In a first-ever Study Brand Finance and the International Advertising Association IAA reveal the financial value of sustainability as perceived by consumers of the world's biggest brands. As part of the analysis, Brand Finance assessed how sustainable each brand is perceived to be and assigned a "Sustainability Perceptions Score" - after subtracting the impact of sales - to see which brands consumers believe are most committed to sustainability.

The Brand Finance Sustainability Perceptions Index was released as part of the WEF in Davos and reveals that major global brands such as Amazon, Tesla, Apple and Alphabet are each investing billions of dollars in careful reputation management around their sustainability commitments. For example, the report shows that Amazon has the largest commitment, with a sustainability perception value of $19.9 billion. Other brands at the top of the ranking include Tesla with $17.8 billion, Apple with $14.65 billion and Google with $14.6 billion.

The report also shows that consumers have a relatively high level of trust in brands' sustainability communications, with 62 percent relying on brands' claims about sustainability. However, 79 percent of consumers also said they reduced their use of a brand after finding out it was not acting sustainably. This underscores the need for brands to communicate clearly, authentically and accurately, especially in this area.

Tesla, Ikea and Patagonia performed well in a variety of markets. Lush and The Body Shop performed very well in the UK. In France, Yves Rocher and tire brand Michelin stood out, while Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura performed well in its home market.

"For the first time, companies can now recognize the financial value associated with a reputation for being sustainable," said Robert Haigh, director of strategy and sustainability at Brand Finance. "Whether or not they are considered sustainability champions, the value of the world's largest brands, in the hundreds of millions of dollars, depends on how sustainable they are perceived to be."

Haigh is also convinced that brand value suffers if there is no clear communication about ESG issues: "Consumers trust brands' sustainability communications and clearly value their commitment." However, he said, communication must be authentic and backed up by action. "Exaggerated claims or greenwashing put a company's reputation at risk, which can result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages," Haigh concludes.

Limtronik, based in Limburg an der Lahn (Germany), is a Joint Development Manufacturing (JDM) partner and expert in Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS). The company accompanies its customers from product development to the final product ready for series production. The company's focus is on the development and production of electronic assemblies as well as customized systems for customers. "Error prevention and quality assurance are top priorities for us as an electronics factory. In addition, we have to meet corresponding standards in some industries. We have therefore already been implementing traceability for several years. The fact that all production data is recorded, documented and evaluated in the course of this also creates the ideal data basis for developing automated control loops to avoid errors in the production process, for example," explains Gerd Ohl, Managing Director of the company.

Limtronik ensures traceability with a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) from the manufacturer iTAC and two laser markers from SmartRep. These enable each PCB to be marked with an in-house serial number. The laser marker is connected to the MES. The production line only runs if all products have been lasered without errors by the laser and the codes have been assigned. In case of deviations, a complete process interlock of the line takes place.

3D inspection systems for defect detection and process optimization

In addition to the laser markers, inspection systems such as SPI and AOI systems from Koh Young also contribute to automation and quality assurance at Limtronik. The Koh Young solutions are offered and implemented by SmartRep as a service partner.

Koh Young's 3D inspection systems are aimed not only at pure defect detection, but also at controlling and optimizing the entire process. "The solder paste printing process is the most important process for us. If the print is not in order, we get immediate feedback from the Koh Young SPI and can stop and improve the process accordingly," explains Dieter Jung, Head of Technology at Limtronik.

Two Koh Young SPI systems have already been in use since 2011. A third system was added recently. In 2022, the electronics factory also implemented three Koh Young AOI solutions, moving from 2D to 3D inspection technology. The AOI ensures that the quality control of the complete line is displayed. It tracks inspection results across all PCBs and locks the process in the event of poor assembly - preventing serial defects. The AOI stores its data in the MES database. At the end of the process, all data can be retrieved via the database for a unique ID.

Massive reduction of pseudo errors

However, Koh Young's AOI solution goes far beyond fault detection and process interlocking. Trend analyses and histograms can be used to trace the origin of faults and preventive measures can be initiated. In addition, Limtronik can now perform real-time analyses through data evaluation with KSMART. Artificial intelligence is used for programming: Unknown components no longer have to be added to the component library by hand, but are taught by the system itself using Koh Young's auto-programming with the help of artificial intelligence.

