In 2022, the Swiss cleantech sector has attracted more funding than ever before. With the energy crisis and the looming consequences of climate change, it is crucial to mitigate the environmental impact of the industrial and consumer economy. Reducing energy consumption, creating more sustainable resource pipelines, and restoring damaged biospheres are critical to these efforts - as is supporting and investing in innovations that make such changes possible.

Ten Swiss cleantech startups

An expert jury has reviewed around 90 applications and selected the ten most promising Swiss cleantech startups for the Swiss Startup National Team 2023. The entrepreneurs will participate in an investor roadshow in Munich, which will provide them with valuable opportunities to present their solutions and establish contacts with industry experts and investors in order to initiate the next step for the international growth of their startups. The ten cleantech startups are namely:

• Biosimo Chemicals, Zurich: Biosimo, a pioneering clean technology startup, is revolutionizing the chemical industry with sustainable bio-based chemicals that are a direct substitute and greener alternative to fossil-based products. Biosimo's innovative solutions reduce carbon emissions and promote a circular economy, leading to a more sustainable future.
• Composite Recycling, Ecublens: Composite Recycling solves the problem of recycling composites used to build boats, wind turbine blades, etc.. Our team has developed a sustainable solution to recover the glass fibers and, together with the EPFL Advanced Composites Laboratory, we have developed a post-treatment to reuse them for the production of new composites and close the loop.
• Correntics, Zurich: Founded in 2021 by Michael Gloor and Gaudenz Halter, Correntics provides predictive insights into climate risks through a software-as-a-service solution. Their software helps companies predict and avoid supply chain disruptions in the face of climate change and emerging sustainability risks.
• Dimpora, Zurich: The membranes developed by dimpora represent a significant leap forward in the textile industry. They are the world's first non-toxic, waterproof, breathable, PFAS-free and fully porous membranes suitable for a wide range of industries, including sports and outdoor textiles.
• Hive Power, Pianezzo: Hive Power's AI app FLEXO can optimize all devices connected to the grid, whether they are EV chargers, stationary batteries or other smart assets, so that energy is used when buildings and homes can share it, when prices are low and when the availability of solar power is high.
• Impossible Materials, Marly: Impossible Materials offers plant-based materials to companies to enable them to create safe and sustainable products. Our first product, a white pigment made from cellulose, can be used as a replacement for titanium dioxide and reduces the environmental and health problems of heavy metal-based dyes.
• Neology, Lutry: Neology is developing an ammonia-hydrogen generation system (AHGS) that converts liquid ammonia into pure hydrogen as a holistic carbon-free energy solution for commercial transportation. The innovative chemical process, fluid dynamic design, and energy management system enable efficient and compact hydrogen production that builds on existing ammonia infrastructure.
• Voltiris, Lausanne: Voltiris develops the first-ever photovoltaic modules for high-tech greenhouses. This innovation allows a double use of the soil, generating electricity without compromising crop productivity. For growers, this means better energy independence, higher profitability and a lower carbon footprint.
• VunaNexus, Zurich: VunaNexus uses a patented technology to convert urine from humans and animals into a hygienically safe, contaminant-free, certified and marketable fertilizer called Aurin. The technology has a major impact on the environment, reducing eutrophication and ammonia and N2O emissions.
• WattAnyWhere, Sion: WattAnyWhere is developing a powerful, pollution-free and CO2-neutral generator that converts renewable ethanol into clean electricity for e-vehicles, promoting e-mobility and energy autonomy: The generator provides a clean alternative to the electric grid and delivers high power to your site within hours instead of years.

Emerging cleantech industry

"Tackling the climate and environmental crisis is becoming more important every day," says Jordi Montserrat, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Venturelab. "The quality of the startups shows the amazing contribution Swiss startups can make, from energy generation to greener industrial solutions," Montserrat continued. "One of the best things about the roadshow is seeing how important partnerships can be for us; not only because we get different perspectives and get different opinions, but also because we develop these current and future relationships, also says Saurabh Tembhurne, CEO of SoHHytec and captain of Venture Leaders Cleantech 2022. "The opportunity to pitch so many times in front of different audiences was a great experience for me as a founder and also for my company," says Anselma Woerner, CEO of Exnaton and Venture Leader Cleantech 2022, about her experience.

Venture Leaders Cleantech is organized by Venturelab and supported by EPFL, ETH Zurich, EY, Helbling Technik, Romande Energie, St.Gallisch-Appenzellische Kraftwerke (SAK), Swisscom Ventures, Vaud and Vischer.

