Not only in the Switzerland, but also in the EU area, the number of newly founded companies rose sharply last year. Faced with a wave of layoffs and redundancies, and with people spending more time at home, they have seized the opportunity to start their own small businesses. This has led to an increase in the number of microbusinesses - companies with fewer than 10 employees - worldwide. The financing platform Money.co.uk wanted to find out which countries are best able to produce durable microenterprises and examined the performance of companies with one to nine employees in 28 different European countries (excluding Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, northern Macedonia and Serbia). The study was particularly interested in what percentage of these businesses survived over a five-year period. However: the figures are based on the period between 2013 and 2018; the impact of the pandemic is therefore not yet reflected.

Survival rate of start-ups highest in France

According to the Money.co.uk research, France is the best country for microenterprise survival. Over a five-year period, the survival rate of start-up businesses in France is 75 %. In 2013, there were 46,549 microenterprises in France, of which 35,060 were still active five years later.
Sweden ranks second with a five-year survival rate of 73 %. In 2013, the country established 17,574 microenterprises, of which 12,908 survived the five-year period. Slovakia follows in third place with a microenterprise survival rate of 70 %. Slovakia had 18,949 microenterprises in 2013, of which 13,328 survived five years.

In Denmark, less than half survive the first five years

On the other hand, Denmark is the country with the lowest survival rate for startups. Although more than 8,000 microenterprises were founded there in 2013, only 3,458 survived the five-year period, meaning that the survival rate in Denmark is only 42 %. The United Kingdom ranked second with a survival rate of 43 %. However, the UK had the most companies that survived five years - a whopping 114,590, twice as many as any other country. Poland ranked third with a survival rate of 44 %. The country produced nearly 36,000 microenterprises, but fewer than 16,000 survived five years.

The countries with the most microenterprises after five years

Although survival rates vary by around 30 % between the best and worst countries, money.co.uk also wanted to find out which countries produced the most companies that survived the five-year period. At the top, as mentioned, is the United Kingdom with 114,590 companies. Turkey follows in second place with 56395 companies that have survived the first five years of their existence. In third place with 35060 companies is France.

The situation in Switzerland

Switzerland finds itself in the lower midfield in 19th place in the Money.co.uk survey, on a par with Hungary and Spain. In these countries, 52 percent of new companies survived the first five years; in Switzerland, the figure is 6363 companies out of 12334 startups. A direct comparison with our neighbor to the north, Germany, is interesting: there, only 47 percent of the new microenterprises founded since 2013 survived the first five years.

Professional support for start-ups can significantly increase the chance of survival. The IFJ Institute for Young Enterprises notes that start-ups supported by it have a noticeably higher survival rate: After five years, 87 percent of the supported companies still exist.

Click here for the complete ranking. Source: money.co.uk

Workday recently unveiled the results of a new diversity and inclusion (D&I) survey. The survey was conducted in spring 2021 by Sapio Research on behalf of Workday among more than 2,200 HR managers and leaders from 14 European countries to understand motivations, actions and progress in the area of Belonging and Diversity (B&D).

Diversity and inclusion: major differences between countries

The investment and progress of diversity and inclusion initiatives varies widely among the organizations surveyed in Europe. For example, three out of four respondents say their leadership teams consider B&D important: Spain delivers the highest score at 84%. Germany and Switzerland come in at 76% and 74% respectively, and Austria at 62%. The lowest proportion of supporters is in Norway (46%).

Three in four respondents said they have a budget to fund D&I initiatives. More than 41% plan to maintain this, despite current economic challenges. More than a third even plan to increase it. In Germany, 74% and in Switzerland, 76% of respondents currently have financial resources for these initiatives. In addition, increases are planned for next year in both countries. Austria shows the highest value among companies without a budget (27%) and only 18% of respondents see opportunities for an increase in funding.

