The fact that the labor market is changing and employers are required to come up with new working models to meet the increased demands of the workforce is hardly news anymore. But where exactly to start? Marketagent's Labor Market Compass aims to provide answers to this question. Since the beginning of the year, the digital market and opinion research institute has been surveying employees from Switzerland on the current mood on the labor market, not only taking a close look at domestic employees, but also highlighting preferences from the entire D-A-CH region. A total of 3,737 employees from the first half of 2024 provide insight into where their priorities lie in their professional lives and what role the much-cited buzzwords "work-life balance", "home office" or the "4-day week" actually play in their desired scenario.

The formula for the dream job

A good salary, flexible working hours far from full-time, extensive home office... This is roughly what the perfect job could sound like. The latest data suggests that in reality, employees' priorities are more diverse than these platitudes. Does fair pay play a key role in the job? Yes - in Switzerland and Austria it is even significantly higher than in Germany (Switzerland: 67% vs. Austria: 65% vs. Germany: 59%). A not insignificant proportion would also be happy with a flexible working time model, with the Swiss in particular standing out here with 47% (compared to 42% in Germany and 39% in Austria). But: "A fulfilling working day is multi-faceted. In addition to an attractive salary, a good working atmosphere, flexible working hours, job security and appreciation turn out to be key drivers in the job search and leave supposedly decisive framework conditions such as the possibility of working from home or the much-discussed 4-day week far behind at the end of the day," emphasizes Thomas Schwabl, founder of Marketagent Schweiz AG. "In terms of employee retention and satisfaction, employers are therefore called upon to master the important balancing act between attractive cornerstones and these essential feel-good aspects."

*Top 10 I D: n = 326, AT: n = 2,773, CH: n = 638 II Multiple answers possible

Shift already happened

The labor market has become noticeably more dynamic in recent years. The public debate about a reduction in working hours has been fueled time and again, and not without good reason. After all, the Swiss would like to work an average of 34.5 hours. "Goodbye to the 40-hour week" is not only being said in Switzerland, however, but also in the two neighboring countries. While Austrians would prefer a workload of 33.5 hours, the average for Germans is 31.7 hours, the lowest level in the three-country comparison. If their job allowed it, they would work around 41% of these hours from home. The preferred proportion of remote work is only higher in Switzerland with 44% (vs. 37% in Austria).

Furthermore, work-life balance is increasingly becoming a key issue in today's fast-paced working world. When faced with a direct choice, the majority of Swiss respondents clearly prefer a work-life balance (78%) to a career (22%). Work-life balance is therefore not just a fashionable buzzword, but a fundamental aspect of modern working culture. It is therefore important for employers to enable such a balance without jeopardizing operational goals.

High satisfaction does not prevent job changes

A look at the satisfaction levels in the current job allows employers to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, 78% of Swiss employees state that they are very or fairly satisfied in their job. In Austria and Germany, the figure is even slightly higher at 83% and 79% respectively. However, the fact that employers cannot rest on their laurels and that competition for the most talented people remains high is shown by the high willingness of employees to change jobs. In Switzerland, no less than 41% feel the desire for a career change, even though they perceive their chances on the labor market far less positively (45%) than Germans (67%) and Austrians (64%). However, one reason for this is probably the considerable jump in salary that they expect with a new job, which they put at 31% (compared to 28% in Austria and 25% in Germany). The war for talent is therefore far from over and it is still important to set the right incentives, emphasizes the Labour Market Compass. 

Source: Marketagent Switzerland

The swissalbs Entrepreneur Award 2024 celebrates the innovative strength of the Albanian community. The award will be presented at the swissalbs Entrepreneurs' Ball, which will be held for the fourth time on September 7. Over 500 guests from Swiss business and politics are expected to attend.