Source: www.venture-leaders.ch/cleantech

With Dario Saia and Dominik Huber, two experienced leaders will become new Co-CEOs and co-owners of Consult & Pepper with immediate effect. Consult & Pepper is a leading Swiss-wide executive search firm with offices in Bern, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Winterthur and Zurich. The company advises and supports national companies and international groups based in Switzerland in the search, selection and recruitment of highly qualified specialists and executives in the areas of Technology & Leadership.

Two longstanding employees

Dario Saia has been with Consult & Pepper since 2010, Dominik Huber since 2014. Dario Saia is responsible for building up and managing the company's Executive Search division. Dominik Huber is responsible for the Zurich and Bern regions as Branch Manager. Both have many years of experience and proven expertise in recruiting specialist and management personnel. They succeed the previous CEO and owner Werner Raschle. Marco Tunesi, co-founder of Consult & Pepper, will become co-owner and take a seat on the Board of Directors. "We are very much looking forward to the new task and the cooperation with our employees," say Dario Saia and Dominik Huber. "Consult & Pepper is one of the leading recruitment and executive search companies in Switzerland today and is well equipped for the future dynamics in the market. We want to build on this strong foundation and continue this success story with our employees."

Continuity and quality standards in all services

"With Dario Saia and Dominik Huber, after a carefully planned, intensive evaluation process, I was able to find my preferred candidates for the future overall management of Consult & Pepper
gain," says Werner Raschle, who is retiring from operations and passing on the company. Werner Raschle took over Consult & Pepper in 2013. "As a longtime
employees and entrepreneurial management members, Dario Saia and Dominik Huber have played a major role in the extremely positive development of our company. The fact that they are now assuming overall responsibility and that the company will continue to be owner-managed is only logical. Dario Saia and Dominik Huber guarantee the employees and customers continuity and the continuation of the previous quality standards in all services. The handover of the company to employees was always an explicit wish for me. I wish Dario Saia and Dominik Huber every success in their new roles."

Source and further information

The start on May 20, 2022 was a venture, because it took a pioneering spirit for the prospective family companions to commit themselves to an intensive one-year course that involved a lot of effort and few guarantees of employment. 13 relatives of family members with a mostly severe mental illness participated in the so-called "EX-IN" course for relatives. EX-IN stands for "Experienced Involvement". A corresponding further training course for psychiatry-experienced persons affected by a mental illness already exists. Experienced persons working in psychiatry are also called "peers".

Mental illness: The hidden suffering

If mental illnesses occur in around 15-34% of the population in Switzerland, it can be assumed that very many relatives provide great services in secret, partly without being aware of it. Continuing education makes this enormous contribution visible and makes it possible to accompany and stand by other relatives in serious crises on a paid basis. Self-help groups for relatives such as the VASK (Association of Relatives of the Mentally Ill) do a lot, but this alone is not enough. In addition, years of suffering often pass before relatives learn about a self-help group like the VASK. Therefore, more support is needed on a professional basis in the institutions where people with a mental illness are treated. The new professional field of family support closes this gap.

Support for relatives as an important piece of the puzzle for modern psychiatry

All 13 graduates have achieved an enormous amount in 240 attendance hours in the course, 65 hours of internship time in psychiatric settings, with the creation of a portfolio, presentations and the final papers. Fortunately, an internship position could be found for all participants, and all participants have successfully completed the continuing education or are about to do so. "We relatives play a significant role in the recovery process of our loved ones. Our burden is immense. The fact that we, too, are finally receiving support is overdue," said one voice from the course.

Individual graduates have already found jobs, and others are in negotiation. Thanks to the opening of some psychiatric hospitals to recovery processes, the foundations have been laid for a new development in which all those involved listen to each other and together support everything that promotes recovery processes and keeps the environment healthy.

The next course is scheduled for 2024. The project is carried out in cooperation with the project promotion prevention of the health care of Health Promotion Switzerland.

Source and further information

According to the latest "KPMG Forensic Fraud Barometer", in 2022 Swiss courts dealt with 78 cases of white-collar crime involving an offense amount of at least CHF 50,000. This represents an increase of 10 cases or 15 percent compared to the previous year. There was also a slight increase in total damages: from CHF 567 million to 581 million. The actual figures are likely to be much higher, as many cases are not even reported.

