Among other things, employee participation is crucial to the success of a management system. The QM experts from ConSense Management Consulting, the consulting services of the Aachen-based software developer ConSense GmbH, recommend using the process-oriented approach not only to build a software-based quality management or integrated management system, but also to promote internal communication. This is because it results in suggestions for improvement that help the system achieve increased use and high acceptance.

Process-oriented approach: promoting knowledge management and shared learning

This process-oriented approach to supporting internal communication involves modeling and optimizing processes with the participation of employees. Knowledge and approaches to the respective processes are collected, views are exchanged, and a common picture of the respective task is developed. With the help of the SIPOC method, a design principle from lean management, processes and procedures can be presented in a lean, transparent and easily comprehensible manner with a relatively low level of detail. By working together as a team, a uniform, visualized basis is created in this way, which can also be used to make subsequent changes, updates and improvements more easily, since all those involved start from the same basis.

From process annotations to chat channels: Sharing knowledge and experience

Since knowledge gained from experience cannot be passed on completely through documentation, ConSense Management Consulting relies on close exchange and cooperation among employees. The company's software solutions are designed with this in mind, offering their users a variety of options for adding questions, ideas and suggestions to operational processes. For example, evaluations or comments on processes can be stored. In addition, chat channels are used for direct communication and collaboration within the management system. In this way, processes and activities are repeatedly viewed jointly by those involved, who exchange their experience and knowledge of them and optimize or further develop procedures. The value of process modeling therefore lies not only in the visualization and analysis of processes and their potential for improvement, but also in the support of communication within teams or between departments. At the same time, a common understanding of work processes can be created.

Webinars and workshops for practical implementation

The management system experts of the Aachen-based software house teach how to realize the implementation in an application-oriented way and what needs to be taken into account. ConSense Management Consulting provides support for practical and application-oriented process modeling based on a holistic view of companies. This takes equal account of the three design areas of technology, organization and people. An introduction to the topic is provided by the ConSense Campus Webinar "Processes as if from a single mold with a style guide for process descriptions"which will take place on March 9, 2023, for example. For a more in-depth study, the full-day workshop "ConSense Styleguide for Process Modeling" is suitable, which can be scheduled on request.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/wie-laesst-sich-akzeptiertes-und-gelebtes-qualitaetsmanagement-foerdern/

The same US parent company holds a stake in Hellofiber as in the telecoms provider Sunrise. Hellofiber provides fiber-optic networks to private households, businesses and public institutions. In a very short time, Evoq developed the brand identity and the complete marketing strategy with the corresponding communication media.

At the core of the design concept are the brand flower, the light dots and a series of primary and secondary colors, which are intended to ensure a diverse and eye-catching appearance. A specific marketing toolkit was put together for marketing. It contains tools, processes and resources based on the S, M and L principles. Depending on the expansion area and the task at hand, marketing measures can be implemented quickly, efficiently and in line with local requirements. The respective campaign planning is structured in three phases.

First, the brand is to be made known in the clearly defined target area. Then the product portfolio is penetrated and the uniqueness of the offer is emphasized. Finally, the phase of scarcity follows with time-limited promotional offers and benefits according to the principle of "now or never".

Communication takes place via digital channels such as the website Hellofiber.com and digital advertising media, but above all also via OOH measures, scatter mailings, direct mailings, and advertisements in local media.

Baden and the region has a lively cultural scene and stands out as both a conference and recreation destination. Baden's extensive offerings are popular with guests and locals alike.

In order to better exploit this potential, tourism stakeholders have joined forces in the new TourismusRegion Baden AG (TRB). The foundation was completed on Wednesday evening. The founders wrote in a press release that a new age of tourism is dawning: "The joint-stock company will not only actively market the unique diversity of the destination, but will also bundle the forces of service providers, local authorities and economic partners in an efficient and dynamic way.