Almost all organizations are implementing at least one B&D initiative, but more than a third do not have a strategy in place. One-fifth have taken initial steps to develop one. In Germany, 37% have no strategic approach and 21% are changing that. In Switzerland, 40% are currently without a firm concept, while 23% would like to act in a more planned manner in the future. Austria is the country in Europe where most of the companies surveyed have no strategy (57%) and only 8% are taking steps to change this.

Increasingly, measures are taken on the basis of data

Data evaluations enable comparisons and changes, and make successes visible in the first place. Of all respondents, 75% trust their organization's D&I data to take action based on it. Denmark and Spain trust their data the most (85% and 83%), while Switzerland and Germany are just above and below the European average with 77% and 70% respectively. Austrians have only 55% trust in their data.

There is clear potential in all the countries surveyed when it comes to measuring the impact of D&I initiatives on business success: this data is only collected by 17% of respondents. Here, too, Spain (24%) has the highest value, while Germany is in the midfield with 15%, Switzerland (9%) and Austria (8%) occupy the rear places.

The survey found that of the companies surveyed in Europe, 92% use technology to support D&I initiatives to some degree. Compared to Europe, only 88% in Germany, 85% in Switzerland and 83% in Austria rely on technology.

View D&I as a central component of corporate strategy

Concrete and sustainable measures are needed to generate benefits for organizations and their employees. To achieve this, it is advisable to embed the concept consistently in the corporate strategy and to implement information systems that enable effective management. A fact-based approach can help organizations move from good intentions to lasting change.

"Far-reaching societal changes have led us to rethink how we work and interact with each other. Issues such as employee wellbeing, diversity, belonging and inclusion have automatically come into focus," explains Daniela Porr, EMEA HCM and D&I Specialist. "Through the study, we wanted to learn more about what progress, but also challenges, companies see in implementing a culture focused on diversity and belonging. The findings highlight the importance of engaging both management and employees in implementing D&I initiatives to achieve sustainable change. This can only succeed if companies view D&I as a central component of their corporate strategy and embed it in corporate governance. To bring together the relevant information and develop strategic approaches to diversity and inclusion, the use of innovative products and solutions can accelerate cultural transformation."

Source and further information: Workday

The 17th SIZ Care Forum attracted around 150 visitors to the campus hall of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland in Brugg/Windisch. Welcomed by Kurt Mettler, Managing Director of SIZ Care AG, and moderator Michael Sokoll, the audience first received a lesson in "complaining endangers your health": communication trainer and book author Dani Nieth explained how too much focus on the negative opens the door to bacteria and viruses.

Prevention and inclusion in practice

The next presentation dealt specifically with prevention and integration. Dr. Jérôme Cosandey of Avenir Suisse presented in his paper "Integration instead of exclusion - good professional integration in case of invalidity is worthwhile" results of a recently conducted study which proves exactly this. He also pointed out that instruments such as the so-called resource-oriented integration profile (REP), as developed by Compasso, a job retention and professional integration network, could be used even more frequently.

Dr. med. Jochen Uebel, specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy at the Schützen Clinic in Aarau, then took a psychiatric look at the (in)ability to work. He noted that this is a matter of questions of medicine and law and pleaded for a "therapeutic alliance" between all players, i.e. physicians, employers, insurers and patients. This would include, among other things, a more work-oriented attitude on the part of medical professionals and an individualized approach to reintegration into the work process.

Legal pitfalls in the continued payment of wages

Kurt Mettler's presentation then dealt with ambiguities regarding continued payment of wages and daily sickness benefits. He pointed out the different classification of incapacity for work under social insurance law (in particular Art. 6 ATSG) and the Code of Obligations (Art. 324a OR). Social insurance law explicitly links an inability to work to an illness, whereas the Code of Obligations speaks of "inability to work". The latter argumentation can lead to the fact that daily sickness benefits insurers do not consider an inability to work as an illness and therefore do not want to pay daily benefits. For this reason, a clear regulation of the continued payment of wages by the employer at the level of the employment contract/personnel regulations is recommended as a "substitute solution" in order to counter such ambiguities.