Private individuals most frequently targeted by white-collar criminals

Since 2019, white-collar crimes heard by the courts have been on the rise. 48 cases were judged by Swiss courts at that time. "One reason for the increase is that white-collar criminals have found new ways to engage in fraudulent activities in the wake of the Corona pandemic," said Bob Dillen, head of KPMG Switzerland's forensics department.

With 40 of the total of 78 cases heard by the courts, private individuals were the most frequent victims of white-collar criminals. They thus overtook the long-time leader "public institutions". In the previous year, with 11 court cases, significantly fewer private individuals were affected.

Public institutions with greatest damage

Swiss courts dealt with 19 cases of white-collar crime in which public institutions were victims in 2022. The public sector's loss amount of CHF 419 million corresponds to almost three-quarters of the total loss amount and an average offense amount per case of more than CHF 22 million. "Reasons for the high attractiveness of the public sector for white-collar criminals are, on the one hand, the considerable financial resources managed there and, on the other hand, the often complex structure of public institutions, which can favor weaknesses in the internal control system," says Dillen.

In seven cases, there were convictions related to illegally obtained Covid 19 credits. "We expect many more white-collar crimes related to the pandemic to come to light, as they can take years to uncover, investigate and try in court," Dillen explains.

The most common economic crimes: embezzlement and (social) insurance fraud

Despite seven cases related to unlawfully obtained Covid 19 credits, (social) insurance fraud was only the third most common type of offense in 2022. Although the number of such court cases decreased from 20 to 12, the average offense amount per case increased almost by a factor of 10 due to a large individual case with an offense amount of over CHF 28 million. The most frequent type of offense in 2022 was embezzlement, with 14 cases heard by the courts - with an average offense amount of around CHF 1 million.

Private individuals also largest group of offenders

As in the previous year, private individuals were the largest offender group in 2022, accounting for 30 out of 78 of all white-collar offenses negotiated. The second-largest offender group, with 17 cases and a total offense amount of more than CHF 82 million, were employees in executive functions ("management"). The average amount of crime per case was almost CHF 5 million, which is about six times higher than for the perpetrator group of private individuals.

Even though companies and public institutions had fewer court-prosecuted white-collar crimes than in the previous year, one-third of the crimes were committed in the workplace. "The danger from within should not be underestimated," Dillen points out. For those companies that have not yet fully adapted their compliance requirements and security systems to the new realities, the forensics expert recommends upgrading and leveraging data and the latest technologies, such as machine learning and AI, to prevent and detect fraud. "Since fraudulent activity can never be completely ruled out, additional measures such as providing a whistleblower platform where employees can report criminal activity and suspicious cases are recommended," Dillen adds.

Most economic crimes in central Switzerland, the largest in the Lake Geneva region

Central Switzerland accounted for 21 of the 78 cases, or just under a quarter of the offenses tried. In the previous year, there were twelve cases. The Zurich region took second place with 18 cases. In the Lake Geneva region, 15 white-collar offenses were tried compared to six in the previous year. The high crime total of over CHF 415 million in this region is striking. This corresponds to a share of more than 70 percent of the total crime amount. The reason for this is a tax offense committed by a private individual, with an offense amount of CHF 340 million.

Source: KPMG

As of January 2024, Sascha M. Burkhalter (48) will take over the leadership of the Swiss Commercial Association as CEO. He has been a partner and member of the Board of Directors of Schweizerische Treuhandgesellschaft (Zürich) AG in Zurich since 2019. He made his start at the Swiss Commercial Association in 2007 as a member and financial delegate of the Central Board of the Swiss Commercial Association. This was followed by numerous other positions within the association and its subsidiaries as well as in the organization's environment. Since 2012, Sascha M. Burkhalter has also been a member of the Board of the Southeastern Switzerland Section. "I warmly congratulate Sascha M. Burkhalter on his election as the new CEO" says Daniel Jositsch, President of the Swiss Commercial Association, delighted. "Thanks to his many years of activity and his profound knowledge of our complex association structure, Sascha M. Burkhalter has the ideal profile for this new task. I am firmly convinced that with Sascha M. Burkhalter we will be able to continue the chosen strategy of the Swiss Commercial Association with vigor and face the challenges of the new working world."

