The sporting goods manufacturer reaffirms its rejection of fur products by joining the international Fur Free Retailer Program.
Editorial
-
May 4, 2023
Image: Four Paws.
The global animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten and the Fur Free Alliance, initiator of the European Fur Free Initiative, welcome Puma as a prominent partner in the circle of fur-free companies. Although the brand currently has no fur products in its range, the company reaffirms its rejection of fur products by joining the international Fur Free Retailer Program. As one of the largest sporting goods brands in the world, Puma thus aims to help raise awareness of animal welfare and exert a positive influence on the industry.
"Puma has been working in the field of sustainability for more than 20 years. In addition to focusing on human rights, climate protection and the circular economy, our biodiversity goals already included endangered species and their habitats. With the introduction of Puma's Animal Welfare Policy in 2021, we took an important step to ensure that animals are treated humanely along our supply chain. We are constantly developing new innovative materials that help us eliminate the use of animal skins. That's why we joined the Fur Free Retailer Program and stopped using kangaroo leather this year," says Stefan Seidel, Senior Head of Corporate Sustainability at Puma.
The Fur Free Retailer Program is a global initiative to connect fur-free businesses with customers looking for ethically made products.
Adello combines mobile advertising and artificial intelligence
The new advertising format #ChatWithMe enables users to talk to a virtual assistant directly in the advertising banner. This goes beyond the performance of chatbots.
Editorial
-
May 4, 2023
Ad tech provider Adello is breaking new ground with the launch of #ChatWithMe: The AI-powered advertising format invites users to get in touch with a virtual assistant. The type of interaction is more natural thanks to "conversational AI",
simpler and at the same time more in-depth than is the case with common chatbots, Adello shares.
This would open up a new type of product and brand interaction directly in the advertising medium. By using ChatGPT capabilities in conjunction with specific product or company information for natural language processing, businesses can now
Build more natural, deeper, personal connections with their audiences.
The advertising format allows users to converse directly in the advertising banner with a virtual assistant who answers questions and provides detailed information about the advertised product or company. Adello filters the input, defines the roles and integrates customer-specific data. Brand safety is also a given.
Ochsner Shoes and Nikin make common cause
The traditional company is adding espadrilles, flip flops and more from Nikin, the brand that plants a tree for every product sold. More products are to follow.
Editorial
-
May 4, 2023
The traditional Swiss company Ochsner Shoes is launching a new cooperation with the fashion label Nikin and is including the sustainable brand in its range. Both brands bring their strengths to the first joint spring and summer collection, which will be available from May 1.
2023 will be on sale in 61 stores and in the online store. A second collection is to follow in the fall. Nikin is known for planting a tree for every product sold,
In a first step, Ochsner Shoes expands the range with espadrilles, mules, flip flops and caps, which are made of sustainable and recycled materials and produced in Spain. In the fall, the collection will be complemented by a selection of different Nikin sneakers. To celebrate the campaign, an event will take place on Saturday at the Ochsner Shoes store in Aarau, with founder Nicholas Hänny in attendance.
FHNW sets new standards in teaching and research with new geomatics laboratory
In a festive act, the Trimble Technology Lab FHNW was opened at the Muttenz campus of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW. This provides students and researchers at the School of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geomatics FHNW with the latest software solutions and surveying instruments for digital and sustainable planning and construction, setting a new standard in teaching and research.
Editorial
-
May 3, 2023
Students at the FHNW benefit from the latest technology in the new Trimble Technology Lab and can acquire knowledge with the help of an even wider variety of working tools and possibilities, which they can later transfer into practice. (Photo: Pati Grabowicz)
Groundbreaking augmented reality solutions, state-of-the-art GPS systems, innovative robotic total stations and the latest generation of 3D laser scanners are all part of the equipment at the new Trimble Technology Lab FHNW, as are numerous software applications for data management, digital planning and collaboration. The FHNW is thus achieving a new standard in training and practice-oriented learning content in the fields of geomatics and digital construction, according to the statement. In addition, research and development projects at FHNW will be supported by the Trimble Technology Lab. "We are very pleased to be able to offer our students a unique infrastructure with the Trimble Technology Lab and to use it for research," says FHNW professor and project manager Stephan Nebiker. "We are convinced that the Trimble Technology Lab will make an important contribution to our future-oriented university education in geomatics and civil engineering, virtual design and construction (VDC), sustainable construction and architecture."