Five innovative entrepreneurs

The event will once again honor entrepreneurs of Albanian origin who have achieved success in various sectors. The following five nominees will be judged by the jury this year:

• Flamur Jashari is the founder and CEO of Yuuniq, an innovative digital health startup from Switzerland. Yuuniq is an AI-based assistant for personalized medicine that equips medical practices with advanced tools for genetic profiling and efficient patient monitoring. It revolutionizes the relationship between practice and laboratory by integrating demographic, physiological and habitual data to make personalized medicine accessible to all.
• Muhamed Ramiqi is COO and Founding Partner of Apriko, an intelligent software solution and back-office service for recruitment agencies. The company simplifies and digitalizes the complex business of personnel service providers and aims to fully automate daily work processes and administrative tasks.
• Liridona Makica is the founder and managing director of Spitex Dona, based in Kloten. The company provides professional nursing and care services for people in their own homes, including medical care, domestic support and social assistance. Spitex Dona aims to enable patients to lead a self-determined life in their own environment and improve their quality of life.
• Floriana Binaku is the founder of the renowned Swiss fashion label Anari Atelier. Close collaboration with customers is at the heart of Anari Atelier. The company wants its customers not only to feel beautiful, but also to be able to actively participate in the development process. Anari Atelier has already been seen at Luisa Via Roma in Cannes and world star Ayra Starr was dressed in the brand's clothes for her tour.
• Albert Gjukaj is co-owner and Senior Store Manager of the Lucerne shoe store Mr. Dapper. Mr. Dapper stands for an exclusively qualified range of men's shoes. In addition to style and quality, ecological and social responsibility are among the company's core values. The shoemaker Albert Gjukaj alias Mr. Dapper has mastered his craft at the highest level and has already proven this at numerous international competitions.

Top-class jury

The winner of the swissalbs Entrepreneur Award is chosen by a jury. This year's jury consists of the well-known personalities Roland Brack, entrepreneur, investor and founder of BRACK.CH, Nadine Jürgensen, co-founder of elleXX, Andri Silberschmidt, National Councillor and gastronomy entrepreneur, Vllaznim Xhiha, philanthropist and serial entrepreneur, as well as Kristian Kabashi, last year's winner and founder of Numarics.

Arbela Statovci, co-founder and Head of Communications at swissalbs, comments on the upcoming event: "Our mission at swissalbs is to support and inspire entrepreneurs of Albanian descent so that they can be even more successful in the Swiss economy. The swissalbs Entrepreneur Ball is an ideal opportunity to strengthen connections within our swissalbs community and promote future business opportunities." As last year, the event will be hosted by food blogger and TV personality Zoe Torinesi. Musical highlights will be provided by Selami Kolonja, an established singer on the Albanian music scene. A special keynote speech will be given by Marco Gredig, Managing Director of Cargologic AG, the leading Swiss air freight handling company for 70 years.

Source and further information

Since 2013, the Swiss Green Economy Symposium has been using concrete examples to show how cooperation between business, politics, science and NGOs can contribute to greater prosperity, environmental protection and a more peaceful coexistence. Solutions are discussed and recipes for success shared. The symposium inspires its participants - decision-makers, implementers and innovators - to take concrete action. This year, the SGES is focusing on the crucial question: How can we resolve conflicts faster and more effectively for the benefit of people and the environment in a sustainable way through improved cooperation? The event provides a platform to discuss these questions, exchange ideas and promote partnerships.

The SGES starts on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 27, with the SGEXperience (company visits). The companies Burckhardt Compression, Stadler Rail and Zimmer Biomet will open their doors to participants and present their efforts for a more sustainable future. There will be a joint closing event at the Grüze innovation laboratory of the city of Winterthur
at the networking aperitif. In the evening, the topic of sustainable supply chains will be discussed at the international pre-event.

On Wednesday, August 28, after a welcome address from the City of Winterthur and the opening message from Daniel Dubas, Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda and Head of the Sustainable Development Section at the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), the following important questions will be discussed in keynote speeches and panel discussions: What opportunities and challenges does
biodiversity? How can we implement the circular economy, e.g. for batteries? How can we protect supply chains against risks? In the afternoon, eight specialist conferences (innovation forums) will explore and discuss key sustainability topics in greater depth, e.g. the digitalization of healthcare, climate protection in companies and the circular economy in construction.

On Thursday, August 29, top-class experts will discuss the following topics in the main program: How can we build and live sustainably and healthily? How can we create an effective ecosystem for carbon capture? How can we solve conflicts together? In the afternoon, seven innovation forums will again discuss burning sustainability issues in greater depth. Examples include: How can we manage nutrient cycles more intelligently? How can we rapidly expand renewable energies and ensure energy efficiency? How can we implement the circular economy for plastics?