Prevailed against 70 competitors

Sascha M. Burkhalter prevailed over more than 70 qualified candidates in a publicly advertised application process. He convinced with his many years of experience for the kfmv cosmos, his know-how for business management topics and his dynamic and committed character, the association informs. His excellent networking in the Swiss education sector and his communicative qualities would ideally complement his profile, it adds. Sascha M. Burkhalter will also ensure stability and continuity within the association. The general decline in membership and cost pressure had forced the association to make several changes in recent years: A comprehensive structural reform reorganized the association in 2022.

Sascha M. Burkhalter: "Responding Agilely to Constant Developments in the World of Work".

"The appointment as CEO is a great honor for me. I would like to thank the Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me and look forward to the new challenges ahead" says Sascha M. Burkhalter. "The strength of our association, which is now 150 years old, lies in our tireless commitment to fair working conditions, contemporary working models and the promotion of lifelong learning. As CEO of the Swiss Commercial Association, I want to remain true to this goal, then as now, and continue to respond quickly and agilely to the constant developments in the world of work." Sascha M. Burkhalter will take up his new role as CEO of the Swiss Commercial Association on January 1, 2024. He thus succeeds Christian Zünd, who will step down at the end of December 2023 and after eight years at the helm of the Swiss Commercial Association. Daniel Jositsch emphasizes: "On behalf of our association and all its employees, I would like to thank Christian Zünd already today for his successful work and the numerous milestones he has shaped over the years - from labor law achievements in the social partnership, to the founding of a cross-association political alliance (die plattform), to the redesign and reform of commercial apprenticeships."

Sascha M. Burkhalter has his roots in Thun and lives with his family in the Surselva in the Bündner Oberland.

Source: Swiss Commercial Association

In the run-up to this year's Women's Strike Day on June 14, 2023, the Swiss Employers' Association had published a study to show that equal pay between the sexes is now the "norm," so to speak. Also we reported about it at this place. However, a closer look reveals that the study only shows a section of reality and cannot serve as proof that "everything is fine" in terms of equal pay. The statement by Lisa Rubli, CEO of the Foundation, also goes in this direction. Equal Salary. This organization certifies companies that are proven to pay women and men fairly.

Lisa Rubli criticizes both the timing of the study's publication and its informative value: "Yes, 99.3% of the companies surveyed comply with the Equality Act. So far, so good. But this is exactly where you need to look a little closer. One 'small' detail quickly stands out: The sample is biased! Firstly, only 615 of the 2144 companies contacted responded to this voluntary survey, 461 of which were selected for the study. Inevitably, the question arises as to who are the companies reporting their results on a voluntary basis. Secondly, only companies with more than 100 employees in Switzerland are subject to the law. They account for just 1% of Swiss companies. The 461 companies surveyed account for 0.08%. Is this sample really representative? One last point: the data collection is based on self-declaration and is not verified. According to the
University of St. Gallen can therefore not be ruled out that the calculation method was not applied correctly or that the information provided was (intentionally or unintentionally) incorrect or incomplete. Are the results reliable?" He added that it is important to think critically about these questions. And further: "In the end, the study commissioned by the SAV is not only biased, but it was above all instrumentalized. The numerous excerpts such as 'In overwhelming majority, large Swiss companies have a fair wage system' and the results loudly presented on the eve of June 14 by critics of equality, aim to deny wage inequality and disparage feminist struggles. According to the FSO, which also takes into account companies with fewer than 100 employees, the wage gap in 2020 is still 18%. Of that 18%, 47.8% is gender-based. In Switzerland, a woman earns 717 francs less per month than a man for the same work, the same workload, the same education, the same job description and the same performance. This is for the simple reason that she is a woman."

Thus, not everything is in order by a long shot, and critical scrutiny, also by the press, is in order...

According to the Capgemini Research Institute study, "Harnessing the value of generative AI: Top use cases across industries," nearly all executives surveyed in the study (96 percent internationally) note that generative AI is a key technology, and the majority confirm that their decision makers are strong advocates. For the study, executives from 1,000 companies interested in using generative AI were surveyed in April 2023.

While 21 percent of executives internationally expect significant disruption to their industry from this technology, across industries, four in ten of the companies have already established teams and budgets for its use; about half are considering doing so later this year. Companies believe the most significant AI-based platforms and tools for their industry are chatbots to automate customer service and improve knowledge management (83 percent internationally) and to generate, capture or aggregate data (75 percent internationally).

Numerous benefits expected within three years

Most executives (78 percent internationally) believe that generative AI will make the development of products and services more efficient as well as more user-friendly and inclusive (76 percent internationally). They also expect AI technology to make the customer experience more interactive and engaging (71 percent internationally) and customer service to improve through automated, personalized support (67 percent internationally).