"By switching to Koh Young 3D AOI technology, we have been able to reduce our pseudo defects by up to 70-80 percent. This saves us effort and resources that can be used for important tasks in other areas," says Dieter Jung and continues: "Koh Young's solutions have noticeably increased both employee satisfaction and production quality."

Source and further information: Limtronik GmbH

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/mit-ki-und-aoi-rueckschluesse-auf-die-qualitaet-von-leiterplatten-ziehen/

The Conforama brand and locations will be retained, a XXXLutz spokesman said Thursday in response to an inquiry from news agency AWP. The takeover would also have no impact on jobs. These would also be retained.

Conforama Suisse AG currently operates 20 stores in German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino and employs 1200 people. The sale was first reported in the French-speaking Swiss business magazine Bilan reported. Subsequently, Conforama confirmed the deal in a communiqué.

Market position expanded

XXXLutz is expanding its market position in Switzerland with this deal. The Austrians only entered the Swiss market in September 2018 with their own furniture store. The first location was a 15,000 square meter store in Rothrist, Aargau.

Following the acquisition of Möbel Pfister in 2019, XXXLutz also bought six Interio stores from Migros in 2020 and converted them into Mömax stores. A year ago, the company further expanded its Swiss presence with the acquisition of Lipo.

Mamane goes

The previous owner of Conforama was the entrepreneur Dan Mamane. He had bought the furniture store from the South African Steinhoff Group two and a half years ago. At the end of 2021 - as has now become known - he had already ceded 50 percent of the share capital to a company belonging to the XXXLutz Group.

Now he is also parting with the remaining 50 percent. According to the XXXLutz spokesman, no contract details are being communicated. The parties have agreed not to disclose the sale price. (SDA)

The war in Ukraine does not end on the ground, it continues digitally - cyberwar prevails at the same time. During this period, cyberattacks and the spread of false information increased rapidly. This has also led to an increased demand for IT security services. This suggests: The IT security industry is booming, and stock prices are rising. Shanna Strauss-Frank, Switzerland spokesperson for the investment company Freedom Finance Europe, explains which companies and shares in the IT security sector are significant, how they are performing and why innovation is dominating the industry.

Accumulation of cyberattacks after the start of the war in Ukraine

Every company will fall victim to a cyber attack sooner or later, warns the German IT industry association Bitkom. While the resulting damage amounted to 103 billion euros in 2018/19, the sum almost doubled to 203 billion euros in 2022.[1] In the third quarter of 2022, global attacks increased by 28 percent year-on-year. On February 27, three days after the official start of the war in Ukraine, Check Point Research reported a 196 percent increase in cyberattacks on Ukraine's military and government sectors.[2] But it wasn't just war-related attacks that characterized the past year. According to an IBM report, companies that use artificial intelligence and automation to detect potential threats and breaches had a 74-day shorter data breach cycle and saved an average of $3 million more.[3] These developments suggest that the need for cyber defense will become increasingly central to enterprises in the coming years.

Cyber stocks affected by tech meltdown only in the short term

Like many other technology stocks, cybersecurity stocks saw strong demand as well as market growth in the early stages of the corona pandemic, as Strauss-Frank explains, "With the shift to digital work, concerns about the need for cybersecurity measures have increased." In recent months, however, the tide has turned: investor expectations have not been met, the Fed has hiked the federal funds rate, and companies in the technology sector have seen sales and share prices plummet. Will this development weaken IT security stocks? Says Strauss-Frank: "Cybersecurity stocks are part of the growth stock segment and these are the first to suffer from an interest rate hike. Despite the temporary downturn, they can be interesting from a long-term perspective, as the current weakness creates opportunities to build positions. And when equity markets recover in general, growth stocks can be among the top performers."

Increasing complexity could dampen flight of fancy

For example, Strauss-Frank says the global cybersecurity market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.9 percent between 2022 and 2027 - reaching a value of $266 billion by then. But Strauss-Frank warns, "Cyberattacks can be expected to become more complex in the coming years. That presents new challenges for implementing security solutions and could hinder market growth." The future development of the market also depends heavily on political and social tensions. Examples of this include the hacking attacks during the 2020 U.S. elections and the serious increase in cyberattacks on healthcare in the wake of the pandemic.