On Thursday, as on Wednesday, the Swiss Green Economy Symposium will end with a networking aperitif from 5 pm. Because with joie de vivre we can commit ourselves much better to sustainability. 

Program: sges.ch/program

Since 1991, when the first Würth Shop was opened in Lonay near Lausanne, the company has continuously expanded its branch network in order to offer its customers a wide range of products and optimum service. When selecting locations, the expansion team makes sure that the distance to the nearest Würth Shop is no more than 20 minutes' drive for customers. With the opening of the 50th store in Sévaz (FR) in March of this year, Würth is now represented in all regions of Switzerland.

Full range plus advice

The wide range of high-quality products is designed to meet the immediate needs of customers from all industries. Whether they are looking for tools, fastening materials, work clothing or shoes, Würth has the right product. Competent employees in the stores also provide advice. In the Würth Shops, customers learn everything about the products and their applications. They can also find everything they need for a safe and comfortable working day, from robust safety shoes and functional work jackets to reliable hearing protection.

Order online - pick up in the store

With the Click & Collect service, the desired products can be ordered online and collected from a selected Würth Shop within an hour. This saves valuable time and allows customers to complete their purchases quickly and conveniently. And if customers need a break, the store staff are happy to offer them a coffee.

Source and further information

When it comes to procurement, production and logistics, the economy should avoid all concepts based on the large-scale intercontinental exchange of goods as far as possible, recommends Jane Enny van Lambalgen, CEO of the consulting and management company Planet Industrial Excellence. She cites "geopolitical tensions that can interrupt supply chains uncontrollably at any time, as well as rising transportation costs." It is "the order of the day to say goodbye to excessive global distribution of work and goods across continents."

Return to the principle of regionality 

"In a global economy designed for globality, it is difficult to return to the principle of regionality," admits Jane Enny van Lambalgen. But she points out: "If the entire production in Europe and America is dependent on certain parts or sub-steps in Asia, then this also means that any conflict in Asia or in the relevant Asian countries or on the transport routes could potentially paralyze the entire company." 

The CEO of Planet Industrial Excellence admits that the cost advantage of 30 to 70 percent often cited for production in Asia, depending on the industry and products, cannot be ignored. But "in view of the risk of a complete halt to production, sticking to cost categories does not do justice to the current global situation," she says.

Two-stage approach: first procurement, then production

Jane Enny van Lambalgen advises companies to adopt a two-stage approach in order to achieve greater independence from the increasing geopolitical tensions. In the first step, the procurement side should be organized in such a way that there are at least two suppliers for each primary product, spread across different continents. 

"This poses enormous challenges for medium-sized manufacturing companies," the CEO knows from numerous projects. "Nevertheless, companies are well advised to take this first step quickly before things explode again somewhere in the world," she says casually. Jane Enny van Lambalgen explains: "In addition to the obvious conflicts in the triad of the great powers USA, China and Russia, which in turn harbour numerous proxy conflicts, there are many other dangers lurking around the globe, for example from terrorist organizations, the effects of which no business leader can foresee. Smart CEOs therefore put deglobalization at the top of their agenda in the sense of producing where the company's customers are located."

Warning of the supply chain trap

Jane Enny van Lambalgen warns of the "supply chain trap" in the struggle for greater independence: "It's no use relying on a supplier in Europe for a European plant, which in turn is dependent on Asian primary products," she gives a concrete example. 

She advises companies to use the time and effort already required in connection with the current EU supply chain regulations to not only provide the proof of sustainability required by law, but also to examine the resilience of the supply chain in the face of geopolitical tensions. "The same applies to the supply chain as to any chain: it is only as durable as its weakest link," the CEO points out, "a truism that often receives too little attention in management."

Positive examples from Bosch to Hugo Boss

In the second step, the reduction of global dependencies should be extended beyond procurement to the production facilities. "What is sold in America should be produced in America. What is sold in Europe should be sold in Europe," is how Jane Enny van Lambalgen sums it up. She sees the increasing relocation of production from Germany to Poland or other Eastern European countries as "economically uncritical and often sensible". She cites Bosch, Miele, Viessmann "and many other SMEs and corporations" as examples of companies that have successfully relocated to neighboring countries.