If generative AI is successfully integrated into IT infrastructures, managers expect a number of benefits over the next three years: Internationally, they expect the integration of the technology to lead to an 8 percent increase in revenue and a 7 percent reduction in costs. In addition, respondents estimate that they will be able to improve customer interaction and satisfaction as well as operational excellence by 9 percent in this way.

"Generative AI is a transformative force and will fundamentally change human-machine interaction. It is therefore not surprising that the technology is currently high on the agenda of every board," comments Guido Kamann, CEO at Capgemini in Switzerland. "Generative AI offers numerous opportunities. In order to use the technology responsibly and exclude the disadvantage of minorities, attention must be paid to energy efficiency during development and the focus must always be on people. In this way, companies can promote acceptance as well as a trusting work environment and use generative AI to create sustainable value."

The high-tech industry is a pioneer in the integration of generative AI

The most convinced that generative AI will have a positive impact overall are executives in the high-tech sector (84 percent): Nearly 70 percent report piloting generative AI at their company; 18 percent say they have already implemented generative AI at some sites or in multiple business units. The most common use cases are 3D modeling for detailed contours and predictive maintenance.

The majority (67 percent) of executives across all industries see the greatest potential for generative AI in corporate IT. This is especially true in the high-tech sector, where the largest percentage of executives (86 percent) say their company uses or plans to use generative AI in IT. Other areas where executives see generative AI adding value include sales (54 percent) and marketing and communications (48 percent).

Generative AI brings new job profiles and responsibilities and requires further training

According to 69 percent of companies, generative AI will deliver initial concepts and designs for applications, allowing employees to spend less time on brainstorming and development and more time on testing, validation, validation and optimization. This opinion is also shared by users: 70 percent of them believe that generative AI will enable them to make their work more efficient, free themselves from error-prone routine tasks and devote more attention to the strategic aspects of their work1 that cannot be taken over by the machine.

As the study further shows, 69 percent of executives believe that generative AI will lead to the emergence of new job profiles and areas of responsibility such as AI auditors and AI ethicists. In terms of integrating technology into the workplace and establishing such new generative AI-focused job profiles, 68 percent of executives believe that significant investment is needed in upskilling and cross-functional skills development for talent.

Most companies see the need for sustainable generative AI

Four out of five percent of companies internationally have recognized the importance of implementing and scaling generative AI and Foundation Models sustainably. Just as many are aware that Foundation Models can have a larger environmental footprint than traditional IT development. Nevertheless, of the companies that plan to train their own models (8 percent), only about half so far plan to minimize their impact on the environment. This underscores the need for concrete sustainability concepts.

Source: Capgemini

The German Future Institute, as well as well-known job platforms such as Indeed and Glassdoor, agree: it is the time of New Work. Flexible working time models, adapted to the individual needs and preferences of employees, will become more and more prevalent. There are no fixed rules; everything seems possible.

Long-term, comfortable solutions

What quickly had to become a provisional home office at the beginning of an all-changing pandemic is now a permanent fixture in the era of New Work. Remote or hybrid working is becoming a permanent working model. Work is done in the office, but also at home, in a coworking space, in a van office, in public spaces or on the train - work from anywhere. stop

"During the pandemic, the home office was initially set up as a temporary, functional workplace," says a spokesperson for Logitech, for example. This company describes itself as a leader and pioneer in the development of innovative product lines for the new logic of work: "Now the focus is on sustainably comfortable solutions that are adapted to the respective needs, be it in the daily tasks or the personal, as well as health, preference. The right setup - no matter where - is the basis for New Work. - For successful New Work and therefore also Work from anywhere, the right setup is inevitable." So how is Work from Anywhere used as a sustainable and successful work arrangement to meet an irreversible paradigm shift in our working world?

More and more companies are recognizing the added value that employee well-being and productivity play in location-independent work and are offering their employees upgrades to optimize comfort, safety, connectivity productivity and ergonomics. Swiss-based Logitech has been able to leverage pandemic developments to integrate valuable research into its own products even faster and more extensively. Initially, demand for peripherals grew rapidly. New keyboards, mice, headsets and webcams were needed quickly. Now, as it slowly but surely became clear that hybrid working is here to stay, sustainable solutions are needed that increase productivity, protect health and firmly integrate the interpersonal factor into hybrid working.