Excited about new geomatics lab
Geomatics students Nadja Pfister and Célina Neumann were able to use the Trimble Technology Lab even before the official opening to work on their bachelor's thesis and are thrilled: "The Trimble Technology Lab offers an unprecedented total solution of hardware and software components. This allows us students to get to know an even wider variety of working tools in geomatics and to quench our thirst for knowledge for trying out new combinations. It also provides us with a platform for exchange among ourselves, across semesters as well as projects. This allows us to benefit from the latest technology as well as from each other."
Focus on digital and sustainable design and construction
The new Geomatics Lab at the FHNW Muttenz Campus is the 25th Trimble Technology Lab worldwide. It focuses on the key areas of "Planning and Geomatics" and thus complements the Trimble Technology Lab at the Sursee Campus, which will be inaugurated in March 2022 and focuses on the area of "Construction". Both labs are made possible by a generous gift from technology company Trimble. "Our goal is to change the industry," says Claude Chassot, Managing Director at Trimble Switzerland, explaining, "For us, the Trimble Technology Lab FHNW is another milestone in providing the next generation of professionals with technologies that help make the world better, faster, safer and more environmentally friendly."
Comprehensively equipped with pioneering technologies
The laboratory environment was arranged and designed by the MEB Group, which also supports training and further education together with its subsidiaries. "The Trimble Technology Lab provides direct access to a comprehensive portfolio of state-of-the-art equipment and software for surveying and Building Information Modeling (BIM). Together with FHNW and Trimble, we are making an important contribution to the successful digitalization of the Swiss surveying and construction industry," says Markus Brun, CEO of MEB Group.
The Trimble Technology Lab in Muttenz provides a wide range of Trimble's groundbreaking technologies, such as the XR10 mixed reality construction helmet with HoloLens 2, various GNSS receivers, controllers and tablets, robotic, universal and scanning total stations, and laser scanners. Students also have access to numerous software solutions in the lab, such as the popular 3D modeling software SketchUp Studio, the structural design software Tekla Structures, the collaboration platforms Trimble Connect and Trimble Quadri, and other software solutions such as Trimble Business Center, Trimble RealWorks, Trimble Novapoint, Trimble FieldLink, Trimble Siteworks and Trimble WorksOS.
Trimble's comprehensive Connected Construction product portfolio enables all professionals along the project lifecycle to accelerate project processes, improve productivity, quality, visibility, safety and sustainability, while reducing wasted resources.
Source and further information: University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland
More security for SMEs thanks to CyberSeal-approved IT service providers
Just over a year ago, the Alliance for Digital Security Switzerland (ADSS) launched the CyberSeal seal of approval. The CyberSeal certifies an IT service provider's competence in implementing measures to adequately protect its SME customers against cyber risks.
Editorial
-
May 3, 2023
The CyberSeal is a seal of approval for IT service providers that support their SME customers in matters of cyber security. (Image: Alliance Digital Security Switzerland)
The CyberSeal is a result of the implementation plan of the National Strategy for the Protection of Switzerland against Cyber Risks (NCS) 2018 to 2022. So far, more than 30 IT service providers have received the CyberSeal.
CyberSeal as a seal of quality
A cyber attack on an SME can cause considerable material damage. The company's image can also be severely damaged. The majority of SMEs rely on external
IT service providers to be able to concentrate on their core business. But how does an SME recognize which IT service provider has the right competencies? When it comes to IT security, the differences between the individual service providers are very large and the risk of choosing the wrong one is correspondingly high. The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) recognized this problem some time ago and supported the development of the "CyberSeal" seal of approval by private players.
30 audited IT service providers to date
The CyberSeal certifies an IT service provider's competence in implementing measures to adequately protect its SME customers from cyber risks. The CyberSeal serves as a guide for SMEs when choosing the right IT service provider. To date, over 30 IT service providers have received the CyberSeal, and 10 more are about to complete the CyberSeal audit. However, in order to make the digital space more secure for Swiss SMEs, the ADSS association would like to see significantly more participants. After all, IT service providers have a significant influence on the cyber resilience of the Swiss economy.
The list of service providers certified to date can be here can be viewed.
The Brand Asset Valuator is the largest and most comprehensive brand study in Switzerland. It examines image attributes, brand strength and brand love - Audi scored well in the automotive sector.
Editorial
-
May 3, 2023
Dynamic photo, Colour: Ultra Blue metallic.