Innovation as an elementary survival strategy

There is also the question of whether in the cyber market, as in the technology industry, individual big players will be able to dominate the market. "Certainly there are some well-established and large players, but a significant number of smaller, specialized companies can also be found that are successful by focusing on specific market areas with innovative products and services," Strauss-Frank says. In the industry, he says, it is essential to keep up with the latest trends, identify potential future threats and constantly innovate to stay ahead of the competition. For entrenched operations, this can be a challenge if their processes are outdated. Smaller, more agile cybersecurity providers might be able to respond more quickly to developments. That's why, for example, the big player in the cloud security market Palo Alto Networks acquired over a dozen young cloud developers in recent years.

Significant cybersecurity vendors and stocks

For both individuals and organizations, cybersecurity is a growing necessity and effective security measures are taking a high priority. "Accordingly, private individuals are increasingly using antivirus software or VPNs. Cloud-based services to protect their own devices, such as a password manager, are also popular here. Companies, on the other hand, often require more complex security measures," explains Strauss-Frank, pointing to other cybersecurity stocks worth mentioning: "In terms of revenue, software provider Fortinet is one of the most profitable IT security companies, along with Palo Alto Networks. Both companies are forecasting double-digit percentage revenue growth in the coming years." CrowdStrike Holding and Zscaler are also cloud providers with potential, according to Strauss-Frank. Finally, she adds, "Okta's identity management software could be in high demand in an increasingly mobile and cloud-based world." Sources: [1] https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Wirtschaftsschutz-2022#item-16370-close [2] https://blog.checkpoint.com/2022/10/26/third-quarter-of-2022-reveals-increase-in-cyberattacks/ [3] https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach  

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/lassen-cyberangriffe-jetzt-die-aktienkurse-der-it-sicherheitsbranche-steigen/

The Allianz Risk Barometer 2023 is all about continuity and change: cyber incidents and business interruptions are considered to be in the second year in a row as the biggest business risks worldwide (both with 34% of all responses). They are followed in third place by macroeconomic developments such as inflation, financial market volatility and the threat of recession. In Switzerland, the energy crisis in particular is causing increasing headaches for companies, with the risk coming in second place with 48% - ahead of business interruption, which topped the rankings for many years. In contrast, both natural disasters (from 3rd to 6th place) and the risks of climate change (from 6th to 7th place) have fallen down the rankings worldwide. The same applies to the outbreak of a pandemic (from 4th to 13th place) - with the availability of vaccines, Covid-19 restrictions have largely been lifted in most countries. Political risks and violence has made it to 10th place, while the shortage of skilled labor rises to 8th place. Changes in legislation and regulation remains a relevant risk in 5th place, while fire/explosion drops two positions to 9th place.

Cyber incidents in Switzerland again in first place

With regard to Switzerland, concerns about cyber incidents lead the ranking, as in the previous year, with 57% of responses. However, the discussions surrounding the electricity shortage have not failed to have an impact either: energy risks have entered the Allianz Risk Barometer as a new category in 2nd place with 48%. Business interruption - for many years the biggest concern for companies - has fallen back to third place with 41% of responses. Political risks and violence, another new category, are already in 4th place (20%), followed by changes in legislation and regulation (18%) and natural disasters (18%). At the other end of the scale, fear of the consequences of climate change is in 10th place, while the outbreak of a pandemic no longer makes it into the top 10 biggest business risks in Switzerland.

Allianz Risk Barometer 2023 shows companies in permacrisis

Joachim Müller, CEO of AGCS, comments on the results: "For the second year in a row, the Allianz Risk Barometer shows that companies currently see themselves most at risk from cyber incidents and business interruptions. At the same time, they see inflation, the threat of recession and the energy crisis as an immediate threat to their business. Companies - especially in Europe and the US - are concerned about the ongoing 'perma-crisis' resulting from the consequences of the pandemic and the economic and political impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The current situation is a stress test for every company. The positive news is that as an insurer, we are seeing continued improvements in resilience and risk management from many of our clients. Many companies have made their supply chains more robust, are better equipped to deal with business disruption and have strengthened their cyber controls. Becoming more resilient and managing risk better has been a key task for many companies in recent years."