More "starch attacks

Evelyne Wenzel's presentation was the final point. She gave the audience food for thought on how their own strengths can be strengthened through their self-image, with a meaningful vision and clear goals, as well as with a positive basic mood. This ultimately serves as a "compass to more strength attacks", according to the speaker - and, following Dani Nieth's presentation, also to a healthier attitude.

More information: SIZ Care AG

Influencer marketing has long since become part of the communication strategies of successful companies and those who want to become successful - at least in the B2C sector. For years, companies have relied on brand ambassadors with a wide reach to promote new products and provide relevant content for their target groups. But what about B2B influencer marketing? In just four steps, even medium-sized companies can implement a successful strategy and use B2B influencers to polish their image, increase awareness and win new customers.

1. planning is half the battle!

Slightly modified, but still true! And this is especially true for B2B influencer marketing. As a rule, the target group here is much more critical than in the B2C sector. On the one hand, this is because the potential customers are experts in their industry themselves - and on the other hand, it's not a matter of deciding to buy a new pair of shoes, but rather, in case of doubt, to spend real money. Everything should really be right! Therefore, good planning is the be-all and end-all. So before measures and influencers are selected, companies must first know their target group exactly. Then, the goals of the campaign, external influences and analyses must be aligned with these.

2. let's get informative: emotions are out of place here

In contrast to the B2C sector, B2B brands and their influencers should not rely on emotions. After all, buying decisions are not made on a whim, but rationally, weighing up the pros and cons. In addition, many products - in the IT industry, for example - require a great deal of explanation. The approach should therefore be with relevant information, hard facts and authentic experience reports. Those who shine with expertise right from the start and create trust through information will also be able to convince in the long run.

3. the agony of choice: identifying suitable influencers

Rule number one: B2B influencers must be credible! Brand ambassadors and companies should therefore be a perfect match in order to be able to make an authentic appearance. This means that trade journalists, researchers, or recognized industry insiders are actually bought for their interest in the respective topics and their conviction in the advertised product. However, the company's own employees are also conceivable - as so-called corporate influencers - as are business partners and associates with the relevant expertise. The main thing is that the person, the message and the product fit together. In the B2B sector, in contrast to B2C, it plays a subordinate role what reach the influencers have. It is more important that they are at home in the respective niche - this way, companies can be sure to reach their target group and a real brand fit is created!

4. no matter if LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok or Xing?

No, of course it does matter! On the contrary, choosing the right channel can be crucial. After all, what good are the best campaigns on TikTok if the target group is really only on LinkedIn and Xing? So some research work is required here in advance. However, if you know your target group exactly (a reminder of point 1), you will also know which social media you can find them on. This knowledge is also important for the selection of formats in the next step. For example, while TikTok is all about video content, a combination of video or image and text is more likely to be expected on LinkedIn. The analysis of user and reception behavior helps to deliver really relevant and inspiring content.

Conclusion: B2B Influencer Marketing is not that complicated!

B2B influencer marketing works differently than B2C influencer marketing - but it's not that much more complicated! Although there are not a large number of possible brand ambassadors available for certain topics, the complexity is kept within limits apart from a higher research effort. What can help here: ambassadors from your own ranks or business partners with an affinity for the topic. If the tone is then informative, fact-based and authentic, not much can go wrong.

About the Author:
Christopher Storms-Wolf is the right contact person at Echte Liebe (https://echte-liebe.com) when it comes to developing content-based digital campaigns: "We live in a wonderful digital age in which it is possible to excite and inspire people with interesting content and motivate them anew every day." In the past, the creative head successfully implemented various projects for well-known national and international clients and convinces with expertise and the right portion of zeitgeist.

Egon Zehnder, a leading leadership advisory firm, has published the results of a study in which 972 CEOs around the world were surveyed. Approximately 100 Swiss CEOs also participated in the survey. The central question of the survey was: How have the function and expectations of CEOs changed in the face of major global challenges and emerging trends?