The BrandAsset ValuatorTM is the largest and most comprehensive brand study in Switzerland, in which 8,000 Swiss people are surveyed on more than 800 brands. The BAV has been surveyed since 1995 and in annual waves since 2022. In addition to a range of image attributes, it primarily measures brand strength and, most recently, brand love.
With its placement as the "most loved brand" in the automotive sector, Audi is continuing the trend of recent years. The dedicated harmonization of TV, print, digital and social media enables the emotionalization of Swiss customers, the company says.
Katharina Momani Head of Marketing Audi Switzerland explains: "We convey an attitude to life and appeal to our customers on an emotional, meaningful level. The goal is to create a strong brand identity. In addition to classic advertising and concept studies, we focus on brand experiences. For example, we create product proximity with the popular Audi Driving Experiences, whether on the race track or on ice, and arouse strong emotions with the "money can't buy" experiences."
At the brand congress on June 14, interested parties can learn more about Audi's brand strategy and its implementation. To register go to here.
Process accompanies market entry of Levantine cuisine from Migros Daily
Migros Daily launches, in cooperation with Neni, oriental dishes - freshly prepared daily and directly to go. The brand identity was designed and implemented by Process.
Editorial
-
May 2, 2023
The Neni dishes come from the kitchen of Haya Molcho and her four sons. Together with Migros Daily, the small dishes have now been designed for the Migros fresh food counter. New and familiar ready-to-eat dishes such as Jerusalem Chicken, Baba Ganoush or Hummus are now available in bowls at Migros.
Because the eye also eats, Process has developed its own branding for the market launch, which will be used at the Migros PoS, in Migros' own media and in various awareness measures.
Responsible at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives: Franziska Coninx, Simone Döbelin, Martina Fäh, Christian Keller, Thomas Blumer. Fotography and moving image: Bruno Rubatscher, Oliver Roth, Christian Küng. Food styling: Claudia Stalder. Production: Tina Aich, Peter Kuhn (casting), Marie Dami (styling), Linda Belkahla (hair & make-up). Agency: Process.
Heads designs the new brand Movon
Founded in February 2023, Movon aims to become the leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions in the fleet sector. Heads Corporate Branding has given the new brand a fitting shape with a concise brand design.
Editorial
-
May 2, 2023
As a subsidiary of Amag Leasing, Movon offers leasing transactions for fleet customers as well as fleet services from a single source. "We optimize the mobility of our business customers through sustainable as well as innovative solutions and at the same time support them in achieving their corporate goals," says Managing Director Sergio Calabrese, explaining Movon's mission.
The dynamism and progressiveness suggested in the name, derived from the English term "move on," is also reflected in the design. The accent arc in the logo is intended to signal movement and underscore the significant pronunciation. With a warm, energetic visual aesthetic, Movon also wants to present itself as a holistic, innovative partner in the fleet leasing business for SMEs and large companies. The bright blue as the brand color rounds off the dynamic appearance.
Responsible at Movon: Sergio Calabrese (Managing Director), Giovanni Luca Carta (Head of Sales & Communication), Jamilla Allaoui (Manager Marketing Communications). Responsible at Heads Corporate Branding: Ralph Hermann, Dominique Banschbach, Sina Frank (Consulting/Strategy), Marco Simonetti (Design/Graphics).
Deep learning system explores the inside of materials from the outside
You may already be able to tell what's inside a book based on its cover. MIT researchers say the same can now be done for materials of all kinds, whether it's an aircraft part or a medical implant. With their new approach, engineers can figure out what's going on inside the material simply by observing the properties of the material's surface.
Editorial
-
May 2, 2023
Detecting on the surface what's hiding inside: a deep-learning system developed at MIT assesses material properties using a new methodology. (Symbol image; Pixabay.com)
Assessing what the inside of materials looks like from the outside? This is technically possible in principle, for example with X-ray technology. Or if damage is not an issue, you can simply cut the material open. A new method based on AI now makes use of the fact that much of what happens inside a material also has an influence on the surface. A team of researchers at MIT used deep learning to compare a large set of simulated data on the external force fields of materials with the corresponding internal structure to develop a system that can make reliable predictions about the interior based on the surface data. The results were published by PhD student Zhenze Yang and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Markus Bühler in the journal "Advanced Materials".