Digital and disruptive threats

Cyber incidents, such as IT outages, ransomware attacks or data breaches, are ranked as the top risk globally for the second year in a row. In 19 countries, including Canada, France, Japan, India and the UK, this risk is ranked number one and is the risk of most concern to small businesses (<250m $ annual turnover).

"For many companies, the threat of cyber attacks remains greater than ever and cyber insurance claims remain at a high level. Large companies are now used to being targeted and those with an adequate level of cyber security are able to fend off most attacks. However, small and medium-sized companies are also increasingly affected. They tend to underestimate their exposure and should continually invest in strengthening their cyber defenses," emphasizes Shanil Williams, AGCS Board Member and Chief Underwriting Officer Corporate.

Macroeconomic malaise

Macroeconomic developments such as inflation or economic and financial market volatility rank as the third most important risk for companies worldwide in the Allianz Risk Barometer 2023 (25 % of responses), up from 10th place in 2022. It is the first time in a decade that this risk has "made it" into the top 3. All three major economies - the United States (US), China and Europe - are in economic crisis at the same time, albeit for different reasons, according to the Allianz Research team, which forecasts a recession in Europe and the US in 2023. Inflation is particularly worrying, as it is "eating up" the price structure and margins of many companies. Like the real economy, the financial markets are also facing a difficult year as central banks withdraw excess liquidity from the entire system and trading volumes decline even in historically liquid markets.

"2023 will be a challenging year; in purely economic terms, it is likely to be literally a year to forget for many households and companies. Nevertheless, there is no reason to despair," says Ludovic Subran, Chief Economist at Allianz. "For one thing, the turnaround in interest rates is helping, not least benefiting millions of savers. The medium-term outlook is also much better despite - or perhaps because of - the energy crisis. The consequences that go beyond the expected recession in 2023 are already becoming apparent: a forced restructuring of the economy towards decarbonization as well as increased risk awareness in all parts of society, which strengthens social and economic resilience."

Source and further information: http://www.agcs.allianz.com

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/allianz-risk-barometer-2023-energiekrise-als-aufsteiger-des-jahres/

The dynamics of corporate reputation are significantly greater in the media than among the general public. After Swisscom, ABB and Swiss Life topped the SMI Reputation Index in H1 2022, Sika, Nestlé and Zurich are now at the top.

Specialty chemicals company Sika and insurer Zurich were already in the top half of the rankings in the first half of 2022, but Nestlé made the big leap. After the company had still been hit in April and May 2022 with an E. coli B

Although Nestlé was confronted with a scandal involving the use of certain chemicals and a corresponding lawsuit, the second half of the year was dominated by positive news, including on vegan product lines and the circular economy. Nestlé achieved the top score of all SMI companies in the Products & Innovation dimension, and
showed a balanced reputation profile in all other areas. The overall result was 2nd place.

However, the company with the best media reputation in the 2nd half of 2002 was Sika. It has the best perception as an employer and also achieved a top result in terms of profitability. Only in the area of management was the result below average. The
third-placed Zurich scores very well in products & innovation and profitability, but lags behind in sustainability.

Swisscom with top score in terms of sustainability

As in the first half of the year, Swisscom again achieved the best reputation score for sustainability in the second half. It was the only company to achieve 3 stars. Givaudan also repeated its top score in the area of management. No other SMI company achieved a similarly good media perception of its management as the flavor and fragrance manufacturer from Vernier. Swiss Life can also be pleased about its renewed top result in the reputation factor of economic efficiency. The life insurer had the most positive perception of economic issues in the media.

The ranking reveals numerous changes from the first to the second half of the year. Nestlé made the biggest leap with an improvement of 17 places. Roche (+8 places), Zurich (+5 places) and Holcim (+5 places) also developed positively. Falling back
are Richemont (-7 places) as well as ABB, Geberit, Novartis, Alcon and UBS, which all lost 6 places. Hearing system provider Sonova, which has been part of the SMI since September 2022, ranks 12th.

And this is how it is measured:

The model used in the SMI Reputation Index distinguishes between the five dimensions of products & innovation, profitability, sustainability, management and employer, which define a company's reputation. They are weighted equally for the calculation of the index. A company has a strong reputation if it has a high presence in all areas while maintaining a positive tone. To calculate the index, the first step is to filter out all German- and French-language articles about SMI companies in public Swiss online sources (journalistic online media, news portals, websites, blogs, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and others). The statements selected in this way are checked for content and tonality within the framework of AI-based analyses and assigned to the respective reputation dimensions.