Radically change the management style

The study concludes that the pressure of expectations on CEOs worldwide has increased dramatically. At the same time, they have to radically change their leadership style. Interpersonal leadership skills and self-reflection are becoming increasingly important. CEOs are becoming increasingly aware of the social aspects of their role: they recognize that the key to entrepreneurial success lies in radically developing their interpersonal leadership skills.

Rethinking the role of the CEO

Two changes are shaping corporate culture: a growing demand for equality in the workplace and a call for more flexible, hybrid forms of work. As a result, CEOs around the world are rethinking not only their leadership style, but also their entire role. How do they want to work with their teams in the future? In what ways do they want to develop the company - and themselves? How do they position the company for the long term? In the current complex business environment, it is crucial for CEOs to prioritize their own development while learning to better leverage the potential of their own organization.

The most important results at a glance

• 90 percent of CEOs say their immediate environment has become louder, more demanding and more diverse. When asked about the impact of recent circumstances on their business, most CEOs said decision-making and change had accelerated and economic uncertainty had increased. These changes highlight the complexity and rapid pace of change reshaping the business world. At the same time, CEOs are being measured against ever higher and more drastic stakeholder expectations. Swiss CEOs' perception of this change was only slightly weaker compared to their international peers, with 83 percent agreeing, 7 percent lower than the global average. Nevertheless, the results also show in this country how profoundly the role of the CEO is changing.
• 78 percent say they are reflecting on their own leadership style - up from 66 percent in 2018. CEOs are looking to expand their capabilities and want to be adaptable, relational, and self-reflective. Swiss CEOs are particularly eager to solicit diverse perspectives and seek feedback from their reference groups - including team members, senior management, CEOs and VRPs. Sixty-three percent of Swiss CEOs seek feedback when interacting with the VRP, which is quite a bit higher than the international average of 51 percent. It is also striking that the family seems to play a special role, especially in Switzerland. 62 percent of CEOs in this country said they consult their partner or a family member for feedback, compared with 48 percent worldwide. In addition, female CEOs in Switzerland seek advice from their team and management much more frequently than their male colleagues. Accordingly, they seem to separate business and private life to a greater extent.
• Seventy-eight percent of CEOs admit to focusing on their own change or development - three times as many as in 2018. Among Swiss CEOs, the level of agreement even exceeds 89 percent. CEOs worldwide agree that a "double transformation" is needed to master the challenges of our time: they believe that the personal development of a CEO and the growth of the company are inextricably linked. In this respect, the most striking finding is the almost unanimous agreement of a thousand executives with the statement: "As a CEO, I need to be able to change both myself and my company."
• Conflict and decision-making: Two-thirds of CEOs report that decision-making criteria have remained unchanged despite new social and economic complexities. In addition, fewer than half of CEOs (44 percent) say they feel in alignment with their teams - even fewer say the same about their boards. Both indicate a heightened potential for tension and an increased need for collaboration between leaders and employees.
• Nearly 500 CEOs, or more than half of all respondents, see the issue of relationship skills as an important blind spotas an analysis of verbal comments shows. Fewer than half of CEOs (46 percent) say they are fully aligned with their teams, and even fewer with their supervisory boards - indicating heightened tensions and a correspondingly greater need for coordination.
• Innovation and ESG more important for CEOs in Switzerland than the global average. While financial metrics are at the top of CEOs' agendas worldwide, Swiss CEOs rank innovation metrics as the most important driver of their decisions. This is a remarkable increase over the global average, which ranks innovation metrics sixth. Swiss participants also rank environmental, social and governance criteria slightly higher than their global peers.

Apart from a strong set of classic leadership skills, CEOs are characterized above all by an increased degree of mindfulness, adaptability and relational skills. According to Clemens Hoegl and Simone Stebler of Egon Zehnder Switzerland, the study shows that the last two skills are in great need of improvement. What is certain, they say, is that the personality of CEOs is deciding the weal and woe of a company more than ever before.