When surface structures refer to the interior
According to Markus Bühler, this is a common problem in engineering: "If you have a piece of material - perhaps a car door or a part of an airplane - and you want to know what is inside the material, you can measure the strains on the surface by taking pictures and calculating how much deformation you have. But you can't really look inside the material. You can only do that by cutting it up and then looking inside to see if there's any damage." X-ray technology, on the other hand, is expensive and requires bulky equipment. "So we basically asked ourselves the question: Can we develop an AI algorithm that looks at what's going on on the surface, which we can easily see with either a microscope or a photograph, or just measures things on the surface of the material, and then tries to figure out what's going on inside?" This internal information could include damage, cracks or stresses in the material or details of the internal microstructure. The same kind of questions can also apply to biological tissue, adds Markus Bühler. "Is there a disease there, some kind of growth or changes in the tissue?" The aim was to develop a system that can answer these kinds of questions in a completely non-invasive way.
Tracking down the inner life of materials with deep learning system
"To achieve this goal, we had to deal with complex issues, including the fact that there are multiple solutions to many of these problems," says Bühler. For example, many different internal configurations can have the same surface properties. To deal with this ambiguity, "we developed methods that show us all the possibilities, basically all the options that could lead to this particular [surface] scenario".
One possible field of application: non-destructive material testing. (Image: Techexplore.com / MIT)
In the technique they developed, an AI model was trained using large amounts of data on surface measurements and the associated internal properties. This included not only uniform materials, but also those containing different materials in combination. "Some new aircraft are made from composite materials, so they are deliberately made up of different phases," says Bühler. "And of course, in biology too, every type of biological material is made from several components that have very different properties, such as bones, where there are very soft proteins and very rigid minerals."
Widely applicable method
The technology even works with materials whose complexity is not yet fully understood, says Markus Bühler. "With complex biological tissue, we don't understand exactly how it behaves, but we can measure the behavior. We don't have a theory for this, but once we have collected enough data, we can train the model."
Zhenze Yang says that the method they have developed is broadly applicable. "It is not limited to problems in solid mechanics, but can also be used in other technical disciplines such as fluid dynamics and other fields." Bühler adds that it can be used to determine a wide range of properties, not just stress and strain, but also fluid or magnetic fields, for example the magnetic fields in a fusion reactor. It is "very universal, not only for different materials, but also for different disciplines".
Yang says he first thought about this approach when he was examining data on a material where part of the images he was using were blurred, and he wondered how it might be possible to "fill in" the missing data in the blurred area. "How can we recover this missing information?" he asked himself. As he read on, he realized that this was an example of a common problem known as the inverse problem, which attempts to recover missing information.
How the deep learning system for material properties was developed
The development of the method was an iterative process in which the model made preliminary predictions, compared them to actual data about the material in question, and then further refined the model to incorporate this information. The resulting model was tested on cases where the materials were known well enough to calculate the actual internal properties, and the predictions of the new method matched well with the calculated properties.
Training data included images of the surfaces, as well as various other measurements of surface properties, including stresses and electric and magnetic fields. In many cases, the researchers used simulated data based on an understanding of the underlying structure of a particular material. And even if a new material has many unknown properties, the method can produce an approximation good enough to give engineers a general direction for further measurements.
The two researchers assume that this method, which is available via the website GitHub is freely accessible to everyone, will initially be applied primarily in laboratory environments, for example when testing materials for soft robotics applications.
Stolen user data is often at the beginning of a cyber attack. A lot of damage can be prevented with strong passwords. The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the Swiss Crime Prevention (SCP) and the cantonal and municipal police corps are conducting a national password security awareness campaign in May with the support of the Internet Security Platform iBarry and "eBanking - but secure!" (EBAS) are conducting a national awareness campaign on password security.
Editorial
-
May 1, 2023
Bad passwords are an invitation for cybercriminals. That's why Swiss security authorities have launched an awareness campaign. (Image: Swiss Crime Prevention)
A strong password must be at least twelve characters long and contain both lowercase and uppercase letters, special characters as well as numbers. In addition, the password must not appear in any dictionary. Such passwords are difficult to remember. Especially if, as recommended, a separate password is used for each application. Therefore, passwords like "hello" or "123456" are still among the most commonly used passwords in Switzerland. Weak passwords like these make it easy for cybercriminals to hack user data and misuse it for illegal purposes. With the current campaign, the security authorities and their partner organizations point out the dangers of weak passwords and show how you can optimally protect your access.