The world's top family businesses in terms of sales increased their sales by an average of 14 percent in the last financial year - the top family businesses in Switzerland grew at the same rate, increasing by an average of 15 percent. By comparison, the Asian companies in the ranking increased their sales by 21 percent, and the North American companies by 12 percent. The USA has the most companies in the top 500 with 118, just ahead of Germany with 78 family businesses. At the same time, seven of the ten largest family-owned companies in the world are based in the United States - including retailer Walmart in first place and holding company Berkshire Hathaway in second place.

These are the findings of the Global Family Business Index, which is being published this year for the fifth time jointly by the University of St. Gallen and EY in Switzerland. The index lists the 500 family businesses with the highest turnover worldwide that have been run by a family for at least two generations. Over the past two years, the number of Swiss representatives among the world's largest 500 family businesses has remained the same - 16 Swiss-based family businesses are among the top 500 worldwide.

The following three companies made it into the top 100:

• Roche is in 16th place (2021: 16)
• In 45th place Kuehne + Nagel (2021: 66)
• In 79th place is Richemont (2021: 101)

A further 13 companies based in Switzerland made it into the top 500 family businesses: Tetra Laval International (114th), Emil Frey Group (122nd), Liebherr-International (135th), Schindler (143rd), DKSH Holding (145th), Swatch Group (238th), Barry Callebaut (240th), Firmenich International (372nd), AMAG Automobil- und Motoren (384th), Omya (423rd), Stadler Rail (447th), Bucher Industries (485th) and Endress+Hauser (491st). These 16 family-owned companies have combined sales of around 235 billion US dollars and employ around 535,000 people.

Only six percent of leadership is female

Globally, there is a need to catch up when it comes to diversity: just six percent of company CEOs are women; in Europe and North America, the proportion of female CEOs is slightly higher at seven percent each, and in Asia it is even lower at four percent. Of the family businesses surveyed that are headquartered in Switzerland, none is headed by a female CEO.

Companies were defined as family businesses if the family or a foundation initiated by the family holds more than 50 percent of the shares and voting rights. Listed companies were considered family businesses if the family holds at least 32 percent of the shares and voting rights. Therefore, large corporations in which entrepreneurial families have a stake are also included in the index.

Have you ever heard someone shout "whoopee!" when the term "quality management" is mentioned? Probably not. That's mainly because far too little is said about the benefits of QM. Because done well, it is neither boring, nor does it result in any additional effort. On the contrary, it forms the basis for the high quality of a product or service, which in turn ensures that customers are satisfied and companies are economically successful.

What those who perceive QM as a necessary to annoying evil fail to realize: The larger a company, the more important the structures. Only if the entire workforce has a common understanding of quality requirements can these also be uniformly represented to customers.

Want more reasons why every company needs quality management? Here are the five most important ones:

1. the workforce knows what to do at all times

Regardless of whether you're an old hand or a newbie - quality management in the company ensures that processes are clearly comprehensible for everyone. How does the filing structure work? Which departments or people interact with customers? And how do I submit a vacation request? All of this is defined as part of a holistic quality management system, which improves internal and external communication structures.

2. QM increases satisfaction in the company

That's right, because if you know at all times what is expected of you and what quality standards you want to be measured against, you can act accordingly. The overarching buzzwords are transparency and traceability. If you know in which direction the goal lies and how far away it is, you can plan the way there, not feel overwhelmed, but can celebrate successes in stages again and again. And comparability within the workforce also makes quality management fair.

3. risks become calculable

Of course, the ideal situation is one in which a company's business is on a steep upward trajectory - and well thought-out quality management can play a significant role in this. After all, one of the core tasks of QM is to keep an eye on risks and their probability of occurrence. And if management is aware of its risks at all times, not only can appropriate countermeasures be taken at an early stage, but these can also be communicated openly and transparently to the workforce. The result: see point 2.

4. arbitrariness was yesterday

Quality management is based primarily on key figures, facts and standards - and that is precisely why it is so transparent for the entire organization. Conversely, this also means that with a holistically considered QM, decisions are comprehensible to everyone at all times. Every process that contributes to the creation of value in the company can thus be evaluated fairly - provided that key figures and standards with sufficient significance are selected.