Partners from tourism, business and politics on board

"Strong key partners from a wide range of sectors will be an essential factor in the success of the new organization," explains TRB Board of Directors Chairman René Kamer. In the new AG, the business community and other stakeholders are directly involved and bear corresponding responsibility.

The new shareholders include IG Hotels Region Baden, the City Com association, the Bad Zurzach + Baden Health Promotion Foundation, the Grand Casino Baden, the Kulturaktiv association and Eglin Immobilien. They are all convinced that the joint marketing of the Baden & Region destination will greatly increase its profile and popularity. The municipality of Baden is not a shareholder in the AG. There is a performance agreement between the municipality and TRB, which is intended to ensure cooperation and also the right to a say through the seat of Markus Schneider as mayor on the board of directors. The service agreement is initially limited to four years.

"Added value for all"

TRB wants to present the cultural and spa city as lively, warm, innovative and enjoyable. With innovative spirit and commitment, the new, innovative organization should strengthen the destination, position it better, use synergies and thus increase the added value in the region.

"I am pleased, the marketing will be done jointly in the future - this not only strengthens tourism, but leads to added value for all," the newly elected TRB Managing Director Mirko Capodanno is quoted in the release. Finally, this joint, open and holistic thinking will create a genuine culture of welcome and hospitality.

The tourism organization founded on Wednesday will now start its activities and the operational outsourcing from the city promptly. All employees of the competence area tourism of the city of Baden will transfer to the new organization. The board of directors is composed as follows:

• René Kamer, Chairman of the Board of Directors ThermalBaden, Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Susanne Slavicek, Member of the Board Verein Kulturaktiv, Vice President
• Jessica Schmiederer, IG Hotels Baden + Region
• Michael Wicki, President City Com Baden
• Rainer Blaser, Director Health Promotion Foundation Bad Zurzach + Baden
• Michael Böni, CEO, Grand Casino Baden
• Werner Eglin, Board of Directors Eglin Group and representative MICE
• Markus Schneider, Mayor of the City of Baden

The managing director of the TourismusRegion Baden is Mirko Capodanno and the deputy managing director is Stephanie Kiener, who previously headed the tourism competence area at the city of Baden. The tourism team also consists of six other employees.

Digitization has picked up speed in many industries. But the healthcare sector is lagging far behind. For the digital transformation of the healthcare system to succeed, the needs and fears of the Swiss population must be taken into account. Against this backdrop, digitalswitzerland 2022 launched Digital Health, a new initiative that aims to digitize the entire Swiss healthcare system and make it patient-centric. This should help to improve the transparency, accessibility and understanding of health information for the entire Swiss population. A survey has now been conducted to find out how the Swiss population rates the digitization of the healthcare system.

The higher the level of education, the higher the level of health and digital literacy

The survey results show that many Swiss citizens rate their health literacy (76%) and digital literacy (72%) as high to very high. Health literacy increases with age, while digital literacy decreases. The level of education also plays an important role: people with a higher level of education have higher health and digital literacy. "Health and digital literacy should already be addressed in compulsory schooling so that all citizens have the same opportunities to develop these important skills of today and tomorrow," concludes Jade Sternberg, Project Manager Digital Health, digitalswitzerland and lead author of the study.

Key factor for the digitization of the healthcare system: trust

Trust in the various healthcare organizations that play a role in the digitization of the healthcare system is particularly important. With regard to the handling of health data, 70% of respondents have a high to very high level of trust in healthcare providers including hospitals, followed by the government (47%), while the private sector (22%) enjoys the lowest level of trust. Trust in hospitals and primary care physicians accounts for their high ranking as the most important source of health information (54%). Medical personnel have been a central element of the health care system for centuries, but there are signs of a shift toward a system that is less focused on medical professionals and more on patients.