Technical means support cybersecurity
In order to create a strong password for every access and to manage the passwords securely, so-called password managers serve as helpful support. Users only have to remember one strong password, namely the password manager password. Security is supported by 2-factor or multifactor authentication. Here, in addition to the password, the knowledge factor, other factors such as biometric data, e.g., fingerprint or Face ID, are added.
National password security awareness campaign
Since May 1, the NCSC, the SKP and the cantonal and municipal police corps, with the support of iBarry and EBAS, have been raising awareness among the Swiss population about the importance of strong passwords. With tongue in cheek, it is made clear that simple passwords, moreover pinned on Post-its, are very tempting for cyber criminals. On the campaign website S-U-P-E-R.ch, learning videos provide further information. With the acquired knowledge and a little luck, one not only wins more cyber security, but also a competition prize. The campaign will run until May 31, 2023.
Peter Richner, Empa: "Replacement of fossil fuels urgently needed".
In an interview, Peter Richner, Deputy Director Empa, talks about our energy future - and the difficulty of "forecasting".
Editorial
-
May 1, 2023
Peter Richner comments on the future of energy in Switzerland and emphasizes the need to replace fossil fuels. (Image: Empa)
Mr. Richner, energy scarcity has been one of the dominant topics in recent months - and is likely to continue to occupy us, see for example the continuation of a number of savings measures beyond the heating period. How did Empa manage to get through the winter?
Peter Richner: Thanks to a combination of warm weather and selective savings measures, we were able to reduce energy requirements by a total of 14% between October 2022 and March 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. And, most importantly for us, we achieved this saving without having to accept any operational restrictions.
How exactly did you achieve this, what measures did you take?
We reduced room temperatures and lighting, eliminated domestic hot water, and consistently eliminated stand-by losses.
And will you continue with these measures? Or even take further steps towards sustainable energy supply?
We will certainly continue to implement the majority of the measures. In addition, we will continue to invest in optimized control of room temperatures, and we will commission a new type of seasonal heat storage system on our campus in Dübendorf this year, which will enable us to achieve further significant savings in heating energy.
The energy transition to a sustainable energy supply is currently on everyone's lips - partly because of the upcoming vote on the Climate and Innovation Act. Everybody involved seems to be passing around different figures that seem to support one point of view or another. Why is there such a "cacophony" of figures - are some simply unable to calculate?
Indeed, the numerous studies published by Empa and many others in recent months and years appear contradictory at first glance. However, it is important to note that they are only ever concerned with examining the results or consequences of certain decisions and actions, in the sense of an "IF-THEN". These are therefore possible scenarios - and not forecasts that would claim to accurately describe conditions in 2040 or 2050.
The assumptions underlying a study are therefore quite decisive for the results. Logically, these look different if, for example, one study assumes full exploitation of the potential for renewable energy in Switzerland - i.e. sun, wind, water and geothermal energy - and another study only partially activates this potential.
A good example of this is the work of Andreas Züttel and his colleagues, in which they investigated what it would mean if Switzerland wanted to cover 100% of its energy needs at all times through domestic production - in other words, if it were completely self-sufficient in energy. This is a situation that has not existed since at least the industrialization that began in the second half of the 19th century. The analysis shows that complete energy self-sufficiency would only be achievable at exorbitantly high costs in combination with massive interventions in our environment. In this respect, the study confirms the correctness of Switzerland's current strategy, which aims at a mix of energy efficiency, expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland, integration into the European power grid and global trade in renewable energy.
So that means the different costs simply depend on what you include in the "total bill" for the energy transition?
In addition to technical feasibility, costs naturally play a major role in all studies on the transformation of the energy system. Here, too, one has to look closely at each work, since there is no universally accepted definition of the "energy system". In addition, a distinction must be made between what are effective additional costs and what costs in the form of maintenance and replacement investments must be borne in any case - in other words, even without transforming our energy system. For example, the currently much quoted study by "Swiss Banking" mentions total costs of CHF 387 billion, of which 58%, i.e. CHF 225 billion, are replacement investments. Alone 35% of the total costs are incurred for the initial purchase of electric vehicles by private individuals. However, these are largely not additional costs, since in the period up to 2050 the entire vehicle fleet would be replaced at least once anyway and the costs of electric vehicles and internal combustion vehicles are constantly converging.
With all the differences in the various studies and models - where is there agreement, what is currently considered certain?
Everyone agrees that a complete replacement of fossil fuels is necessary. And this must be done as quickly as possible in order to keep the damage caused by global warming within acceptable limits. Furthermore, security of supply is insufficient due to the current high dependence on imports from partially critical regions.