5. everything is easier digitally

What makes QM so dull for many, namely the recurring processes, is one of its greatest strengths. Because what is standardized and repetitive is relatively easy to digitize and automate. With a modern software solution, the requirements of quality management are even easier to implement without having to forego the advantages already mentioned. No matter whether QM manual, the distribution of information, audits or certifications: With the support of well thought-out software, no company now has to fear the introduction of quality management as an additional expense.

Conclusion: As you can see, there are a number of advantages that a well thought-out and implemented quality management system creates. Some of them should also convince critics. In the future, you may even hear them shouting "whoopee!

Author:
Johannes Woithon is the managing director of orgavision GmbH, based in Berlin. www.orgavision.de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/fuenf-gruende-warum-qualitaetsmanagement-allen-ein-juchhu-entlocken-sollte/

At the end of 2022, Helvetia Environnement Group obtained B Corp certification after a demanding process. Helvetia Environnement employs 560 people, mainly in western Switzerland, spread across its various subsidiaries. The company operates waste management services for municipalities, commerce and industry.

B Corp certification: key step in sustainable development strategy

Certified B Corps are companies that demonstrably meet the highest standards for social and environmental sustainability, legal corporate responsibility, and public transparency. The certification is awarded by the independent non-profit organization B Lab. Vincent Chapel, President of Helvetia Environnement Group, says: "This certification is a recognition of the commitments we have made over the last ten years. It also marks a new stage in our continuous improvement process, in terms of all CSR criteria. We are indeed convinced that waste recycling has its place at the heart of the circular economy, which is why we must remain committed to reducing our impact on the environment."

Reduce environmental impact and aim for CO2 neutrality by 2025

The CO2 neutrality target is set for 2025. It is part of Helvetia Environnement Group's strategy to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030 for Scope 1 and 2 according to the SBTi (Science-based Targets) recommendations. This includes direct greenhouse gas emissions (generated by the company's activities) as well as indirect ones (generated through the consumption of energy purchased from third parties).

Ten years of commitment and action for sustainable development

This certification confirms the pioneering role of Helvetia Environnement Group, which has invested more than 150 million Swiss francs in its recycling activities in Switzerland over the past ten years. Divided into two five-year plans, these proactive measures included the opening of Sortera, the first high-performance waste sorting facility in the canton of Geneva, and consistent efforts in the area of mobility with the renewal of the vehicle fleet and the use of alternative energies such as biofuels and electric drives. In social terms, in particular, a specific action plan was introduced to significantly reduce the number of occupational accidents over the next five years. From a management perspective, the shareholders have made a sustainable commitment by embedding the Group's mission in its legal form, which means that everyone at every level of the company is committed to the common good. Source: Helvetia Environnement

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/helvetia-environnement-gruppe-erlangt-b-corp-zertifizierung/

With a trade volume of 900 billion Swiss francs, the USA is now Switzerland's most important trading partner. The United States is also a major export market for the Swiss pharmaceutical industry: 26 percent of drug exports now cross the Atlantic. Until now, however, trade has been associated with a number of administrative hurdles. For example, drugs must be produced in accordance with internationally agreed Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Compliance with these rules is checked twice: in Switzerland by Swissmedic and in the USA by the Food and Drug Administration FDA. 

Lower hurdles for drug approval

The agreement signed on 12 January 2023 now ensures mutual recognition (Mutual Recognition Agreement MRA) of GMP. This means that Swissmedic and the FDA will refrain from inspecting the production sites of medicinal product manufacturers in the other country following an in-depth examination of the partner country's inspection practices. This is a win-win situation for both sides, as such inspections tie up resources and cost time and money - "quickly more than a million francs" according to the industry association Interpharma. These funds can now be invested in innovation now that reciprocal inspections are no longer necessary. 

The agreement removes a so-called non-tariff trade barrier. According to the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), the GMP MRA also contributes to the diversification of trade relations, including Switzerland's cross-border production and supply chains. In this way, the MRA supports the security of supply and resilience of the Swiss economy, which is dependent on foreign trade, especially in view of the ongoing global upheavals with regard to international trade, according to the statement published on the subject.