Source and further information: www.EgonZehnder.com

Lausanne-based software developer Tayo, headquartered at EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne), was founded in 2017. It has developed a comprehensive platform solution for real estate companies that simplifies and accelerates interactions between property managers, tenants, co-owners, janitors and suppliers. All parties involved in real estate can use it to exchange information electronically, which significantly simplifies processes. The potential of this software was also recognized by the energy provider Romande Energie when it invested in the start-up back in 2019.

Abacus Research complements its own real estate software

Now the software manufacturer Abacus Research from Eastern Switzerland is also taking a stake in the Lausanne-based company. The main reason for the investment is that with Abacus' real estate management software AbaImmo, not only the internal management processes and the seamless integration with the company's own financial solution must function smoothly, but also the communication with third parties such as tenants, craftsmen and owners. This should be guaranteed to be as simple and as efficient as possible. The interaction of the Tayo and AbaImmo platform expands it in one fell swoop to include a function that is becoming more important than ever in the age of digital business processing: direct interaction or networking via the cloud.

"One and one makes more than two"

In the future, there are also plans to seamlessly integrate Swiss.21's cloud software, which is available free of charge, with the Tayo portal so that participating craftsmen can benefit from digitalization. Daniel Senn, member of the Abacus management board, explains the participation as follows: "With Tayo, we have found the ideal partner to offer our AbaImmo customers a modern and comprehensive 360° platform to complement the AbaImmo property management software. Our users will benefit from significant simplifications and an acceleration of the various processes around rental properties."

Etienne Friedli, CEO of Tayo, emphasizes that with Abacus he has not only gained a new strategic investor: "The partnership with Abacus helps us to spread our platform further in the market. We are convinced that with Abacus we have the best partner at our side to remain an independent Swiss software provider. In addition, we expect synergies in software development from this, in line with the motto: One and one make more than two... Because together we want to become even more successful."

More information: www.abacus.ch and www.tayo-software.com

Each quarter, ManpowerGroup surveys more than 42,000 employers in 43 countries on employment prospects for the coming quarter. It also examines trends related to skills shortages on an annual basis. According to the latest survey, in 25% of the global markets surveyed, hiring intentions are the highest they have been in over 10 years.

Employment prospects particularly good in eastern Switzerland

In Switzerland, employers in all seven regions and industries are confident about hiring intentions for the final quarter of 2021 - with a net employment outlook of +8%. This is in line with the previous quarter and represents an improvement of 6 percentage points from the same quarter in 2020. One region stands out in particular: Eastern Switzerland expects employment growth of +18%. This forecast is 10 percentage points higher than the previous quarter (+8%) and 17 percentage points better than a year ago (+1%). Benjamin Hügli, Regional Director Zurich & Eastern Switzerland Manpower: "In the Zurich region, we see an encouraging outlook of +6%, which is really positive. Eastern Switzerland is particularly exceptional, with an Outlook of +18%. The big difference with the Zurich region is that Eastern Switzerland has many industrial workplaces, which are naturally less suitable for home offices and were correspondingly more affected by the pandemic. In contrast, the Zurich region is more active in the service sector, which was able to respond appropriately to the home office requirement and recommendation. With the vaccinations and the upturn in the economy, hiring intentions in the Eastern Switzerland region are now picking up."

Shortage of talent remains high globally, declining in Switzerland

At the same time, the global talent shortage remains at a high level. For the months of October, November and December, employers expect a talent shortage of 69%. In Switzerland, the talent shortage has decreased since the last survey (83%): 57% of the companies surveyed are struggling to fill their positions with suitable talent. Faced with this talent shortage, which remains the worst in 15 years, 41% of companies are investing in training, skills development and mentoring, while 67% are offering more flexibility, both in terms of working hours and location. Swiss employers focus on training, skills development and mentoring incentives (54%). But there are also barriers: Globally, the biggest barriers cited are money (22%), time (19%) and access to the right training partners (13%). In Switzerland, a similar picture presents itself among employers, although the obstacle time (34%) reaches a much higher percentage than the global value.