The switch to renewable energies is associated with a strong electrification in building heating systems and in mobility, which at the same time leads to a large gain in energy efficiency: Both a heat pump and an electric motor are about three times more efficient than a boiler or a combustion engine. This leads to a reduction in primary energy demand, but at the same time to greater demand for electricity.
Covering them, especially in winter, is probably the biggest challenge to master. There is not THE right solution for this, but rather a multitude of variants. If one analyzes the various transformation paths, it is striking that they hardly differ in terms of the measures to be taken in the next few years: We need to significantly improve energy efficiency in all areas (buildings, mobility, industrial processes) and massively expand domestic renewable energy capacities. It is only in the second phase from 2030/2035 that there is a differentiation between the various scenarios, which differ primarily in the degree of self-sufficiency and the mix of technologies used.
Given the urgency and the magnitude of the challenge, it would therefore be appropriate to place more emphasis on the consistent implementation of the first steps we need to take in the next two to five years. We have used the last 15 years poorly, instead focusing discussions on describing the state of affairs in 2050 as accurately as possible. While this is certainly important, it should not prevent us from doing what is needed NOW - and what is also widely agreed upon.
What do you mean - "the last 15 years badly used"? What have we missed in Switzerland during this time?
A good example is the expansion of photovoltaic systems. The prices for PV modules have been falling exponentially for many years, between 2010 and 2020 by a factor of about 10! Parallel to this, the amount of installed PV capacity is increasing globally on a similar scale. Looking at the situation in Switzerland, however, it is noticeable that the addition of new capacity stagnated or even declined from 2013 onwards and only started to grow again from 2019 onwards. If the Swiss PV market had instead developed in parallel with the global market, the installed capacity in Switzerland would already be many times higher today. As a result, domestic electricity production would be correspondingly higher, and the manufacturing sector would also have developed accordingly during this period and would have significantly larger installation capacities today. This would put us in a much better position today in terms of electricity supply security.
How did this stagnation in the PV sector come about?
Actually, after Fukushima and Switzerland's turning away from nuclear technology, one would have expected that the expansion of alternative technologies at home would have been given high priority. This was obviously not the case. For too long, the focus was on an import strategy on the electricity side, even though it quickly became clear that our neighboring countries face similar challenges, especially in winter, and that concluding an electricity agreement with the EU is proving very difficult.
One more question about security of supply - this has been a high priority, and not just since the war in Ukraine. In order to achieve this, do we have to "produce" all our energy in Switzerland, i.e. become self-sufficient?
Once again, complete self-sufficiency makes neither economic nor ecological sense; the price is simply too high. It is also not part of Switzerland's energy strategy. Switzerland has not been self-sufficient in energy since industrialization; the same is true for many other aspects such as food, medicines, etc. It is much more important to build a resilient supply system based on strong domestic production with water, sun and possibly wind and geothermal energy with appropriate storage facilities. This is supplemented by the import of renewable energy, if necessary in the form of synthetic energy carriers such as hydrogen and methane, which can certainly be produced in areas far away from Switzerland. After all, there is an abundance of renewable energy there. However, two aspects are important: The sources of supply must be diversified so as not to become critically dependent on individual countries or regions of the world. And Switzerland needs to be well integrated into the European energy network. In the future, this will include not only electricity, but probably also hydrogen and synthetic methane. If we have no access or only limited access, our security of supply will be in question.
On April 27, SAP presented the SAP Quality Awards 2023 in Switzerland, honoring the most successful implementations of SAP applications in three categories: Business Transformation, Cloud Transformation, and Sustainability. Among the award winners is also renowned measurement technology company.
Editorial
-
April 28, 2023
SAP Quality Awards 2023: the winners from Switzerland. (Image: SAP Switzerland)
Every year since 2008, SAP Switzerland has presented the Quality Award to customers who stand out with outstanding performance in the planning and execution of implementation projects. Successful SAP implementations demonstrate not only project planning at a high level of quality, but also a focus on fast and cost-effective implementations close to the SAP standard.
Quality Awards recognize exceptional performance
The projects are evaluated by a jury with the help of ten quality principles recommended by SAP, the observance of which promises better results in the implementation of standard software. The aim is to achieve project results that generate measurable added value and meet the demand for short implementation cycles and rapid value creation. The Quality Awards recognize SAP customers who demonstrate exceptional performance. At the same time, the awards foster the emergence of a community of "thought leaders" in which collaboration with customers and partners is strengthened.