Patients take an increasingly active role

At the same time, the role of patients is also changing, as they are taking a more active role and more personal responsibility than in the past. Thus, 31% of the population no longer refer exclusively to people in need of treatment as patients. Everyone is a patient, whether healthy, sick or injured. This is also reflected in the increasing variety of preventive services offered by health insurers. Tomorrow's healthcare system should be patient-centered and empower patients to learn about their health and become more engaged with preventive measures. This with the aim of promoting a more active and healthier society.

"We are currently not exploiting the potential of preventive healthcare. Prevention will play a key role in the future - it is the only way to make the transition from a system that focuses on the sick and injured to one that is geared towards keeping everyone healthy for longer, explains Philomena Colatrella, CEO of CSS.

This is accompanied by the desire of patients to have more control over their own health data. 68% of the population want to be legal owners of their personal health data. The electronic patient dossier is a step in this direction, as patients themselves have control over who can access their data.

Data protection as a key for or against the digitization of the healthcare system

Digitalization has many advantages, but it also gives rise to fears among citizens. 46% of the population fear that their data will be misused or stolen. Data protection has become more of a focus recently, but will need to play an even more central role in the digitalization of the healthcare system in the future to ensure that appropriate systems and servers are used to store and exchange data and that data misuse, incorrect storage or data theft is avoided. "We need to bring together all relevant players and representatives of the Swiss healthcare system to enable a smooth and successful transition of the healthcare system into the digital world," says Jade Sternberg. Only together can this transition be successful with transparent communication and patient empowerment. 

Source: digitalswitzerland

45 percent of people in Switzerland reject digitization of their health data

People in Switzerland are skeptical about the digital collection and sharing of their health data. Almost one in two is not prepared to do so. This is the finding of the new Deloitte study "Digitization of health data: great opportunities, great skepticism". However, the lack of trust can be strengthened through education and transparency, as well as by demonstrating the potential benefits of digitized health data for people themselves as well as for the healthcare system as a whole. On the one hand, policymakers are now called upon to stimulate public debate about a uniform, adequately secured and monitored digitized healthcare system and to create the necessary conditions at the federal level for its sustainable and uniform implementation. On the other hand, providers of digital solutions, medical institutions and healthcare professionals must make greater efforts to gain the trust of patients and highlight the benefits of digitization. Among the most important benefits of systematic digitization is the potential for significant Increases in efficiency and effectivenessand in particular with regard to patient care as well as the increasingly complex processes that have been in place for a long time.

Source: Deloitte

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/digitalisierung-des-gesundheitssystems-schweizer-bevoelkerung-ist-reif-dazu/

The fifth edition of the Salesforce "State of Sales" report is out. It summarizes the findings of more than 7,700 sales professionals from 38 countries, including 100 from Switzerland. The study examined how sales organizations are optimizing technology for maximum efficiency, meeting the increasing demands of customers, and maximizing the productivity of salespeople to succeed now.

It turns out: the new sales mantra is maximizing impact. Companies are turning away from risky strategies as they grapple with inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, regulatory uncertainty and political disruption. And yet, sales professionals are under pressure to achieve their goals. Fifty-three percent of Swiss sales professionals say selling is more difficult now. By comparison, across all countries surveyed, as many as 67 percent say the same.

Overwhelmed by the number of tools

Companies in Switzerland interact with buyers via an average of eight to ten channels: Sales people try to meet the increasing expectations of buyers. Buyers expect sales people to meet them where they are, regardless of channel - and then act as trusted advisors. However, nearly 70 percent of sales reps say they are overwhelmed by the number of tools available. Nine out of ten sales organizations therefore plan to consolidate their technology packages in the coming year, so that employees can spend more time selling and connecting with customers.

Sales employees in Switzerland spend only about 29 percent of their time on actual sales. Instead, they are busier with administrative tasks. At the same time, the sales department is taking on an increasingly strategic role in the company. Technologies that help them work more efficiently can free up more time for sales reps to talk to customers.

Companies are reviewing training programs and benefits while optimizing sales territories and tools to set employees on the path to success and retain top talent.

