The fact that so many companies are currently addressing the topic of New Work is not "fashionable hype" but an "operational necessity. This is the conclusion of the current Leadership Trend Barometer of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ). 177 executives took part in this online survey, which is conducted regularly by the Frankfurt-based institute. Of them, 75 percent were of the opinion that dealing with the topic of New Work was not a "nice to have" matter for companies, but a necessity due to the changed framework conditions. 62 percent also said that New Work was "primarily a cultural rather than a structural issue" for them, which is why for the majority of them (72 percent) the topic of New Work is also "inseparably" linked to the topic of New Leadership.

Operational necessity against the backdrop of digitization

This response behavior corresponds to the fact that only 14 percent of the executives see the companies' preoccupation with this topic primarily as a reaction to the changed expectations and needs of generations Y and Z. In their opinion, the causes are much more complex and profound. In their opinion, the causes are much more complex and profound. As in-depth interviews with around 15 percent of respondents show, they consider the main drivers of this process to be, for example, advancing digitization and the changes in the challenges facing companies in the VUKA world, which is characterized by rapid change and decreasing predictability; in addition, the increasingly noticeable shortage of specialists and managers. It is also forcing many companies to fundamentally rethink their HR policies.

New Work often already a reality

Against this backdrop, it is surprising for the initiators of the survey that 59 percent of the participants expressed that they already knew "what the term New Work entails and what aspects are associated with it". This is because, according to Barbara Liebermeister, the director of IFIDZ, this "largely contradicts the experience we gain in our day-to-day work in communicating with company executives". In it, IFIDZ still experiences companies and their executives largely as "seekers" and not as people or organizations that have already found the solution - "also because this change and transformation process is taking place in a dynamic environment."

However, according to IFIDZ, it is encouraging that 49 percent of respondents said that new work approaches are already being implemented in their company, division or team; moreover, only 12 percent of them said that there is a lot of talk about new work in their company, "but little is changing. According to Barbara Liebermeister, this shows that many companies are already seriously addressing the question of how, in addition to work, working and communication relationships in their organization should be structured and designed in the future, even if there are no definitive answers to these questions yet.

Source and further information: www.ifidz.de

Top Employer certification is awarded to the best employers around the world: Organizations that demonstrate the highest standards of employee offerings. Each of these companies has a forward-looking human resources system that works continuously to optimize working conditions and plays a pioneering role in the development of its employees. Sodexo Switzerland, which participated in this certification for the first time, can now also boast the distinction of being a Top Employer. "We are extremely pleased to have been recognized," says Sabrina Schlosser, HR Director Sodexo Switzerland. "In recent years, we have worked specifically on optimizing processes and structures and creating added value in the form of additional services and employee benefits that go beyond the normal standard. This award shows that our efforts are bearing fruit and that we are on the right track."

Sodexo Switzerland specializes in facility management and catering services. More than 600 employees work in the areas of workplace design, cleaning, catering, corporate catering, logistics, security and reception services, conference services and technical facility management. People are the focus at Sodexo Switzerland, according to the company. Employees enjoy many amenities. For example, holidays can be added if they fall on the weekend. There is a focus on employee development through training and development, as well as diversity and inclusion. The company also supports foreign employees with language courses if they so desire. Employees' strengths and talents are actively promoted. "At our company, employees can take responsibility for their own careers, grow into new roles and develop themselves further," says Sabrina Schlosser. "We have developed and promoted 80 percent of our managers internally."

The assessment of the experts of the Top Employers Institute coincides with the regularly very good results in the employee survey of Sodexo Switzerland. "The award motivates us to do our utmost to continuously improve in the future and to continue to offer our employees attractive working conditions."

Source: Sodexo Switzerland

The sponsor and initiator of the Prix SVC awards is the Swiss Venture Club, an independent association for the promotion and support of SMEs in Switzerland. With the Prix SVC Central Switzerland, it honors exemplary SMEs that impress with their innovative products and services, their corporate culture, the quality of their employees and management, and their sustainable track record. A prerequisite for nomination by the jury is a strong anchoring in the region.