Motion calls for similar MRA for medical devices

Comparable GMP MRAs already exist between the USA and the EU as well as the UK. Switzerland, for its part, has already concluded GMP MRAs with the EU, the UK and South Korea. The agreement is intended to create a level playing field for Switzerland as a pharmaceutical location for the US market compared to the EU and the UK. However, medical devices that do not fall within the pharmaceutical sector are still excluded. A motion by National Councillor Damian Müller wants to change this and is calling for an MRA with the USA and other countries for the approval of medical devices (e.g. insulin pumps, medical protective masks, prostheses, etc.). After the EU's new Medical Devices Regulation comes into force in 2021, Switzerland will be considered a "third country" because there is no framework agreement between Switzerland and the EU. This means a high administrative hurdle for the approval of medical devices and may mean that certain products will no longer be available in Switzerland in the medium to long term.

Sources: economiesuisse, WBF/Swissmedic, interpharma

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/arzneimittel-schweiz-und-usa-unterzeichnen-mra/

This is shown by a non-representative survey of Swiss retailers and wholesalers conducted by the Keystone-SDA news agency. The decline in meat consumption is more of a long-term trend. In January, meat sales were at a low point, but not to a similar extent as the increase in sales of vegan products stimulated by sales promotions, the retailers note.

The international Veganuary campaign, which has been running since 2014, calls on people to eat vegan in January. At Coop, demand for vegan alternatives always rises sharply during this campaign month. This is also the case this year, says the retailer's spokesman Caspar Frey.

However, Coop is not selling less meat. "In previous years, we have not noticed any impact of Veganuary on meat consumption. We assume that this will also be the case this year," he explains.

In general, the decline in meat sales affected pork and veal in particular. Demand for poultry meat has risen steadily in recent years.

Awareness of nutrition is growing

"January is traditionally not a very meat-heavy time," emphasizes Migros spokesman Tristan Cerf. However, he says it is still too early to see any clear trends this year. "In general and in the long term, we are seeing a decrease in the volume of meat sold, but a higher proportion of higher quality meat with added value, such as a label," he adds.

On the other hand, it goes without saying that higher sales of alternatives to animal proteins lead to lower sales of the corresponding meat products, Cerf explains. "In general, we sell a lot more plant-based products in January than usual," says the Migros spokesperson. This is probably due to the strong attention around Veganuary and the growing awareness of the topic of nutrition in general, he suspects.

After feasting the holidays

After the holidays, many customers want to eat more consciously, which also benefits vegan and vegetarian nutrition. "It's also exciting that around Veganuary, many customers who don't normally shop in this area try out plant-based products," the spokesperson notes.

For Cerf, experience shows that demand for products with plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy declines somewhat after January, but the trend is parallel throughout the year.

"As a supplier and wholesaler, it is natural for us to benefit from the worldwide Veganuary campaign, as it offers many opportunities," says Prodega spokeswoman Christine Strahm. "Not only in January, but also beyond." According to the spokeswoman, sales of plant-based products are developing at a gratifyingly high level.

However, the number of customers eating a vegan diet is in the low single-digit percentage range. A noticeable decline in sales of meat products is therefore not to be expected.

The Swiss Safety Center Academy Wallisellen meets the high standards of the eduQua quality label and is now eduQua certified. This was announced by the institute in a short communiqué. By fulfilling the quality criteria, the academy now receives the Swiss quality label for continuing education providers.

eduQua is the only Swiss quality label tailored exclusively to providers of continuing education. It sets and checks minimum criteria for the quality of continuing education providers and promotes transparency, comparability and quality of the continuing education offered. An eduQua-certified continuing education institution is characterized by accredited courses and seminars, a high level of practical relevance in its offerings, recognition of titles and degrees, transparency and binding nature of program content, and concrete proof of quality. According to the Swiss Association for Continuing Education SVEB, more than 1100 schools, institutes and academies are eduQua-certified throughout Switzerland. eduQua can be combined with ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 29990 (quality management for educational institutions), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and IN-Qualis (certified quality of work integration).

The certification now also promotes the quality awareness of the Swiss Safety Center Academy, the commitment to continuously work on quality and to make this visible to the outside world to customers, according to the company.

Source and further information: https://akademie.safetycenter.ch/

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/swiss-safety-center-akademie-ist-nun-eduqua-zertifiziert/