In a recent study, GfK examined this year's Christmas consumer behavior. When it comes to gifts for toys, the Swiss plan to spend an average of CHF 500. Nevertheless, there is a discernible trend toward cutting back on consumption. Overall, 42 percent of respondents plan to spend less on gifts than in other years. There is a certain trend toward cutting back on consumption, but this does not apply equally to all Swiss people. Many, especially those who can afford it, will spend the holidays in the same or similar way as in other years.

However, people on low incomes in particular are watching their Christmas budgets: 37 percent want to eat out less in the run-up to Christmas or during the holidays, and 33 percent are trying to save on Christmas dinner at home. About the same number want to forgo sports activities such as skiing during or after the holidays, or do so less frequently than in other years. Just under 20 percent are also considering giving used, i.e. second-hand, products as gifts this year - this seems to be a trend among younger people in particular - here it is a good third.

The annual increase in spending on toys, which reached a record 500 Swiss francs this year, contradicts general plans to save money. Yet 67 percent of people shop online and in-store. The proportion of consumers who prefer to buy gifts for toys online has fallen year-on-year to 10 percent (2021: 12 percent), as has the proportion who only buy stationary in stores (2022: 23 percent, 2021: 26 percent).

Data will be central to a revolution in healthcare. The global healthcare Big Data market will be worth $71.6 billion by 2027, with providers investing up to 25 % of their total budgets in technology. Data is driving innovation in diagnostics, life sciences, and operational efficiency, among others, and helping healthcare professionals focus more on patient health and well-being. Similarly, AI and cloud computing will enable better connected systems of care that leverage all available health data to improve treatment, care and prevention.

Access to the right data and effective technology will enable a greater focus on patients. By understanding each patient's individual medical history, from diagnosis to the efficacy of specific treatments to potential adverse effects that need to be managed, healthcare professionals can make more informed decisions and achieve better outcomes. Effective use of healthcare data also enables intelligent analytics and automated processes that increase efficiency and allow physicians and healthcare professionals to prioritize patient care.

However, there are hurdles that make this smart, connected approach to healthcare difficult. Data tends to be fragmented, making it difficult to deliver efficient, personalized care. At the same time, increasing challenges with regulatory compliance and cybersecurity precautions are forcing healthcare organizations to take a proactive approach to managing data.

Putting the data puzzle together

The healthcare industry faces major challenges when it comes to data management. Traditionally, healthcare organizations purchase and operate their own systems, with patient data scattered across different departments, databases and solution providers. Patient data is captured in a very fragmented manner both within organizations and across the industry. As with all databases, this thus creates inefficiencies and makes it difficult to use the data for analysis, diagnosis, research and appropriate action.

To unlock the full potential of healthcare data, traditionally well-managed and stored in a structured way must be merged with unstructured data to create a unified view of relevant information. Healthcare is storing more and more data from more and more sources, including wearables and patient apps. Finding useful data in this volume can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Moving toward a well-integrated autonomous database in the cloud, for example, will allow providers to realize the full potential of their data and gain insights that improve patient care.

Healthcare providers leading by example

Case in point: With Oracle Analytics Cloud and Autonomous Data Warehouse, Sejong Hospital in South Korea, a leading hospital specializing in heart disease, has improved the impact on the lives of over 1,600 children with heart disease. Capturing data throughout the medical process and seamlessly providing real-time information to medical teams means that life-saving decisions that once took hours to evaluate can now be made in minutes.

As another example, American Hospital Dubai's comprehensive digital transformation also aims to use data to improve patient outcomes. Working with Cerner and Oracle, the hospital implemented a new electronic health record to enable doctors to provide better patient care and introduced a resource planning platform to reduce costs and increase productivity. This integrated patient data also forms the basis for the hospital's AI and robotics research work, leading to further benefits for patients.