For this year's award ceremony, the jury can point to six impressive success stories from the Central Switzerland economic region (the following pictures show impressions of the jury's company visit day). The finalists are (in alphabetical order):

• Bachmann Forming AG: The parent company Bachmann Group is a family-owned Swiss company with more than 50 years of experience and is based in Hochdorf in the Lucerne Lake Valley. Bachmann Forming AG develops and produces customized, intelligent packaging solutions for the food sector. They also produce capsule solutions for coffee and other multi-beverage applications and manufacture packaging for the pharmaceutical and medtech industries under cleanroom conditions using sterilizable materials. The group of companies is already managed by Reto Bachmann in the second generation and employs 280 dedicated employees.
  https://www.bachmann.ch

• EVZ Holding AG: The EVZ is the largest ice hockey club in Central Switzerland and also an innovative sports company with around 110 permanent employees and 500 part-time staff in the areas of sports, management, youth development and catering. With 15 junior teams and its in-house training concept "The Hockey Academy", the EVZ focuses on sustainable and long-term youth development. The EVZ is led by CEO Patrick Lengwiler and comprises EVZ Holding AG and its subsidiaries EVZ Nachwuchs AG, The Hockey Academy AG, EVZ Sport AG, EVZ Gastro AG and EVZ Management AG, as well as the Zug Ice Sports Club.
  https://www.evz.ch

• InfoGuard AG: InfoGuard is a leading and independent Swiss company for comprehensive cyber security. Every day, 200 security experts work to ensure cyber security for over 400 business customers in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Customers include well-known banks, insurance companies, industrial enterprises, energy service providers, hospitals as well as service providers and public authorities. InfoGuard is an independent company, fully owned by the management and the board of directors with participation of the management. CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors is Thomas Meier.
  https://www.infoguard.ch

• Pirmin Jung Switzerland AG: The foundation of the company's current success was laid with company owner Pirmin Jung's career choice as a skilled carpenter. Since 1996, the company has been developing and promoting construction with wood - out of conviction. More than 100 engineers and planners at several locations in Switzerland and Germany accompany projects in the fields of structural design, building physics and fire protection. With their new company headquarters "House of Wood" in Sursee, Pirmin Jung is implementing their company philosophy "Building responsibly" in a supporting way. The development and showcase project for digital, climate-friendly and recyclable planning and building meets the highest social, ecological and economic concerns.
  https://www.pirminjung.ch

• Stöckli Swiss Sports AG: Stöckli Swiss Sports AG is the most successful ski manufacturer in Switzerland, both in ski sales and active racing. The company operates 10 specialist sports stores in Switzerland, 2 test centers and selectively supplies Swiss specialist sports retailers. Over 60 percent of the annual ski production is exported to over 40 countries. The traditional company, which has been in existence since 1935 and is based in Malters (LU), is family-owned and managed by CEO Marc Gläser.
  https://www.stoeckli.ch

• Trihow Inc: The birth of Trihow AG began over a cold beer and a lively discussion between Beat Knüsel (CEO & Co-Founder) and Patrick Link (Innovation & Co-Founder). In the process, it became increasingly clear to the two of them that although digitization is advancing, it is too much technology-oriented instead of people-oriented. Since then, Trihow has been connecting the analog with the digital world. By interacting with haptic elements, digital content becomes easy to access and experience. Together with their customers, Trihow's 15 employees develop holistic and human-oriented solutions in hybrid spaces: whether in retail, consulting situations or configurations - Trihow makes digitally available content "tangible" and thus brings the customer experience to an amazing new level.
  https://trihow.com

The award ceremony for the Prix SVC Central Switzerland 2023 will take place on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at the Culture and Convention Center Lucerne (KKL). 1,000 guests from business, science, politics and culture are expected. Nik Hartmann will conduct the award ceremony.

More information: www.svc.swiss

In Dielsdorf in the canton of Zurich, Green is building on an area of over 46,000m² the large-scale Metro Campus Zurich project. It consists of three high-performance data centers (M, N and O) for cloud providers and companies as well as a business park with several office buildings. The first data center was occupied by major customers in December 2022 and officially started operations on January 17, 2023. The other stages are already planned.

