHAW. (Picture: zVg.)

"Successful communication is not an individual task, but a joint task that only works together," say Annette Pfizenmayer and Katharina Krämer, co-directors of the CAS Corporate Communications program, explaining Perikom's commitment. "Close cooperation between communications and HR is essential in order to create a strong corporate culture. Through our partnership with Perikom, we want to promote the exchange between science and practice and further advance this interdisciplinary dialog."

Among other things, Perikom organizes regular events for communication and HR experts, such as the annual Swiss HR/Internal Communication Conference. The association also develops further training courses and contributes to research in the field of internal communication. The next Swiss HR/Internal Communication Conference will take place on May 15, 2025 on the topic of sustainability.

Contract management as an Achilles' heel in companies?

Contracts form the legal framework that every company needs in order to be able to plan and operate reliably in the long term. It is therefore all the more surprising that even larger SMEs often do not yet have a digital contract management system.

With software-supported contract management, all affected employees are always up to date on the status of all contracts - and the resulting obligations and changes. (Image: istock-PrathanChorruangsak)

Contracts are the legal basis of every company and comprise a large number of agreements, such as purchase, rental or license agreements. Despite their importance, many medium-sized companies in Switzerland still do not have a digital contract management system. According to Dr. Pascal Habegger, Managing Director of Fabasoft 4teamwork AG, the management of contracts is often spread across different departments, which leads to confusing responsibilities and risks such as missed deadlines or contractual penalties. An intelligent software solution for contract management offers a remedy here.

Use of artificial intelligence

Digitization makes it possible to store all contracts in a central location and make them accessible to authorized persons at any time. This saves time, reduces duplicates and ensures complete traceability thanks to functions such as contract versioning. In addition, companies can use artificial intelligence (AI) to quickly implement regulatory changes and minimize risks without having to manually review every contract. AI-based systems analyze contracts automatically and initiate necessary changes or approval processes.

Digital signature for mobile working

Another highlight of modern contract management software is the option of digital signatures. These are forgery-proof and legally binding, which makes it easier for employees to be mobile and ensures that contracts can also be signed when working from home or on the move. In addition, integrated deadline management offers automatic reminders of important dates and deadlines, which in turn helps to reduce business risks and make the most of opportunities.

Overall, it is clear that digital contract management not only enables efficiency gains, but also strengthens a company's legal and operational security. Companies that do without these solutions run the risk of overlooking important obligations and suffering considerable financial or legal disadvantages as a result.

Source and further information: Fabasoft 4teamwork AG

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/vertragsmanagement-als-achillesverse-in-unternehmen/

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