In Switzerland, the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG) is one of five university hospitals in Switzerland and operates eight hospitals in the canton of Geneva as well as 40 outpatient clinics and specialty clinics in the region. Geneva University Hospital has migrated the majority of its database systems to Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer, an option of Oracle Exadata Cloud Services, which is delivered as a managed service in its own data center. Oracle Exadata Cloud@Customer thus enables HUG to consolidate its mission-critical systems on a single IT platform while complying with relevant data retention regulations.

Healthcare is not a one-size-fits-all

Each patient should be considered individually. They have different medical needs, treatment plans and communication preferences. And yet, most patient treatments and medical analyses are standardized. The pandemic has raised patient expectations, and with the advent of virtual appointments, the range of personalized experiences patients have is expanding. Telemedicine platforms alone are seeing a growth rate of 1,000 %. When healthcare providers focus more on personalized patient experiences online and offline, everyone receives the treatment that makes sense for them. It can also improve outcomes by ensuring that individual patients better adhere to treatment plans.

A rigorous approach to data management, if implemented effectively, can lead to greater personalization and lower healthcare costs. Coloplast A/S, a Danish multinational company that develops and manufactures medical devices, supports its patients with a personalized support program. Here, Coloplast Care works with Oracle Customer Experience (CX) solutions and supports nurses and doctors directly by providing them with information tailored to them and the situation.

Working with regulations and restrictions

The majority of people are concerned about the security of their health data. Health data is rightly subject to heightened protection. Providers can work with regulations in a compliant and secure manner and use the data to achieve better outcomes for patients. Regional regulations such as the GDPR in Europe include categorization and protections specific to health data. They also include data localization requirements that are particularly sensitive for cloud-based healthcare providers. Therefore, robust governance is of utmost importance, not only to protect patients, but also to protect organizations from law enforcement.

Dutch health insurer Zorg & Zekerheid ensures that its customers receive high-quality, affordable care based on comprehensive data sets and relies on automation to further increase data security. By implementing Oracle Autonomous Data Warehouse, almost all manual tasks that can provoke human error have been automated. Automation provides improved security, reduces costs and saves time. Data is further secured by encrypting unused and active data, protecting regulated data, and quickly scanning and detecting threats.

Data-driven healthcare

It has been shown that healthcare providers who invest in their data management can provide better patient care and gain a competitive advantage. Connected and secure data will not only lead to improvements within the healthcare system, but also to further medical progress, more diversity and efficiency in clinical trials and faster time to market for medicines. Responsible use of healthcare data saves lives, and we have only just begun to scratch the surface of what can be achieved. As Dr. Shetty of Narayana Health from the largest heart hospital in the world says, "We believe in God, but for everything else we need data".

Author:
Thierry Buecheler is Head of Key Cloud Business, Business Value & Strategy EMEA at Oracle.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/gesundheitsdienstleister-muessen-ihren-umgang-mit-daten-schaerfen/

For the first time in the history of arugula, consumers were able to experience the cooking and molding process live at the point of sale. At the same time, the Ricola candy chefs imparted interesting facts about the brand.

The promotion was to focus on the quality of the raw materials used as well as their careful processing and to present them at the POS in a brand-appropriate way. A richly detailed brand presentation rounded off the experience; among other things, the 13 herbs of the Ricola herb mix were presented in a raised bed at the stand. Strong visibility elements, high merchandise pressure and matching sales offers with discounts and add-on promotions were intended to provide additional purchase incentives.

USP was entrusted with the overall responsibility for the live marketing activation and was responsible for the project management from the concept, development of the booth and brand appearance to ensuring the logistics and the professional overall appearance on the surface. The POS campaign was captured in a mood film.

Responsible at Ricola Switzerland: Fiona Wägerle (Senior Brand Experience Manager Switzerland & Travel Retail), Eren Karakus (Senior Key Account Manager Switzerland), Björn Christ (Director Trade Marketing & B2B). Concept & overall project responsibility: USP Partner. Stand construction and logistics: Eurexpo.