High-performance data center with high energy efficiency

Datacenter M is considered one of the most advanced data centers in Switzerland in terms of performance, connectivity, security and energy efficiency. The data center area of 5,600 m² provides space for around 80,000 servers and allows high-density computing, which is in particular demand from public cloud providers (hyperscalers). Green designed the data centers for high power density while maximizing energy efficiency with their local teams. "Datacenter M is a beacon project in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability," explains Andrea Campomilla, COO, who is responsible for the data centers at Green.

Optimizations were made in terms of architecture, choice of materials, room furnishings, equipment and cooling concept. The latter ensures that whenever possible, cooling can be done with ambient air instead of mechanically and energy-intensively. Photovoltaic installations on the roof of the building and the purchase of renewable energy round off the sustainable concept. Green achieves top values, with a PUE value close to 1. The use of waste heat is also considered exemplary. Via the future district heating network, more than 3,500 households as well as businesses and industry in the region will benefit from climate-neutral heating and process heat from Datacenter M.

More data centers: Construction to start before the end of 2023

The further stages of the expansion have been determined: Civil engineering work for the south office building already started in January 2023. Part of the approximately 3,000m² Office space will be used by Green to ensure the smooth operation of the high-performance data centers on site and to maintain close contact with customers. Additional office space is leased.

Green has accelerated its growth and innovation program in Switzerland. The next step will be the construction of data centers "N" and "O". Due to demand, construction will start as early as 2023. "We are consistently investing in innovation and growing in a customer-oriented and sustainable manner," explains Roger Süess, CEO of Green.

Source: Green

After the successful premiere at OFFA 2022, which was sold out with around 250 participants, an OFFA Business Day will also be held this year. The event is a meeting place for business representatives, founders, owners and managers from the greater St.Gallen area. Here they are given space for exchange as well as suggestions on challenges in the commercial environment.

Shortage of skilled workers in the trade

The shortage of skilled workers in the industry continues to advance. Eliane Frei, owner of Freiraum Personal- & Organisationsentwicklung, will talk about the strategies that can be used to counter this development in her presentation "Mindset as a success factor - moving away from shortages to resources". This will be followed by a discussion on the topic with Markus Fust, Managing Director of Schreinerei Fust, Luzi Thomann, CEO of Thomann Nutzfahrzeuge, and Fabian Füger, owner and Managing Director of Bäckerei Füger Handmade. The afternoon will be moderated by Christoph Lanter.

Preferential food for trade association members

Registration for the 2nd OFFA Trade Day on April 20, 2023 is available at. www.offa-gewerbetag.ch possible. The conference price is CHF 130.00 for trade members of the Regio St.Gallen-Appenzell Ausserrhoden-Bodensee and CHF 160.00 for non-members. One OFFA day admission is included in the conference price.

By women for women is the motto of a new continuing education program offered by the HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich in the tech sector. The newly launched CAS Women Leading Digital HWZ, which will start there in summer 2023, puts women's understanding of their role in the business environment of digital-savvy companies up for discussion. Ella Stadler-Stuart, head of the program, explains: "With this CAS, we are creating a space for women who want to have an open discourse, exchange ideas, and deepen their respective leadership skills as well as acquire in-depth digital know-how - women in leadership positions and with ambitions for a position in top management or on a board of directors."

Bringing female role models to the fore     

"We observe both systemic and psychological barriers in the labor market that make it difficult for women to place themselves at the top of companies in the course of digitization strategies," explains Stadler-Stuart and says: "The design of our CAS specifically focuses on an open exchange with female role models who are aware of these problems in the market, experience them every day and want to overcome them." For example, the lecturers for the CAS Women Leading Digital HWZ include leading digitalization experts such as Eva Wolfangel, renowned tech journalist, and Daniela Landherr, executive coach and former Head of Talent Engagement at Google EMEA, who not only use their expertise to teach the students the necessary hard skills, but also share their experiences and insights as pioneers in the industry and contribute approaches to solutions.