Quality Awards for 13 projects in 3 categories
To determine the best projects of the past year for the SAP Quality Awards 2023, the SAP Quality Management Switzerland team again evaluated a large number of successfully completed SAP projects. This year, SAP Switzerland presented awards in three categories, including the "Sustainability" category for the first time.
The category "Business Transformation" includes large projects with more than 500 users, a project duration of more than 6 months and an effort of more than 900 person-days.
In the category "Cloud Transformation" large-scale projects are evaluated with the same requirements as the business transformation projects, but the focus is on the transformation of cloud solutions.
In the category "Sustainability" awards are given to projects that use one or more solutions from the SAP sustainability portfolio. In addition, measurable impacts on at least one of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals must be demonstrated.
In each category, one main winner and other winners were honored with an award. A total of 13 projects from companies operating in Switzerland were honored this year, whose projects met the award requirements to a particularly high degree.
Award winner in the "Business Transformation" category
As the main winner, the jury has chosen the Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen chosen. His SAP S/4HANA business transformation project, one of the largest hospital projects in Switzerland, had the goal of consolidating five independent companies from the hospital network on a new system environment. An important factor in the project was the harmonization and standardization of processes and master data. The jury was impressed by the handling of the complex technical and organizational dependencies as well as the necessary safeguarding of the availability requirements of an acute hospital operation. The Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen was supported in this major project by implementation partner Swisscom.
Through an outstanding SAP S/4HANA on-premise implementation, also earned an award:
Buhler, an internationally active Swiss technology group, implemented a comprehensive SAP S/4HANA project that was additionally integrated with other SAP solutions. The implementation partner was Swisscom.
The Coop Cooperative converted its two SAP Retail core systems to SAP S/4HANA. Project partners were SAP Switzerland, SNP and retailsolutions.
The Helsana Insurances realized a migration of the existing SAP landscape to the new SAP S/4HANA environment on Azure. The project was supported by NTT Data Business Solutions.
The internationally active tobacco group JT International created the prerequisite for end-to-end cash flow hedging with the SAP application Trade Platform Integration in order to hedge payment flows against the risk of (currency) fluctuations. The implementation partner was PwC Switzerland.
The Canton Basel-Country realized a comprehensive renewal of the system landscape. This includes a transformation to SAP S/4HANA as well as the commissioning of further SAP solutions. The consulting firm NOVO Business Consultants supported this project.
The University Hospital Basel migrated its existing SAP solution to SAP S/4HANA together with Swisscom to lay the foundation for future digitization projects.
Another customer project, which must not be named, also received an award.
Award winner in the "Cloud Transformation" category
The main winner in this category is the Swiss Kistler Instrumente Group, pioneer and global market leader in dynamic measurement technology. This cloud transformation project involved the implementation of SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP Business Technology Platform and SAP Variant Configuration and Pricing. With the associated renewal of all relevant technical platforms, Kistler is fundamentally realigning the digital customer journey. The jury was particularly impressed by the change management approach chosen. The measurable business improvements achieved after just a few months of operation also impressed. Sybit supported and accompanied this project as an implementation partner.
Other winners in the "Cloud Transformation" category are:
The railroad company BLS together with SAP Switzerland, has implemented several components of SAP SuccessFactors to standardize, simplify and optimize HR processes.
Roche Diagnostics intends to break new ground in the healthcare sector by offering digital products and services with the implementation of the SAP Subscription Billing and SAP Entitlement Management solutions. This project was supported by implementation partners Accenture and SAP Switzerland.
Award winner in the "Sustainability" category
The main winner in the sustainability segment is called Clariant International. The global specialty chemicals company has implemented a project to automatically calculate the CO2 footprint of products as well as to simulate and predict them in a supportive manner. This enables the Swiss global corporation to identify CO2 reduction potential and forecast future CO2 emissions, as well as using the predictions to calculate its own CO2 reduction obligations. The jury was convinced by the great innovative strength in the field of sustainability and the lighthouse character of this project for other companies. The NDC Group advised Clariant on this project.
Also receiving a "Sustainability" award were JT International: With the implementation of the SAP Business Integrity Screening solution, the tobacco group has created the possibility to screen and monitor business partners using economic and trade-related sanction information. SAP Switzerland supported the project during implementation.