Product lines for all remote work needs

The company offers products for a need that is already commonplace elsewhere in our society - customization. Coffee chains offer more than 70 choices of beverages, cup sizes and flavors. The car industry allows new cars to be completely customized, and our travels couldn't be more individualized. As a leader in wellness-based technology, Logitech offers high-end business solutions that are not one-size-fits-all. The company offers a wide range of product lines to meet the needs of different industries and businesses, customizable for each employee. In this way, Logitech is becoming a pioneer, setting new standards that companies will have to follow in the future. The day will come when not only C-level executives will be able to choose their furniture for the new office from a catalog, but all other office employees will be able to select their equipment according to their preferences and individual needs. The company thinks in terms of solutions, not just products. New workplaces, whether in a favorite café or even in one's own van, always demand new solutions, such as limited space or a variety of surfaces. Compact business sets are also developed for this, with highlights such as perfect keystrokes with an ideal fit for the fingertips and mouse sensors that even work on glass.

"Prevent "tablet neck" and "banana back

Ever since office work has existed, there have been complaints arising from it, such as back and neck pain. Since computers and mice, phenomena such as "tablet neck", "swiping wrist" or "banana back" have been added. Unfortunately, it is all too often forgotten that man's genetic makeup is designed for movement. As hunter-gatherers, we walked up to 20 kilometers a day. Then, when we became sedentary, we literally did so after millions of years. Now the computer and so many activities take away that we actually no longer need to move away from our desks.

The office, whether at home or on the road, is thus an anatomically unreal environment. We are therefore often in a physical state that is unhealthy for us for around 40 hours per week. So it stands to reason that this development should be counteracted by using adapted tools. The discomfort caused by our unreal position ultimately leads to sick days and thus to additional costs and lost productivity.

Here, too, the Swiss manufacturer of peripherals has built up extensive expertise through its own laboratories, the so-called Ergolabs. For example, Logitech recently offered a webinar in collaboration with a chiropractor and ergonomics expert. It was all about digital wellness, peppered with practical tips around ergonomics and exercises to take the strain off our complex musculoskeletal system. Research from the company also showed that workers were about 50 % more productive with an external mouse than with the touchpad. Also, with the mouse, the shoulder, neck and forearm are more relaxed, which makes for greater well-being.

Right mindset - for hybrid meetings

Important for a healthy and productive corporate culture is virtual collaboration and the associated interpersonal relationships, which are now suffering for the time being as a result of hybrid working. Remote employees as well as those on site must have the same access to knowledge. No one should have the feeling of being left behind. Video calls and hybrid meetings enable good real-time communication, but often have pitfalls such as poor sound quality, participants who interrupt each other, or only visible people speaking on site. The success of New Work stands or falls on the impact of the moments of gathering in the hybrid team. Hybrid meetings must not suffer from possible misunderstandings or the reticence of those who are not physically present. The solution to this is "meetings of equals," as Logitech likes to call them. For this, in addition to noise-canceling headsets, modern video conferencing solutions are available for meeting rooms of all shapes and sizes. A Rally camera with mechanical pan, tilt and zoom capabilities, 15x HD zoom and a wide 90° diagonal field of view captures every person in the room in high image quality. Just the other day, Logitech Sight was unveiled. Pioneering the future of hybrid meetings, through the use of artificial intelligence. It makes physically present participants feel like they are sitting at the table with them. It detects interactions in the room and automatically moves the participants at the table to the center of the image. This means that people who are not speaking are also visible. And external participants also feel more included. Remotely connected people notice when a physically present colleague smiles or even rolls his eyes. After all, it has been scientifically proven that 93% of human communication takes place non-verbally.

In general, interpersonal contacts are important for a good working culture. Real co-working, spontaneous meetings at the coffee machine and personal exchanges are possible above all on site at the company. So the hybrid work model also has a positive side effect: working together with colleagues on certain days in the office becomes more attractive and going to the office becomes a new experience.

Source and further information: Logitech

Home offices reduce climate-damaging commuting, streaming platforms replace the production and transport of physical media, and artificial intelligence increases energy efficiency in industry. Digital technologies offer numerous opportunities for a more sustainable society. The Global e-Sustainability Initiative estimated that digital technologies could avoid up to 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2030. "But these potentials do not materialize by themselves," warns Jan Bieser. "Despite the rapid pace of digitalization, further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise."