Male view of the tech sector dominates

Across Switzerland, the proportion of female executives in top management has so far been just under 17%. Accordingly, digitization strategies in companies are primarily designed and implemented by male executives. With sometimes striking consequences: AI-supported programs, such as the recently launched Lensa app or applications in the medical field, not infrequently have to face accusations of sexism. They point to socially relevant developments with problematic tendencies that need to be countered with a critical educational offensive, as Ella Stadler-Stuart emphasizes: "With the newly created CAS Women Leading Digital, we want to contrast this male perspective with a new understanding of digital processes. We are convinced that digitalization is an all-encompassing project that needs to be addressed more strongly from a female perspective."

More information and link to the course: CAS Women Leading Digital HWZ

The Phoenix Award for long-term Swiss entrepreneurship has been presented annually since 2020. The award honors Swiss SMEs that have mastered their succession arrangements for at least a century. Companies that have successfully ensured their succession and thus their preservation over such a long period of time have already had to overcome several crises such as world wars and economic crises and rise anew like the "Phoenix from the ashes". The focus as potential award winners is therefore on Swiss SMEs that will be 100 years old in the respective year or have been entered in the Swiss Commercial Register for 100 years. From these companies, an expert jury and a jury advisory board with representatives from science, entrepreneurship and the media determine the winner of the Phoenix Award in a multi-stage process. The evaluation focuses on the companies' innovative and disruptive capabilities, their team performance, and their contribution to society and the national economy. This year, the award goes to Blaser Café AG in Bern.

Blaser Café AG convinces all along the line

Thanks to a pioneering spirit, constant innovative strength and a commitment to sustainability that was as early as it was continuous, Blaser Café AG was able to win the vote of the jury and jury advisory board. Skills that have contributed to establishing the company not only as a coffee institution in the greater Bern area, but also as a "permanent fixture" in the international coffee market. One of the decisive steps in this direction was the founding of Caffè Speciali Certificati (CSC) by Blaser Trading AG, Blaser Café AG's sister company specializing in international green coffee trading, together with a number of Italian roasting companies. Another milestone is the co-founding of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) in London in 1998.

The joy of innovation is reflected in a diverse range of activities characterized by entrepreneurial foresight. These include striking cornerstones such as the operation of the first fully automatic and electronically controlled roasting machine in Switzerland in 1955 and the entry into the airline business in 1998 thanks to a globally patented innovation for airline coffee machines. 2002 saw the opening of one of Switzerland's first coffee academies - Alpine Coffee Center - to impart the coffee expertise built up over decades. With the establishment of its own coffee bar and retail store, starting in 2014 with the "Rösterei Kaffee und Bar" at Güterstrasse 6 and further locations at Bubenbergplatz in 2018 and Gurtengasse 6 in 2020, Blaser Café AG opens up the whole world of coffee to private customers. In parallel, the online trade will be broadly positioned. The company also shows foresight in its commitment to sustainability, which was already lived at Blaser Café AG and Blaser Trading AG before it was "on everyone's lips". Whether as a partner of the first hour of Fairtrade Max Havelaar, through the seamless traceability of green coffees, the promotion of the reforestation project SEMEAR and much more.

Laying the foundation for sustainable entrepreneurship in difficult times

The proof that Blaser Café AG is able to rise like a "Phoenix from the ashes" in crisis situations is shown by a look at the year 1939. Company founder Walter Blaser dies unexpectedly. Despite a difficult economic situation and the concerns of the authorities, his widow Cécile Blaser, a trained ladies' tailor, successfully continued the business with courage and initiative together with her son, Walter Blaser Junior - and this at a time when women were still primarily expected to play the role of "faithful housewife," as laudator Corin Ballhaus emphasized. In retrospect, this may even have been a stroke of luck: It is only in difficult times that one learns to be economical with resources. Markus Blaser, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Blaser Café AG and a member of the third generation of the family, recalls an episode: Cécile Blaser once reprimanded an office employee because she wanted to throw away a pencil stub just because it was too short for the sharpening machine, although it was still possible to write with it. "We don't waste anything," was the message, which is still valid in the company today.