"However, setting up a production facility in Asia only makes sense at present and probably only for the foreseeable future if the products manufactured there are also primarily sold in Asia," she says, providing clear guidelines for deglobalization. On the contrary, she advises bringing production lines from Asia back to Europe as far as possible. "This does not necessarily have to be done by setting up our own European production facilities. Outsourcing to contract manufacturers with European production is a viable alternative," she clarifies, "as long as it is ensured that the contract manufacturer is not caught in the supply chain trap." She cites the approach taken by fashion group Hugo Boss as a good example of this model.

Main hurdle: caste thinking in cost categories

Jane Enny van Lambalgen describes "caste thinking in cost categories" in large parts of the economy as a major obstacle to strengthening resilience through deglobalization. She admits to the "cost riders in management": "Of course it is cheaper here and now to source primary products from Asia or operate a production facility there than in Europe, for example. But the risk associated with this dependency is constantly increasing and is becoming more and more incalculable." This applies all the more to the protection of specific know-how such as software, she points out.

The next corona could be Taiwan

Jane Enny von Lambalgen is surprised: "The lessons learned from coronavirus seem to have faded in many management circles. But you have to be clear: Corona can come back at any time, only this time it might be called Taiwan." She praises the move by German medium-sized company Stihl to Switzerland as a "clever measure". "A good example of a successful escape from the excessive regulation in the EU and the escalating operating costs for production in Germany," says Jane Enny van Lambalgen.

More information: www.planetie.ch and www.diplomatic-council.org/vanlambalgen

Because as long as the vast majority of vehicles used for operational purposes are still driven by people - instead of computer chips - there is always a latent risk that all other warning and safety measures will not be effective. It is then important to be able to prevent the worst by using "brute force" ram protection.

What impact protection is - and what it is not

On a purely metaphorical level, operational ram protection is amazingly closely related to any kind of insurance: It is never needed in the normal day-to-day operations of the company. It is exclusively a means that is intended to take effect when other technical and organizational protective measures have already failed.

In this case, impact protection must always be capable of absorbing heavy loads or kinetic energy before something is damaged, perhaps causing a cascading catastrophe.

There are different types of impact protection. There are always Impact protection profiles for accident prevention However, they are made of materials that, if necessary, are even capable of stopping a forklift truck hitting the ground in an uncontrolled and unbraked manner - for example, before it hits the vertical struts of a high-bay warehouse, buckles and thus possibly brings down the entire warehouse like dominoes.

From a material point of view, therefore, everything in ram protection is primarily broken down into three materials:

1. Steel: It is equally resilient in all three axes. Thanks to the possibility of producing very complex alloys, extremely resistant impact protection elements can be manufactured with regard to the required shaping and other factors - and at an affordable price.
2. Concrete: Its advantage lies not least in the fact that it can be cast into very individual shapes on site if necessary - unlike steel in a cold state. Due to its sometimes enormous mass, a concrete ram protection is considerably heavier and bulkier than steel, but can sometimes be installed without anchoring and therefore flexibly.
3. Plastic: This material is (still) a rather rare representative in the field of impact protection. However, its properties are considerably more flexible than those of steel and concrete. This means that such plastic elements can return to their original shape after a pile-driving incident. The plastic also does not lose its material properties even at very low temperatures. This type of impact protection is therefore a good choice for deep-freeze areas, for example. In the form of mats, plastic can also be used as impact protection padding for existing columns.

Ultimately, that means: The aim of impact protection is always to use a particularly energy-absorbing element/material to keep impact energy away from important components so that their integrity is not impaired.

It is therefore explicitly not (only) about warning. Virtually all impact protection elements are designed in eye-catching warning colors. However, this visual warning effect is only an add-on to increase the impact. The main purpose is always to prevent an impact.

What the Swiss laws say

Some readers may have already seen in internet videos the downright disasters that can occur without impact protection. This definitely does not require crazy impact speeds and energies. On the contrary, depending on the design, many components react extremely sensitively to forces acting from a different direction than intended.

Once again, rack storage systems are an excellent example of this: their vertical struts are ideally suited to bearing loads acting from above. However, even a small bending moment acting transversely to the struts can cause buckling and thus a sudden loss of integrity.

So it's no wonder that Switzerland is dealing intensively with the topic at the level of standards and legislation - which means that impact protection is automatically mandatory in many cases.