The reason for this is, for example, the great hunger for data and computing power, which will increase even further with the breakthrough of artificial intelligence. Video streaming alone is also estimated to cause over 300 megatons of CO2 per year, more than the country of Spain. In addition, digitalization could also lead to an increase in climate-damaging consumption, Bieser elaborates. "Digital products and services are convenient and accessible around the clock."

Reconciling digitization and sustainable development 

At the institute Public Sector Transformation at BFH, Prof. Dr. Jan Bieser will explore the question of how digitization and sustainable development can be reconciled. There he strengthens the Digital Sustainability Lab in the area of research and services and teaches, among other things, in the interdisciplinary BFH master's program Circular Innovation and Sustainability.

For more than nine years, Jan Bieser has been working at the intersection of digitalization and sustainability in science and business. Before joining BFH, he researched and taught at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Zurich, where he also earned his doctorate.

Jan Bieser is a member of the Digital Society Initiative of the University of Zurich and was a Fellow of the Global Future Council on Cities of Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum WEF. Numerous research reports have been published by him, among others in cooperation with the business association Swico, with Swisscom, Swisscleantech, WWF or Bitkom. He was also lead author of the University of Zurich's first sustainability report. Previously, Bieser worked in the area of IT and sustainability at Detecon Consulting and at IBM. For him, it is clear: "The potential of digitization must be systematically exploited if we want to achieve the goal of sustainable development. Together with the public sector and business, we therefore want to find out how this can be achieved."

"An important, strategic step"

For BFH, which has committed itself to sustainable development and a humane digital transformation in its Strategy 2023-26, the new professorship is a strategically important step, explains Prof. Dr. Matthias Stürmer, Head of the Institute Public Sector Transformation: "In the Digital Sustainability Lab, we already have a high level of expertise in the area of digital sustainability - i.e. in accessing and using digital knowledge. With Jan Bieser, we can now also cover the topic of sustainable digitization and, for example, deepen research questions around artificial intelligence and sustainability."

Source: BFH

97,616 participants took part in the bike to work Challenge this year. This is 21 percent more than last year and represents a new record. The increasing popularity of the bicycle, the continuing e-bike boom and the growing awareness of climate-friendly mobility all contribute to this success. More and more people are recognizing the health benefits and fun that cycling brings. However, Mai Poffet, head of bike to work at Pro Velo Switzerland, also stresses the importance of an advanced bicycle infrastructure and expects the authorities to take this trend into account. The campaign spanned the months of May and June. On average, participants covered 290 kilometers on 22 days (previous year: 244 km and 19 days) by bicycle to work. These figures reflect the strong commitment and success of the campaign.

The company Schindler Aufzüge and AS Aufzüge from Ebikon participated in the bike to work challenge this May and June with 157 employees. The bike commuters covered an impressive 59,980 kilometers. Céline Kreienbühl, Health Management Specialist: "Participating in the bike to work Challenge gave us the opportunity to raise awareness for sustainable mobility and to offer our employees a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to their daily commute. By promoting cycling, we were not only able to improve the physical fitness of our employees, but also strengthen cooperation and team spirit within the company. The successes we have achieved as a Schindler company in connection with the bike to work Challenge 2023 are remarkable. We will continue to participate in bike to work in the future to continue the positive impact on our workforce and the environment."

bike to work Challenge 2023 in detail

• 97,616 participants +21% (previous year: 80,556)
• 3249 plants +15% (previous year: 2829)
• 28,375,802 kilometers driven +28% (previous year: 22,184,698)
• CO2 equivalence*: 4086 tons +28% (previous year: 3194)
  *Basis of calculation: 144g/km CO2 emissions

Top 3 companies by number of teams

• Migros Group 465 teams
• ETH Zurich 314 teams
• Island group 307 teams

Further evaluations and winners.inside
biketowork.ch/en/about/challenge2023

Half of employees in German-speaking Switzerland prefer it when companies actively contact them with job offers. At 54 percent, men tend to be slightly more open to being approached directly than women at 47 percent. A minority (38 percent) prefer to actively search for the next job themselves. The preference to be approached directly by companies is similarly strong in all age groups and across different hierarchy levels. These are the findings of a study by recruiting specialist onlyfy by XING, for which the market research institute forsa surveyed more than 1,000 employed people in German-speaking Switzerland on their application and job search behavior.