Importance of business succession highlighted.

All in all, qualities that are often characteristic of successful and traditional Swiss SMEs, which at the same time create the best conditions for reaching 100 years and older. An entrepreneurial achievement that deserves recognition. A satisfaction for Markus Blaser: "We are very happy about the Phoenix Award. It is an unexpected award for our entire team and the successful design of our companies, which has always been geared to the long term. It is gratifying that this award particularly highlights the importance of business succession, as it often receives too little attention in this context." Blaser Café has always been able to arrange succession within the family, without any pressure. And already the fifth generation is ready: Félice Blaser, grandson of Markus Blaser, is currently completing his vocational apprenticeship in his parents' business - and this is because he explicitly wanted it that way.

Seen in this light, the company can look to the future with optimism despite the many challenges it faces - volatile price trends in the coffee market, constantly changing consumer habits, increased energy costs. The Phoenix Award was also congratulated by Christoph Ammann, Director of the Canton of Berne's Department of Economic Affairs, Energy and the Environment, and Markus Willimann, Deputy Head of SME Policy at SECO. Christoph Ammann also paid particular tribute to the modesty with which Blaser Café AG knows how to shape its corporate culture despite its many deserved achievements.

More information: Blaser Café AG / Swiss umbrella organization for business succession - CHDU

With the increasing digitization of business life, documents are hardly ever printed out. With this in mind, anyone who expects printers to gradually become obsolete is sorely mistaken. This is because multifunction devices with their powerful scanners can take on a central role in digital workflow management. According to a survey by Morning Consult, small companies in particular rely on printers for 80 percent of their business. However, more than half of the respondents (55 percent) also said they don't have time to worry about technology.

Simple, safe, sustainable

"Managing printers is not an efficient use of time and energy," says one of the small business owners interviewed, for example. Another commented, "Everything is becoming more and more automated. Maybe that would be an issue with printers, too." HP heard the cry for help from smaller businesses and developed a solution that simplifies printer management, increases productivity, enhances security and promotes sustainability to boot. The result: the HP+ cloud-based printing system.

Print anywhere and with any device

A growing number of inkjet and laser printers are ready for the new solution. It can be set up quickly. Then the "HP Smart" app on the cell phone or the dashboard on the PC shows the ink level and several options for printing processes. The app and PC dashboard are so easy and clear to use that anyone can find their way around immediately. Just as interesting, however, is what's going on behind the scenes. HP+ automatically detects printer problems and fixes them immediately, protects against malware attacks, automatically installs the latest updates, and enables printing from anywhere and from almost any device. This means that documents can be sent from a cell phone to the printer on the way to work. With the "Private Pickup" function activated, the printout is only made when the user is standing next to the printer.

Utility material delivered free of charge

HP+ users get all this and more at no additional cost. Also included is an additional year of manufacturer's warranty and a free six-month trial of HP Instant Ink. HP Instant Ink is HP's ink delivery service that automatically sends a new cartridge when the printer runs out of ink or toner. It also charges transparently per printed page. Both HP Instant Ink and HP+ are committed to consistent sustainability. With the delivery service, fewer cartridges have to be transported. Used materials can be returned free of charge, and HP recycles them professionally. And for users of this solution, HP invests in forest protection and reforestation programs for every page printed.

In view of these benefits, the newspaper "Heute" from Austria concludes after an extensive test: "It is a real all-round carefree package. For those who simply want to take care of the printout and nothing else when it comes to printer, ink and co., HP+ is a perfect fit." Want to see for yourself?

Try free printer with HP+ now

HP is convinced that HP+, as a complete solution, is ideally suited to the everyday needs of SMEs. That is why HP, together with ORGANISATOR, is inviting tenders for two to three tests with the latest generation of laser printers. If you are an SME with a maximum of 50 employees and have at least three printers in operation, you can apply to test a maximum of three HP+-enabled printers. They can keep the HP Laser Jet Pro MFP 4102dwe printers after the test period. In return, in cooperation with the ORGANIZATOR, they will share your experience with HP+-enabled printers, which we will then process in a report of this medium. Two will be drawn from among all participants in the call for entries.