• The EKAS Guideline No. 6508. It deals with hazard identification and risk assessment, which may result in the need for impact protection.
• The Employment Act ArGV, in particular Articles 3 to 9, which also contain protective measures.
• The Ordinance on Accident Prevention VUV, in this case Articles 3 to 10.
• SN EN 61310-1, from which the typical coloring in particular emerges. As impact protection systems are usually permanently installed, they are therefore typically colored yellow and black - a red and white color scheme tends to be used for temporary obstacles and barriers.

There is also the Swiss Accident Insurance Fund SUVA. It provides stringent Specifications for planning internal traffic routeswhich in many cases also results in an obligation to install impact protection.

By the way: Laws cannot cover everything. Experience has shown that it is therefore better to anticipate less realistic scenarios when it comes to impact protection and to act according to the maxim "a lot helps a lot" - even where no protection is prescribed.

What impact protection can look like - and what it protects

The central performance spectrum is uniform: impact protection should always protect important elements and people in the company from impact energies that can cause damage or even death.

However, for both architectural and technical reasons, there is no "one" type of impact protection that can be used for everything. In practice, we are already talking about different profiles and round materials at the base. This means that the shapes and areas of application are very diverse. Some of the most important types:

• Impact protection hoops: They protect inventory and personnel in particular and can also effectively seal off larger areas thanks to their shape.
• Crash protection railings: They are similar in design to stirrups, but are intended for much larger areas. For example, the spatial separation of driveways and walkways.
• Pipe and cable pile protectors: These profiles are fitted like a protective cover over power cables and other cables.
• Impact protection bollards: The cylindrical classic not only protects, but can also automatically enforce wider and therefore safer bend radii through clever positioning.
• Collision and post protection: Sheathing and prefabricated profiles that protect all kinds of posts and beams. Depending on the material, also intended to make a collision with people less serious.

In principle, there is hardly any operational area that could not be made safer with appropriate impact protection.

If you think through to the last consequence the disastrous chain of events that even a supposedly small bump from an industrial truck can trigger, it is definitely not wrong to apply very extensive impact protection - the costs for this are practically always lower than the consequential costs that can occur in the event of damage without protection.

The essence of this idea is that we would practice harmful or ineffective behavior less if the consequences were visible, and immediately.

The same applies in business life. Mediocre performance or ineffective behavior often goes undetected because the negative effects are not immediately visible. A major lever for better performance lies in making the impact immediately noticeable. This connection also applies to each and every one of us: if we bring the impact in the future into the present, we would make better decisions and take more meaningful actions. This is idealized, but we can move in this direction.

How can we achieve this in concrete terms?

Tip no. 1: Get rid of the number crunchersovens!

Companies often have huge tables and reports that hardly anyone understands. Imagine you could grasp what it's all about within three seconds. The goal is clear, simple messages. Use images and graphics that are immediately understandable.

This makes it more difficult to conceal connections. Effects become more visible.

Tip no. 2: Bring the future into the present!

You are familiar with the usual lag indicators such as sales growth or EBIT. These only measure success when it is too late to change anything. Much more important are lead indicators that show early on whether you are on the right track.

A personal exercise is to write down three things every evening that you have successfully completed today. This will help you develop a sense of progress and stay motivated.

Tip no. 3: Make sure it is clear!

In many companies, it is too easy to conceal things. Clearly structured reporting and transparent systems help to prevent this.

Imagine you have a CRM system to manage your customers. The rule is: what is not in the system does not exist. This prevents excuses and ensures clear, comprehensible data. Keep it simple and understandable so it's hard to hide poor performance.

Conclusion

These three tips can help you set your team and yourself up for success. Make things visible, use lead indicators and create clarity. You will see how your team's performance and your own productivity improve.

To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch

Liebherr, a Swiss-based company with German roots and one of the world's largest manufacturers of construction machinery, is to locate new sales and production facilities in Lee County, Mississippi. The project represents a corporate investment of 176 million dollars and will create at least 180 jobs by 2026, according to a press release. The company may invest up to $238.4 million and create up to 342 jobs to support its new operations.

