The virtual European Compliance and Ethics Conference (ECEC 2023), hosted for the fourth time by EQS Group, a leading international RegTech provider for compliance, was very close to the pulse of time. This large-scale virtual event discussed the future of compliance in a challenging environment with global crises and new technologies. The host of the conference, Achim Weick, founder and CEO of EQS Group AG, immediately put his finger in the wound in his opening speech: "Credibility has never been as important as it is today, but at the same time, surveys show that global trust in business is only 62 percent - which is why we all need to commit to the right values and a healthy and transparent corporate culture. This is the only way we can meet the challenges of tomorrow."

"We all need to be committed to a healthy corporate culture"

"How can corporate values be preserved in a crisis?" This question was the focus of numerous presentations. In addition to open and transparent communication, Sven Clodius, Partner Assurance, Investigations & Compliance at Ernst & Young, therefore recommended that companies reassess their risk strategy and reorganize their limited resources: "Once the biggest compliance risks have been identified, the regulations can be systematically implemented." In an interview with Richard Bistrong, an internationally renowned anti-corruption consultant, ethics consultant Dr. Bettina Palazzo emphasized the importance of communicating with employees. Her conclusion: "Rules without relationships lead to rebellion."

Good corporate governance is an important competitive factor

One in five compliance officers fears that their role could be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). This is the exciting result of a survey conducted by EQS Group in the run-up to the ECEC. However, the vast majority of conference participants saw the positive aspects of using the new technology responsibly. "With a competent compliance team, companies can use the powerful innovations to promote ethics in the organization - and thus gain a competitive advantage," explained Anne Vogdt, Head of Compliance & Data Protection at FREENOW.

Alison McDermott: Toxic waste and a toxic work environment are a dangerous combination

The emotional highlight of the 26 sessions with more than 30 internationally recognized compliance experts at ECEC 2023 was the appearance of whistleblower Alison McDermott, whose case has made headlines in the UK over the past two years. In a moving conversation with journalist Katy Diggory, the HR consultant described her marathon trial and the reprisals she suffered after denouncing bullying, sexual harassment, homophobia and racism at the Sellafield nuclear power plant in 2018. "A toxic work environment combined with toxic waste is a combination that can also be extremely dangerous to the general public," McDermott said, explaining her motivations for not remaining silent despite all the opposition.

Record participation in ECEC Award: Award goes to ABN Amro

Once again this year, the compliance conference concluded with the presentation of the ECEC Award. 25 companies and organizations applied for the award for outstanding compliance projects - more than ever before. "This record participation is overwhelming. It demonstrates the high regard in which this award is held by the industry, now in its fourth year. Congratulations to the finalists!" said a delighted Marcus Sultzer, Member of the Management Board of EQS Group, who awarded the winner ABN Amro. The Dutch bank narrowly beat Iberdrola and Vodafone in the live voting with its "Dilemma on X-Day" project, which involves employees in decisions in an interactive way.

Source and further information: www.ecec-community.com

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/ecec-2023-befasste-sich-mit-compliance-in-krisenjahren/

Werbewoche.ch: How important is a good reputation for companies today - and to what extent can it be achieved through targeted purpose marketing?

Diana Brasey: Your reputation - your value! A company that focuses on Purpose Marketing has a clear advantage over its competitors. Purpose marketing is a strategy that aims to live the values internally and communicate them externally, thus creating a strong foundation of trust and customer loyalty. This leads to customers preferring the company, even if it is more expensive than its market competitors. It shows that it is more than just a profitable business, that it cares about its customers, employees and society as a whole. And satisfied customers, employees and investors are the foundation of a successful business. Corporations know that it's not enough just to make a profit - you also have to do something good to be successful in the long term.

What role does social media play in terms of reputation, and is it more of an opportunity or a risk?

Social media can pose a very big reputational risk for companies. Shitstorms are very popular. Using social media, massive reputational damage can occur in a matter of seconds. The losses can be downright devastating. However, social media is also an opportunity, for example in talent recruitment. However, it is very important to actively manage your reputation. And to maintain a good reputation. This includes active monitoring on all channels and corresponding communication with all players.