Click here to register.

Consultants in the audit, fiduciary and consulting industry support companies and entrepreneurs in all economic matters and throughout the entire corporate life cycle - from formation to liquidation. In doing so, different disciplines and special fields of consulting work closely together. In order to take this into account in the best possible way, and to meet the requirements for competence development and certification, as well as for consulting quality, the Association for Management and Corporate Consulting ASCO - as already communicated on the occasion of the annual meeting in September 2022 - integrated into EXPERTsuisse as of January 1, 2023 (in the area "Consulting & Business Services"). In this context, the new platform "Consulting Network Switzerland" has also been developed and went live at the end of 2022 (www.consulting-network.ch). This also gives the industry a face and creates identity.

Digitization and sustainability require new consulting skills

In order to make the best possible use of the major trends of digitalization and sustainability as an industry and for the economy, complementary competencies are needed. Building and certifying these competencies among young professionals and the profession is the core mission of EXPERTsuisse. "As client-oriented consulting and holistic management are gaining importance in this context, the integration of ASCO into EXPERTsuisse is an important step in the association's development," says Marius Klauser, Director and Delegate of the Association's Board of Directors. The previous cooperation with ASCO will become a full integration, providing consultants of both associations with an attractive networking, qualification and positioning platform and strengthening themselves as a profession throughout Switzerland. The Consulting Network Switzerland (EXPERTsuisse) is now also a nomination partner for the Digital Excellence Award and the Green Business Award, where the "Return on Consulting" can be experienced in concrete companies.

Important contribution to a strong Swiss economy

Important elements of the integration are the new expert commission Management Consulting, the certificate course on consulting competence, the certification commission "Certified Management Consultant" (CMC) and the code of conduct for CMCs. The goal is to register 1,000 Certified Management Consultants throughout Switzerland by 2030. In addition to the integration of ASCO, EXPERTsuisse is also entering into a cooperation with the Swiss Umbrella Organization for Business Succession (CHDU), which focuses on the formation and certification of competencies in the field of holistic succession consulting. This will further strengthen the consulting ecosystem. "Together, we are making an important contribution to a strong Swiss economy. Consulting competence is the basis for future-oriented decisions and their effective implementation," Marius Klauser continues.

Management consulting industry in upheaval

"The consulting industry is in transformation and supports transformations. The members of ASCO see the integration into the expert association, which is as rich in tradition as it is innovative, as an opportunity to better organize and support the consulting profession throughout Switzerland and to represent it vis-à-vis politics and business," says Jürg Hodel, Co-Chairman of the Consulting Advisory Board of EXPERTsuisse, President of the Management Consulting Commission and Managing Director of Staufen.Inova AG. At the New Year's event of EXPERTsuisse on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, association president Peter Ritter emphasized the importance of this step and wished the co-chairs Jürg Hodel and Marius Klauser as well as Luzia Hafen, Managing Director of Consulting Network Switzerland, every success in implementing the various measures.

Whether products or processes - AI recognizes the patterns, draws logical conclusions, makes decisions and establishes forecasts. An outlook from the IT service provider and consulting company Lufthansa Industry Solutions on the AI year 2023 in five theses.

1. AI is not a dream of the future, but the present

AI is no longer limited to a few special cases, but is used everywhere in business life: be it in production, human resources, customer service or supply chain management. Even in everyday life, more and more devices and processes are controlled via embedded AI without the user noticing. In the enterprise environment, AI and Internet of Things (IoT) are working ever more closely together. For example, data generated by a machine can be put to good use in all areas of the value chain thanks to AI.

2. both large and small companies can use AI - without having to be experts themselves.

Artificial intelligence is not just the preserve of large corporations with broad technology expertise. Today, SMEs can also access complex AI applications without having to develop them themselves. This is achieved via software-as-a-service (SaaS) and low-code solutions, which are now available in a variety of forms and can be easily integrated as modules via interfaces. Instead of individually developed special software, a standard application is used that is adapted for the company's own purpose. Smaller companies also benefit from the development of being able to generate valuable insights even from smaller data volumes or from a jumble of different data sources and types.