Most companies still do not have a comprehensive program for disaster recovery, i.e. for restoring systems and data in the event of a disaster - even though they are exposed to various serious risks, such as natural disasters or cyber attacks. And they thus bear the risk of all impacts due to data loss or downtime, including Loss of revenue, cost of penalties and fines, and damage to the corporate brand.

Despite the obvious risk and the potentially devastating consequences for the entire business, system houses and managed service providers (MSPs) still have a hard time convincing CEOs that a disaster of any kind is virtually inevitable. Hoping that nothing will happen is not a good plan - especially when proven solutions exist.

There are three ways CEOs, managers or senior management can be convinced that they should not only back up their data, but invest in a professional disaster recovery solution:

1. the crucial difference between backup and disaster recovery

The chain of reasoning that can be used to convince executives to invest in an appropriate disaster recovery strategy often begins with education. It helps that company management knows the difference between data backup and disaster recovery. Data-only backups create copies of important data that are available in the event the original data is lost or compromised. Backups in the cloud or other secondary environment have proven effective. However, traditional backups are not enough to ensure a quick and complete recovery from a disaster. This is where disaster recovery comes into play. A disaster recovery plan ensures a quick and complete recovery from a disaster of almost any type. It includes a detailed plan that lays out all the steps required for a full recovery while ensuring those steps are carried out. It defines the recovery objectives and establishes measures that not only address IT concerns, but aim to safeguard the entire business and its process chains. In addition, regular tests of the backup copies ensure that the data, systems and process chains can actually be restored. It is important for company management to understand that data protection and backup are only part of a comprehensive disaster recovery plan and do not guarantee business continuity.

It's not about fear, it's about safety

Fear can be a strong motivator. But much better is the assurance that there is nothing to be afraid of. With this positive message, CEOs are much easier to convince that disaster recovery and a disaster recovery plan is essential to ensuring business. A disaster recovery plan is an investment that can secure revenue and protect the company's existence. It also provides an opportunity for executives to gain deep insights into every part of the organization to further assess its reliance on digital technology. After all, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the company is always available to its customers, produces efficiently, and ultimately succeeds.

In short, initiatives such as disaster recovery and a disaster recovery plan will be approved and supported by senior management when the pros and cons are communicated and understood at the C-level. When systems houses and MSPs provide a detailed overview of potential threats and the aftermath costs of disasters versus the benefits of a comprehensive disaster recovery program, a contract is highly likely to be awarded.

The availability and benefits of DRaaS

Many companies have found that assigning internal IT staff to disaster recovery can be problematic. That's because these employees are distracted from their real job of providing essential support for day-to-day business activities. As a result, many CEOs are open to allocating budgets to MSPs rather than burdening internal resources to create, deploy and maintain a disaster recovery plan. A wide range of IT functions that were once handled internally are now provided as a service by external vendors. IT services of all types are labor- and cost-efficient because they do not require investment in new infrastructure, for example.

In the event of a disaster where a company's servers, hard drives or other IT components fail, a Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) partner can quickly step in and restore both the data and the infrastructure. A DRaaS partner ensures that all data is backed up regularly and that a solid plan is in place to get infrastructure back up and running quickly after a disaster. For CEOs, that means peace of mind for their business. With a DRaaS partner, they have peace of mind knowing that experienced professionals are handling all disaster recovery challenges and systematically managing all aspects of recovery. They can rest assured that a disaster won't put the business out of business.

In summary: Disaster recovery needs a strategy

No company CEO would drive a car without insurance coverage or buy a house without insurance. And yet, many companies operate their business without a disaster recovery and disaster recovery strategy. Those in charge hope that no disaster will occur, or they ignore the risk. That's not a good strategy, and it's completely unnecessary. That's because today there are plenty of experienced MSPs offering solid solutions and services.