Active candidate approach becomes suitable for the masses

It can often be worthwhile for companies to approach potential candidates directly: Around a quarter (24 percent) of respondents who were actively contacted for a job accepted the offer even though they were not looking for a job. Another 15 percent were already looking for a job and accepted, and 34 percent did not accept the job they were approached for but considered changing jobs. Only a minority (26 percent) were left cold by the direct approach.

"Whereas direct approaching of candidates used to play a role primarily in the search for top executives, today companies use it to tap into a huge pool of latent professionals at all hierarchical levels who are willing to change jobs," says Frank Hassler, CEO of NEW WORK SE, which also owns the onlyfy by XING brand. "For many companies, this means a rethink from a purely passive to a more active recruiting strategy," Frank Hassler continues.

Successful application process: Talk is gold

Once candidates have decided to apply, it is important not to lose them again on the way to employment. In this phase, the most important thing for employees from German-speaking Switzerland is rapid feedback from the company. The older they are, the less patience they tend to have. Among those over 50, 92 percent say that quick feedback is important or very important to them. In the 18- to 29-year-old group, the figure is 83 percent. The second most important thing for candidates is transparency about the entire application process (87 percent), followed by regular contact and feedback (81 percent). In comparison, the channel through which the application can be made is less important (via mobile devices (51 percent), by means of one-click applications on portals (37 percent), directly via social media channels (21 percent)).

Job advertisements: Information on corporate culture is mandatory today

What information do professionals expect to find in a job ad? In addition to information on location (87 percent) and salary (85 percent), information on corporate culture (83 percent) is also important or even very important. And this is true across all levels, from professionals to executive management. "Job advertisements must reflect the expectations and information needs of employees in order to have an impact," says Frank Hassler. "Unfortunately, this is often not yet the case. Without a word about salary and work culture, long lists of requirements and responsibilities are presented. Here it is time for companies to rethink and adapt their outdated templates," says Frank Hassler.

Source: onlyfy by XING

Technology company Lenovo is looking to further reaffirm its leadership in sustainability, according to its latest ESG report. For example, the company is among the first group of companies to have their net-zero targets approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative validated. This is a critical step towards achieving the near-term emissions reduction targets for 2030, according to the statement. Specifically, this involves reducing Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50 % and Scope 3 emissions intensity by 66.5 % for purchased goods and services, 35 % for sold products and 25 % for upstream transportation and distribution. Lenovo is working with its suppliers to reduce its Scope 3 (value chain) emissions, traditionally the largest emissions category and the most difficult to track in a complex global supply chain.

Improved in supply chain ranking

In fiscal 2022/23, Lenovo continued its transition to a circular economy, according to the sustainability report. For example, the company reported a steady increase in the number of products containing recycled content from end-of-life IT and electronics. Lenovo also reported nearly 300 products (298) that contain recycled plastic content from discarded IT and electronics. For example, ThinkPad X1 notebooks unveiled at CES 2023 contain up to 97 % PCC (post consumer content) plastic in the battery case and up to 95 % PCC plastic in the speaker cases and power supply. Last but not least, Lenovo has increased its investment in renewable energy, tripling its solar power generation since fiscal 2018/19. Lenovo's global supply chain improved its ranking this year, reaching No. 8 in Gartner's Top 25 Global Supply Chains. In addition, Lenovo's ESG programs have been recognized by CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International), and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Diversity initiatives honored

Lenovo is also moving forward on diversity, with 37 % women in the workforce and 28 % women in technical positions, Lenovo considers itself an industry leader in the inclusion of women. Efforts to advance women were recognized by inclusion in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fourth time, as Lenovo pursues its goal of achieving 27 % women in leadership positions by 2025 (currently 21 %). Lenovo's values of diversity and inclusion are lived out through 17 employee-led resource groups in offices and regions around the world. The groups are tailored to the individual needs of each site's diversity segments, with dedicated groups for today's workforce, from emerging talent (Rising Employees At Lenovo) to groups that support parents in the workplace and promote career development for people from underrepresented backgrounds. Lenovo's workforce inclusion initiatives have been recognized by Forbes, the Disability Inclusion Index, and the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index.

Commitment to volunteering

Lenovo's global philanthropy engagement also grew in fiscal year 2022/23. The engagement, driven by the company's own foundation, resulted in more than $30 million in philanthropic impact for communities around the world (investments in funds, products and valued volunteer time). The foundation focuses on empowering underrepresented populations by helping them access technology and STEM education through strategic partnerships, programs like the TransforMe Skilling Grant Round, and employee volunteerism like Love on Month of Service.

Source: Lenovo