3. the path to sustainable management only succeeds with AI

Sustainability is one of the top issues for business. Customers, investors and employees are constantly increasing the pressure to act sustainably. And politics is forcing companies to keep a constant eye on their data, raw material and goods flows. In order not to get lost in the "information overload," companies rely on intelligent, machine support. For example, AI is used to optimize and verify supply chains, design recycling processes as early as the product design phase, or even establish efficient freight routes. In short: AI is indispensable for the path to sustainability.

4. AI goes from being a supposed competitor to a welcome colleague

New technologies are almost always met with rejection at first. In many companies, the workforce is also skeptical about the introduction of AI. The fear of losing importance or jobs is too great. But it's not about replacing human labor. Instead, AI helps improve human skills and abilities. AI relieves employees of routine tasks and makes room for creative activities. Employees will therefore benefit from AI and find more fulfillment in their work. And for companies, the technology goes some way toward alleviating their shortage of skilled workers.

5. AI is tamed, but not broken regulated

AI is a very powerful technology. It offers a wide range of possibilities, which in extreme cases can extend to mass surveillance or manipulation. Therefore, effective and transparent regulation is needed to prevent misuse and reduce fears of contact. This year, for example, the EU plans to set clear limits on questionable AI applications with the AI Act. It is less likely that this will slow down or curtail the technology too much. The benefits of ethically responsible use are too great.

Source: Lufthansa Industry Solutions

Continuum AG celebrates its 20th anniversary just this year. Originally founded in Zurich, the company expanded to St.Gallen when Rolf Brunner joined as managing partner. In the meantime, St.Gallen has become the main location and nine partners and employees belong to the company. With the change in the chairmanship of the board of directors, the company is initiating the regulation of succession, with Rolf Brunner relinquishing one of his functions. He remains - alongside Dr. Stefan Schneider and Yannick Brunner - a member of the Board of Directors and partner at the St.Gallen location.

Rolf Brunner is pleased about the reinforcement in the Board of Directors: "The election of Hanspeter Thür as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors is a first step in the targeted succession planning within the company. In addition, he ideally complements the strategic thinking at Continuum." Hanspeter Thür, for his part, emphasizes: "Securing the future is something we do not only for our customers in the context of succession planning, but also at Continuum itself. I am pleased to be able to contribute to this as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors."

Hanspeter Thür was Head of Private Clients at UBS Region Eastern Switzerland from 2015 to 2021 and since 2017 Regional Director responsible for the market presence of UBS in Eastern Switzerland (450 employees), cross-segment business and client development, risk management and human resources development. Since 2015, he has also been a member of the University Council of OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland), and since 2022, a member of the Board of Directors of dhp technology AG in Zizers.

Source: Continuum AG

Andres Trautmann took up his position as Head of Sustainability in November 2022 and will be intensively involved with emission reductions along the value chain and the further development of climate-neutral products as well as other CSR topics at APG|SGA. He reports directly to the company's management, with the position being held by CFO Beat Hermann's Finance & International division. The latter says: "With its commitment to the net zero target, APG|SGA is pursuing an ambitious reduction in CO2 emissions while at the same time persistently driving forward the expansion of sustainable offerings and innovations. I am delighted that in Andres Trautmann we have been able to recruit an experienced professional who brings with him the knowledge and experience needed to further develop APG|SGA's voluntarily high standards in the area of sustainability in a forward-looking manner for the benefit of the environment and society."

Andres Trautmann (40) has a master's degree in international relations and further education in sports management and corporate responsibility. He spent around ten years in various roles in the areas of sustainability and ethics at Swiss Olympic. He also held advisory roles for good governance and compliance. His expertise will provide important impetus at APG|SGA to meet the increasing challenges in the area of sustainability in line with international developments as well as to create meaningful transparency on key figures.

Source: www.apgsga.ch