Why is actively managing reputation so important - and what mistakes do companies make in the process?

In today's world, you can't afford not to actively manage your reputation. Let's take the example of the asset manager. Would he rely 90 percent on good luck when making an investment for his clients? No. That's where research comes in. In the same way, stakeholder groups read reviews, find out about a service or product on the Internet before they buy or purchase it. Everything is available and viewable online today.

And yes, you won't believe it, but only just one in three CEOs understood this. This means that two thirds leave their reputation to chance!

How can the concept of reputation influence the market value of a company?

If corporations understand that the concept of reputation - intangibles - account for 90 percent of a company's market value, then it is negligent not to take advantage of this important asset. What a missed opportunity - an opportunity over competitors! Because a good reputation enables

- higher intangible assets
- higher return on investment
- lower gearing
- higher growth rates
- better chances in the fight for talent
- much higher emotional value than the pure book value - the brand with a good reputation!

Why is a (good) self-assessment so important today - and how can you use it to stand out from the competition?

With a self-assessment, you gain the trust of all stakeholders. Trust as well as credibility are the basic building blocks for a good reputation. Disruptive companies already rely on it voluntarily. Because if you remain silent about this asset any longer, you call part of your management qualities into question.

I say: Take care of your reputation before others do. And the first thing to do is to assess yourself correctly. Because then we experts can show you the great "untapped" potential. And this is a recurring thought exercise to strive for a holistic corporate reputation.

Why is a reputation report an important tool for all companies?

On the one hand, the core of the reputation report provides perspective information on the state, possibilities and potential of the overall reputation in the future. At the same time, the reputation report explains in detail, in 16 different chapters, how the characteristics have come about and how they are justified. With this voluntary report, reputation is not only actively used as an intangible value, but also simultaneously managed and regularly presented. This gives all stakeholder groups a 360-degree overview as a basis for individual decision-making processes.

Officially, a kind of status report on reputation is not yet mandatory as part of financial reporting. This is a pity and is probably due to the fact that the term reputation is generally rather obscure. The same thing happened to the term sustainability years ago. It took what felt like forever for organizations to agree to publish some kind of voluntary sustainability report beyond financial reporting. Today, for marketing and communication reasons alone, it would be simply unthinkable for many companies to do without it.

If you now think two steps further, it is better to use the term reputation reporting today as a voluntary instrument to exemplify trust through transparency.

Switch was established in 1987 as a foundation under private law by the federal government and the then eight university cantons. The common goal: to ensure the "effective use of modern methods of teleinformatics in the service of teaching and research in Switzerland". In addition to building a network infrastructure for teaching and research, Switch has also been responsible for allocating domains in Switzerland and Liechtenstein since the early days of the Internet.

Today, around one million people and organizations throughout Switzerland use Switch's digital services. The user base includes all universities, their employees, students and alumni. It also includes university-related organizations and Switzerland as a business location.

In recent years, the requirements for the brand have changed significantly. For example, not only does security in the digital space play an increasingly important role, but also digital identities or the development of cloud services for the special needs of universities.

In order to meet all requirements, the brand was defined in a more approachable, fresh and activating way. The basis is a lively brand design that can be easily and specifically expanded with images and other graphic elements. A comprehensive brand portal enables Switch to publish content easily and in line with the brand. For the entire rebranding, Switch relied on the Zurich agency Process.

In the course of the rebranding, the entire product portfolio was also restructured and a new nomenclature introduced. This is intended to provide potential customers with faster and more effective access to the range of services.

"Due to increasing digitalization, our world is changing faster and faster. As a pioneer, Switch wants to actively lead Swiss universities into a secure digital future. We must also live up to this aspiration with our new brand at all levels," says Tereza Karagülle, Head of Digital Communication and Events at Switch.

Responsible at Switch: Tereza Karagülle (Head of Digital Communication and Events), Yves Ettounsi (Product Owner), Claudia Lienert (Leads Community Management, Member of the Executive Board), Tom Kleiber (Managing Director). Responsible at Process: Markus Hammer (Creative Director, overall responsibility), Antonia Frind, Simon Wüthrich (Consulting), Bruno Manser (Digital Director), Clau Isenring (Text), Pascal Hegemann, Thomas Rütti, Timon Gschwind (Design) and Wanda Honegger (Digital Design).