Liebherr has selected the HIVE Business Park in Tupelo, a city with a population of approximately 37,000 and known as the birthplace of the "King of Rock'n'Roll" Elvis Presley, as the location for the expansion of its North American operations. The company has acquired 480,000 square meters of land there and intends to open a logistics distribution center for the American continent. A new campus is to be built on the site, on which more than 90,000 square meters of building space will be constructed. The first phase of the project includes the construction of a state-of-the-art logistics center for Liebherr customer service distribution and logistics. Following the first phase, the company will invest in additional work to support its other product segments. The investment is supported by the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) specifically through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive (MFLEX) program. The MDA is also providing assistance for the construction and equipping of the facilities. Lee County, the City of Tupelo and Accelerate MS are also supporting the project.

Liebherr is a family-run technology company with a broadly diversified product portfolio. In addition to construction machinery, the company offers high-quality, user-oriented products and services in a wide range of areas. The Liebherr Group comprises more than 150 companies in over 50 countries and currently employs more than 53,000 people worldwide and over 1,600 in the USA. Liebherr International AG, based in Bulle, Fribourg, is the central parent company of the Liebherr Group. 

Source and further information: Mississippi Development Authority and Liebherr International AG

Let's be honest: the greatest added value in life and in leadership comes from the implementation of creative power. Anyone who only ever repeats or at best optimizes the same thing can easily be replaced. The best leaders are those who show new ways, find solutions to difficult situations and have a creative impact.

The good news is that creativity is not innate, but an ability that you can consciously stimulate and shape. I can confirm this from my own experience. In my daily work as a coach and consultant, I constantly have to come up with creative ideas - be it for workshops, coaching programs or articles like this one.

Here are five tactics to help you stay creative:

No. 1: Change perspective

Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery to get the creative juices flowing. If you find yourself at a creative impasse, leave your desk and go outside, perhaps to a café. A new environment can work wonders! Even moving from your desk to a comfy chair in your office is often enough to spark new ideas.

No. 2: Movement

Exercise is a classic creativity booster - and extremely effective. A walk in the fresh air not only stimulates your circulation, but also your thoughts. Have you ever noticed how often the best ideas come to you while walking or doing sport? This is because physical activity releases certain neurotransmitters in the brain that promote creativity.

No. 3: Reading

Reading is an underrated creativity booster. A good book can stimulate your thoughts so much that you have to stop reading after a few pages and immediately start writing down your ideas. Interestingly, this works better with books than with videos or articles, as you are immersed more deeply and the immersion is stronger.

No. 4: Mind mapping

Mind mapping is the magic bullet for me. If I need to develop something new from scratch, I create a mind map. It helps to organize thoughts and create new connections. Instead of writing a list or simply scribbling away, the visual structure of a mind map really gets ideas flowing.

No. 5: Active writing and commenting

Active writing and commenting, especially on social media, can also boost creativity. On LinkedIn, I like to comment on posts from other opinion leaders. It's less about getting noticed and more about sorting out your own thoughts and developing new ideas. Writing a comment often stimulates the creative process and leads to new ideas of my own.

Facit

These five tips will help you to have creativity on demand. Change your perspective, move around, read inspiring books, create mind maps and be active on social media. Try it out and find out which of these methods help you the most.

Author:

Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch

The conference itself was an example of how collaborative partnerships work: the three organizations öbu Association for Sustainable Business, Pusch - Practical Environmental Protection and the purchasing association procure.ch jointly launched the event. The topic of "sustainable procurement" proved to be an attractive one: around 150 participants from a wide range of industries registered. Five keynotes and seven breakout sessions provided an opportunity for an intensive exchange of information.

OR, CSRD, CSDDD: abbreviations that still require a lot of information

Elgin Brunner from WWF Switzerland was the first speaker to explain how urgent the importance of a more sustainable economy is. Both a climate and a diversity crisis need to be tackled. We are still a long way from achieving the goals set by the global community, she explained. A far-reaching transformation of the economy is necessary, she said, and individual "band-aids" are no longer enough. Elgin Brunner believes that the greatest leverage lies in more sustainable supply chains combined with a change in existing value chains. The economy must therefore take on more responsibility. She used examples from the chocolate industry (Halba from Switzerland and Chocolonely from the Netherlands) to show how this works.