Author:
Florian Malecki is Executive Vice President Marketing of Arcserve, a data protection and business continuity solution provider.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/was-ceos-von-disaster-recovery-ueberzeugt/

The family-owned company Simatec from Wangen an der Aare develops, produces and markets products for the maintenance of rolling bearings under the product brands Simalube, Simatherm and Simatool.

The collaboration between Studio Thom Pfister and Simatec started with a design competition for the Simalube labels. The agency is not only working on a new look for Simalube, but has been commissioned to develop the rebranding for all brands. Studio Thom Pfister has thus revised the Simatec umbrella brand and the Simalube, Simatherm and Simatool product brands.

The newly developed design element links the individual brands. The imagery, icons and layouts of the printed materials were redefined. In addition, a screen design was created for the website. The roll-out of the new look is ongoing and is scheduled for completion in 2023, to coincide with the company's fortieth anniversary in July 2023.

Responsible at Simatec: Mischa Wyssmann (CEO), Peter Aebi (Head of Product Management), Ivo Sonderegger (Marketing & Communications), Angela Kalousek (Marketing & Communications). Responsible at Studio Thom Pfister: Thom Pfister (Creative Director, Idea/Concept), Ursula Rytz (Consulting), Roland Zenger (Art Director), Daniel Hackiewicz (Graphic Design & Web Development), Juli Martinelli (Graphic Design), Laura Capponi (Brand Consultant).

Since 2005, SAP has honored more than 1,300 customers worldwide with SAP Quality Awards. In Switzerland, SAP has selected 112 winners since 2008 who have distinguished themselves 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. The Quality Awards recognize SAP customers who demonstrate exceptional performance. The projects are evaluated by an independent jury on the basis of the ten quality principles recommended by SAP. Those who follow them can expect better results when implementing 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.

SAP Quality Awards: Awards in three categories

Companies with successful SAP implementations can apply for an SAP Quality Award in three categories. In each category, a main winner of the respective category will be selected.

• New here is the category "Sustainability". Companies wishing to apply in this category must have at least one of the solutions from the SAP's sustainability portfolio have in active use. This portfolio includes solutions for climate change, the circular economy, social responsibility, and sustainability and ESG reporting. As a further condition, the projects submitted must have a measurable impact on at least one of the 17 Sustainable development goals (Sustainable Development Goals, SDG) of the United Nations.
• Under the category "Rapid Time to Value" fall under small and medium-sized projects with less than 600 users, a project duration of 7 months or less and a project effort of less than 1000 person-days.
• 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.

Who can participate?

All companies that have implemented an SAP solution 2 to 18 months prior to the application and are domiciled in Switzerland or are managed by SAP Switzerland are eligible to participate. The projects must not have been submitted to another SAP company or in a previous year for a Quality Award. SAP partners are allowed to support their customers in the application, but cannot submit projects themselves.

Companies interested in applying fill out a Questionnaire as well as the online nomination out. They form the basis for a shortlist. Companies on the shortlist then present their project to the independent jury in an online session lasting 45 minutes. This panel ultimately selects the winners in each award category.

According to SAP, the winners benefit from the award in several ways. They receive internal and external recognition for their performance. The award brings prestige to the teams and their members. It is also proof of professionalism to relevant stakeholders and facilitates the financing of future IT projects.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/sap-quality-awards-neu-mit-kategorie-fuer-nachhaltigkeit/

The number of acceptance points for Twint is growing steadily: according to a recent study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, around 77 percent of brick-and-mortar stores and 76 percent of online stores in Switzerland now offer Twint as a payment method. By 2022, numerous retailers will have Twint up and running as a payment option. Retailers such as Coop, Migros and Aldi, which have already been accepting payments via Twint for some time, have been joined this year by the likes of Denner and Lidl. And McDonald's has also been using Twint since this spring.

The number of online stores offering Twint as a payment option has also increased. Globus, Hotelplan, ifolor, Breuninger, Just Eat and Zalando, for example, are new participants.