Consumer Panel Services GfK is expanding its portfolio of services. The Consumer Panel is already active in 16 countries and collects data from around 132,000 households and 1,500 retailers. By investing in and significantly expanding the panel in Germany, the company now intends to offer its clients even more options and benefits. These include, for example, a deeper analysis of specific target groups or personas as well as a more detailed view of specific insights, such as information on retailers or brand ratings. In addition, CPS GfK wants to support FCMG brands in Switzerland with its expertise and decades of experience in their decision making and strengthens its DACH offering with this expansion. For the expansion into Switzerland, CPS GfK has entered into a strategic partnership with Bitsaboutme.

Innovative data partnership with Bitsaboutme

Bitsaboutme is an app that allows consumers to optimize their shopping habits and benefit from rewards at the same time. With the app, consumers can scan their receipts when buying groceries and link loyalty programs from retailers in Switzerland. This provides them with automated analytics regarding the health and sustainability of their purchases. In addition, users also receive cashback rewards for sharing their shopping data. To do this, they either upload electronic receipts or photograph their paper receipts from retailers that do not support electronic programs. The information shared by users is continuously aggregated and forwarded to CPS GfK: the products purchased, including item price, as well as the demographics of the shoppers. This enables CPS GfK to monitor the shopping behavior of Swiss consumers over time at various points of sale. Based on this information, the experts offer FMCG brands and retailers already active in Switzerland or looking to expand there a comprehensive and in-depth view of the motivations, behaviors and patterns of Swiss consumers.

Clear goals for the Swiss market

For CPS GfK, the focus in the coming months will be on further scaling the panel size - supported by the partnership with Bitsaboutme. At the same time, the company is working intensively on preparing data processing and extrapolation to ensure the industry-leading quality level of CPS GfK's data on shopping behavior. In addition, a comprehensive product portfolio is being developed in close cooperation with FMCG brands and retailers to meet the specific requirements of the market.

By 2025, the panel in Switzerland is expected to expand to 5,000 monthly active panel members.

After a brief welcome from CEO Jella Hoffmann and Chairman of the Board of Directors Marcel Kohler, we got right to work on the basis of the WEMF universe: circulation certification and the MACH research system. With the circulation certification, WEMF provides the official circulation figures of the Swiss press - for print, e-paper and now also digital paid content. In the MACH research system, data from the MACH Basic currency study is combined with the other WEMF studies on consumer behavior, attitudes, psychographics and intermedia use. Media Auditor Frédéric Amschler and Research Manager Finn Stein gave an entertaining tour of this foundation of WEMF's range of services.

The journey continued with a brand new offering. Marc Sele, Executive Director of Data and Tools and Nicole Ammann, Product Manager Statistics and Tools presented the "Better Prediction Initiative". The initiative focuses on transparency and quality in online targeting and is highly welcomed by both associations SWA and LSA. The first product of the initiative is the "Prediction Accuracy Check". It validates the accuracy of online targeting predictions with the help of WEMF's independent and representative data. As a pilot partner and first customer of this offering, Goldbach presented their results on stage right away. Thomas Plattner, Director Agency Sales / Dep. Managing Director, Goldbach, spoke about the benefits of the initiative for the market and about their concrete learnings.

Insight into the tools

This was followed by an insight into the tools that WEMF makes available to the media and advertising market. These enable detailed evaluations, the creation of statistics or the management of complete allmedia campaigns. Roger Lang, Senior Product Consultant at WEMF, and his guest, Thorsten Schoen, CEO of mmb media agentur ag, led the program. mmb media agentur ag is the first customer of WEMF's new Agency.OS tool. Schoen reported exclusively on the first experiences and future work with the management tool for allmedia campaigns.

The audience was then divided into two breakout sessions. In the session on the advertising market, Marie-Ange Pittet, Director of Product Management at WEMF, and Michael Selz, Managing Partner Insights & Strategy at Omnicom Media Group Switzerland, presented a fictitious case. With the help of WEMF data, a media plan was created to launch a special and anything but fictitious glacé from French-speaking Switzerland in German-speaking Switzerland. In the session on the media market, Beat Rechsteiner, CEO Meier + Cie AG and publishing director Schaffhauser Nachrichten, told of how a small media house deals with WEMF data. Together with Roland Gauglhofer, Project Manager at WEMF, he discussed what added value the WEMF data offer and where he still sees potential.