Meanwhile, politicians are not remaining inactive. A whole series of new regulations are being introduced in the EU in particular. Abbreviations such as CSRD or CSDDD are likely to become familiar to more and more Swiss companies in the near future, as Niclas Meyer from the consulting firm BSS explained. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive CSRD, which was adopted by the EU Parliament in November 2022, obliges companies to record the impact of sustainability aspects on the economic situation of the company and to clarify the effects of operations on sustainability. CSRD is currently being transposed into national law in the EU member states. The Federal Council will also soon be submitting a legislative proposal for consultation that incorporates a number of points from the EU regulation. The Swiss Code of Obligations already contains a provision on due diligence obligations and transparency regarding minerals from conflict areas and child labor (CO Art. 964j). The CSDDD, on the other hand, is the EU Supply Chain Directive. This obliges companies to comply with human rights along their supply chains and to minimize their environmental impact. Swiss companies are also affected by this due to the third country regulation - and according to Niclas Meyer, there are more of them than is generally assumed. Due to the complexity of these regulations, companies need to provide appropriate resources. "Simply delegating this to one person as an assistant to the management is not enough," says Niclas Meyer.

Extensive data is required for the assessment of supply chains and reporting. This must be collected, compiled and evaluated from various sources. This is often still done on an Excel basis, which will probably no longer be sufficient in the future. Swisscom has also recognized this. Marion Roeder and Gina Obrecht explained to the audience the approach taken by this communications company for its sustainability reporting. This has also resulted in the so-called Sustainability Software Radar: this shows market developments and trends in software solutions that can support ESG managers and CIOs. The service created by Swisscom therefore offers companies help in choosing the right software tool for collecting sustainability data.

Exchange practical experience

In various workshops and breakout sessions, the participants were then able to delve deeper into individual topics and exchange practical experience. For example, Lena Gubser and Roland Bärtschi provided an insight into how the railroad company BLS deals with the tension between strategy and feasibility. Renato Vögeli explained how his printing company, in collaboration with two other print shops in Austria and Denmark, is implementing the "Cradle to Cradle" concept and has also achieved the corresponding certification. And Tina Kempf (Lyreco Switzerland), together with Ruth Freiermuth Kuchel and Nicole Moser from Swiss Post, showed how greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced along the supply chain (see also the interview with Tina Kempf). Another practical example of the circular economy and resource efficiency was presented by the Locher brewery from Appenzell, which was represented by Sales Manager Philip Herrmann. Among other things, it has found ways of turning brewery by-products into new, tasty foods. Other breakout sessions dealt with due diligence and compliance, digitalization and social procurement risks, demonstrated by the avoidance of child labour.

Procurement in reality and the future

The last block of presentations was given by Mirko Kleiner. He took a look at the future of procurement management, which could be characterized by "Lean Agile Procurement". He showed various "evolutionary stages" of future procurement management, starting from the purchasing department set up in a classic silo organization through to maximum self-organized company units that operate their entire supply and value chains autonomously and within an ecosystem - in some cases massively supported by software. Swiss Casinos AG, for example, managed to evaluate and procure a new ERP system within just two days using a "nucleus" of this Lean Agile Procurement.

Coffee machine manufacturer Thermoplan AG is taking an even more down-to-earth approach to sustainable procurement management. The focus is on as many Swiss suppliers as possible, as Björn Jung and Matteo Trachsel explained. They currently account for 63 percent - with around 300 suppliers. There are four keys behind Thermoplan's supplier management: Clear objectives, transparent communication with suppliers, forging a common path and also resulting showcase companies to set benchmarks for other suppliers.

Building knowledge about sustainable procurement

Conclusion of the event: In order to make progress in the area of sustainable procurement, collaboration and joint learning from one another is required. Another takeaway: data should not only be collected for reporting purposes. The potential of structured data management is enormous and indispensable for transparency, innovation and efficiency. And: top management is also required, as sustainability is now a strategic task. The entire procurement system must also be embedded in this - which is why it is necessary to build up knowledge within the company. In discussions with and from the comments of many participants, it was clear that many companies are only just starting out with sustainable procurement. From this perspective, it can be assumed that this Sustainable Procurement Day will not be the last.

More information: Sustainable Procurement Day

At the annual media conference for the 2023 financial year, Suva reported a positive overall result of CHF 309 million. Suva's financial situation therefore remains solid and all insurance branches are financially balanced, Suva announced. The good stock market year 2023 in particular contributed to the pleasing financial situation; the investment result amounted to 4.8 percent (previous year -8.1 percent).

Occupational accident risk continues to fall - serious accidents on the decline

Lower premiums again for 2025