Back in the big hall, a surprise awaited the audience: they were literally drummed up again by the professional percussion group Stickstoff from Basel. This was followed by the last item on the program in the form of relevant target group insights presented by the two Project Managers Maria-Isabel Koch and Anna Müller. They showed how consumption and media usage data can be used in practice and gave concrete tips for describing a target group more precisely and determining the optimal media mix.

Thanks to its broad and diversified offering and various concrete practical examples, WEMF was able to impressively demonstrate the importance of transparency and reliable data for the media and advertising market. After the end of the event, an Apéro Riche including ice cream specially delivered from the French-speaking part of Switzerland awaited the participants at the Metropol restaurant, which was used for networking and exchanging experiences.

Predictions about users are necessary in order to target content or advertising in the digital world as precisely as possible. These predictions can be used by advertisers to target campaigns to specific groups. But who can guarantee that these predictions are complete, reliable and as accurate as possible? The WEMF's Better Prediction Initiative can help.

Better Prediction Initiative (BPI)

With this initiative, WEMF wants to support publishers, marketers and advertising clients in validating and optimizing their predictions. This is intended to create transparency vis-à-vis the advertising market and help in the targeted addressing of potential customers. Those who participate in the BPI can prove to the advertising market that their predictions meet high quality standards that have been confirmed by an independent and neutral body. This would clearly set participants apart from those online players who do not provide any insight into their prediction models, according to WEMF.

The initiative's first offering is the "Prediction Accuracy Check", which has now been carried out with Goldbach for the first time. Further offerings will be developed in the future as part of the initiative.

Prediction Accuracy Check (PAC)

"Accuracy" in this case shows how close predictions and their results are to the actual values. The PAC compares online targeting predictions of a publisher or marketer with the WEMF survey data. In other words, it analyzes whether aggregated prediction results, such as socio-demographic distributions, interests, purchase intentions and brand preferences, are congruent with the results from the independent and representative WEMF data set. High congruence between Prediction results and WEMF data indicates high predictive accuracy. A low congruence indicates existing optimization potential.

In addition to the congruence check, the participant provides a transparent insight into his data and into the procedure used to create his prediction. As part of the participation, he is also obliged to work on the improvement of his prediction. After completion of the testing process, the participant receives a detailed report of his results as well as a certificate. With the official labels "Better Prediction Initiative by WEMF" and "Prediction Accuracy Check certified by WEMF", the participant can demonstrate the validity and robustness of his online predictions to the advertising market (see Figure 1).

Swiss market solution

The BPI as well as the PAC were designed as market solutions from the very beginning and are now open to all interested market participants. The two major industry associations, Schweizerischer Werbeauftraggeber Verband (SWA) and Leading Swiss Agencies (LSA), also support the initiative for more transparency and quality in online targeting.

For the first implementation of the PAC, WEMF worked together with Goldbach. Together, the procedure was examined in particular with regard to technical feasibility and the resilience of the results.

Marketing, social media and young people in the working world: these are the topics of the new podcast by social media agency NK Media. The following questions are asked as examples: How does our generation actually really think about working life? How do young people find their way in the job market? And how do you manage to build a company with a future?

Max Felner, founder of NK Media, says they will also talk about the development of their own agency in the podcast. The podcast will be recorded above the rooftops of Zurich.

Here you can go to the podcast.

Teads, the global media platform, presents comprehensive research results in collaboration with Ipsos. The research aims to better understand the effectiveness of advertising campaigns in the automotive industry and derive optimizations for greater advertising impact. This analysis uses cutting-edge AI technologies from Ipsos and advanced statistical models to analyze the most common and important advertising methods in the world of automotive advertising.

The research makes clear that videos that focus less on the vehicle itself and instead embed it in a larger story tend to achieve longer view times. But equally engaging is the presentation of interior features, especially in ads that focus on the purchase decision. In addition, videos with fewer scenes have higher dwell times because less cognitive effort is required to understand them.

Generous camera shots

In terms of design, we can see that generous camera shots that convey a sense of freedom and movement are compelling. The use of color contrasts, such as blue and orange, makes videos more appealing and leads to a longer viewing time. Videos that use dark colors may have a shorter viewing time due to low contrast, but adding a lighter element can have a significant effect.

Prominent display of the brand logo and name is also critical, as it grabs the audience's attention and provides a strong anchor point. When brand partners are included in the videos, the video's message should be structured to avoid confusion and promote understanding.

Almost every child in the Zurich region knows the white TIXI vehicles: For 40 years, the non-profit association has been operating the transport service for people with limited mobility in the region. From five locations, around 2,400 different passengers are taken to their destinations by over 400 volunteer drivers.

Really everywhere?

Now TIXI is looking for additional drivers. Through their voluntary work, they enable people with limited mobility to participate in life. According to Marco Eichenberger, Head of Fundraising and Communications at TIXI, this includes not only cultural life or visiting friends: "Our drivers accompany our passengers everywhere, even to places where they might prefer not to go: to the tax office or the doctor. Places that are just as much a part of life."

These goals and experiences are often the first point of contact for conversations during the trip - and these interpersonal experiences are in turn an important part of the meaningful commitment of the volunteer drivers.

On this Insight, the two creatives Stefanie Huber and Peter Brönnimann - together with the film production Plan B - have created a surprising and humorous campaign. At the center of the film is the blind Cornelia Zumsteg, who can hardly believe her ears at her grandson's flute concert.

Zumsteg has been using TIXI for more than three decades: "In the past, I mainly used TIXI to go to work and to the Blinde Kuh restaurant. Today, I use it to get to friends, readings, concerts, but also to the cinema". The cinema is like a reading with music for her. She is less fond of being driven to the dentist.

The accompanying print and online campaign portrays other mobility-impaired people - along with their favorite and least favorite destinations.

Responsible at TIXI: Marco Eichenberger (Head of Communications & Fundraising), Regina Elzenbeck (Responsible for Communications). Creation: Stefanie Huber & Peter Brönnimann. Production: Plan B. Chris Niemeyer (Director), Roli Schmid (DoP & Photography), Jessica Sonderegger (Producer), Julia Oroszlan (Production Coordination), Mia Born (Production Assistant), Andreas Schneuwly (1. AC), Tom Meyer (Oberbeleuchter), Simon Bitterli (Beleuchter), Chasper Bertschinger (Ausstattung), Sara Bosshard (Kostüm), Ruza Rajcic (Kostümassistenz), Dana Hesse (Maske), Frederik Bauer (DIT), Christoph Menzi (Tonmeister & Cutter), Paul Breuer (Colorgrading), Matthias Kräutli (Musik), UKO - The Audio Suite (Ton-Postproduktion), Anja Schärer (Sprecherin).

With generous support from Eberle Filmequipment, Leuchtturm Film Production Supplies, Musikschule Adliswil-Langnau, Streetcasting.ch, Backgroundaction and Prodigious.

Burying your nose in a good book doesn't just help you wind down after a stressful day and get your mind off things. Reading has been proven to be healthy. It helps reduce stress, prevents dementia and can even help people live longer, according to a study by Yale University in the US. Reading also contributes to children's development, improving vocabulary, spelling and general knowledge.

Facts and Figures on the Reading Behavior of the Swiss:inside

Reading books promotes health

Ex Libris is more than aware of the positive aspects of reading. Switzerland's largest online bookseller equips the Swiss population with sufficient reading fodder. "Whether it's guidebooks, recipe books, literature, non-fiction or novels - reading is always a good idea," says Daniel Röthlin, corporate director of Ex Libris. "Especially in this day and age, it's good to take your eyes off screens for a change and spend some time with a good book." To promote the joy of reading, Ex Libris is launching a nationwide poster campaign that invites people to join in, including an event at Zurich's main train station.

Books to share the joy of reading

Ex Libris will be present at 61 poster sites in German-speaking Switzerland from October 23 to November 5 - and not just with posters, but with bookshelves. They contain around 12,000 books from which passers-by can choose a new copy to browse through. "The books are given away - any person who loves to read or wants to discover their love of reading is welcome to take a book," Röthlin explains. "At select locations, people are also encouraged to put books back and give a treat to the next person." The categories of books vary by billboard location - for example, career guides can be found near the university in St. Gallen.

Meeting point: at the HB Zurich

To bring reading enthusiasts together, Ex Libris is creating a reading paradise at Zurich's main train station from October 23 to 25. In the middle of the large station concourse, not only can books be read, discovered and taken away - even literal leaps of joy are possible thanks to a trampoline. Visitors can have their picture taken in a giant book cover and thus immortalize their reading pleasure for themselves. So every form of reading pleasure is catered for at the main station.

Ex Libris was able to inspire well-known publishers to promote reading. Several Migros subsidiaries lent their support to the creation of the reading paradise on Zurich's main train station: Micasa, Do it + Garden, Chocolat Frey and Coffee B.

These publishers support the campaign 

• Lübbe and tree house
• Thienemann-Esslinger, Carlsen, Adrian Verlag, arsEdition, Münchener Verlagsgruppe (m-vg)
• dtv Verlagsgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG
• Penguin Random House Publishing Group
• Piper
• Ravensburger
• TESSLOFF Publishing House Ragnar Tessloff GmbH & Co. KG
• Droemer Knaur Publishing Group GmbH & Co. KG
•  
• HarperCollins Publishing Group Germany GmbH

Details of the event at Zurich main station

• Date: October 23 to 25, 2023, from 09:00 - 20:00
• Location: HB Zurich, in the big hall under the angel

The screens and DOOH cinema screens of the Frame cinema on Europaallee in Zurich will in future be marketed by Weischer.Cinema Switzerland. The advertising inventory includes six cinema screens and nine screens in the entrance and lounge area of the cinema.

Since October 12, the target audience at Kino Frame has been offered a diverse program of upscale mainstream, auteur films, documentaries, family films and Swiss premieres.

Christof Kaufmann, CEO of Weischer.Cinema Switzerland, announces: "We are very pleased about the cooperation and are convinced that together we can offer the advertising market extremely attractive advertising space in the heart of Zurich at the premium touchpoint cinema. The reopening of Kino Frame contributes to the further development of the Swiss cinema landscape and shows once again that the medium of cinema is in demand. We wish the entire Kino Frame team every success and all the best."

Jennifer Somm, Managing Director of Spoundation Motion Picture, adds: "With Weischer.Cinema we gain a professional partner with over 60 years of experience in marketing cinema advertising and a great passion for the world of film. We are already working with Weischer.Cinema at the Zurich Film Festival and are delighted to extend this partnership from 11 to 365 days. With this cooperation, advertisers for the Frame have an innovative contact when it comes to effective screen and DOOH advertising in the heart of Zurich."

Weischer.Cinema is the market-leading cinema advertising marketer in the entire D-A-CH region. The owner-managed company has more than 60 years of cinema expertise and ensures comprehensive and customer-oriented further development of the moving image medium cinema. Weischer.Cinema is a subsidiary of Weischer, one of the leading advertising marketers for cinema, outdoor and online advertising in Germany with locations in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich, Zurich and Vienna.

The talent software company Umantis was founded in 2000 as an ETH/HSG spin-off. Under the umbrella of the former German owner, the brand was not actively managed, but was part of the Haufe Group's offering as Haufe Talentmangament. Now, after the takeover by Abacus Research AG on July 1, 2023, the brand will be completely repositioned.

With its software, Umantis helps companies find the best talent and subsequently provide them with optimal individual development. A process in which movement is the norm and standing still is never an option. From these two constants - individuality and movement - Ammarkt has designed the brand's new identity. Another component to consider was the way Umantis works. Because in order to meet the different needs of each company, Umantis develops its own version of the software with each customer. The new logo, especially in its moving form, is meant to playfully incorporate this organic approach of Umantis by constantly reassembling itself from many individual points.

The fact of always being open to new things is reflected by the red, which was chosen as the main color. This is used at the moment especially on the new website.