Yvonne Baumgartner, Managing Director Talent Solutions ManpowerGroup Switzerland: "In our view, the high affinity for continuing education has led to a decline in the talent shortage in Switzerland. Many employees have taken advantage of the pandemic period and have continued their education to increase their employability and be fit for the job market as soon as the economy recovers. But the war of talent continues. We are getting feedback from our clients that employer branding is becoming more relevant. Due to the talent shortage, specialists in particular can choose where they want to work. Salary alone is no longer the only selection criterion: Incentives such as flexible working hours and locations as well as coaching and internal training are also highly valued. The pandemic has taught us a few things - especially with regard to the need for flexibility. Many companies have made appropriate adjustments, but we sense that development in this area is not yet complete."

Source: ManpowerGroup

The history of PKZ is a family story: Maurice Burger, a fifth-generation descendant, now sits on the Board of Directors. Founded in 1881 by Paul Kehl, CEO Manuela Beer today leads Switzerland's largest independent fashion house operationally into the future. In recent years, for example, PKZ has successfully established itself as an omni-channel company; its 40 stores throughout Switzerland are now interlinked with a steadily growing online store. Last year alone, sales in the online store doubled.

Fashion house PKZ focuses its roots

When founder Paul Kehl opened the first clothing factory in Winterthur at the end of the 19th century, he laid the foundation for a success story. With foresight and a portion of courage in his luggage, he moved the business to Zurich and renamed it PKZ. His initials and those of the Limmat city still stand for the entrepreneurial spirit that has always characterized PKZ. Until 1974, PKZ operated two factories of its own and exported its prestigious men's collection throughout Europe. In the meantime, the fashion house - which has also been selling women's fashion since 1997 with the acquisition and consolidation of Feldpausch - focuses on its roots, Switzerland.

Economic times are challenging. Nevertheless, the fashion house PKZ is swimming against the tide - a strategy that has proven its worth: "We invest anti-cyclically, go our own way - and our success proves us right," says CEO Manuela Beer. In the spring, the 40th store was opened with the PKZ MEN store at Zurich's Löwenplatz. Further expansions are planned. Beer attaches particular importance to the experience character of the stores. The wide range of top labels complements the own brands Paul Kehl, Paul and Burger, and in the anniversary year the young Pauline line will be added. Two Paul Kehl capsule collections for men and one for women have been specially designed for the anniversary. At the same time, the made-to-measure segment, one of PKZ's USPs, is being continuously expanded.

Artist campaigns and cooperation with ZHdK

It is still the same attributes that characterize the PKZ fashion house, even after 140 years, according to the company itself: Innovation and pioneering spirit. PKZ offers fashion for every occasion - staged early on by later top models such as Patricia Schmid, Sarina Arnold and David Gandi. Even the internationally successful photo artist Rankin photographed a campaign for PKZ in 2005. Founder Paul Kehl already knew about the power of images. Over the years, PKZ has commissioned more than 150 poster designs from renowned artists such as Karl Bickel, Niklaus Stoecklin and Emil Cardinaux. Today, the posters are traded as collector's items, fetch top prices at auctions, and even hang in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Since PKZ is particularly keen to promote young talent, a young generation of artists is being called upon to mark the anniversary: PKZ has commissioned students from the Zurich University of the Arts to create a campaign around the 140th anniversary. The posters, prints and videos will be awarded prizes and presented at an exhibition, and two limited-edition T-shirts will also go on sale. Future generations are also being promoted in-house. On average, PKZ trains 75 apprentices per year. External training opportunities also ensure excellent development prospects.

Double reason to celebrate: anniversary events and a sustainable strategy

Customers can look forward to the anniversary year in particular, with lots of attractive offers and a digital fashion show from the Toni area, at which the new fashion trends will be presented on September 16. Already on September 11, an aperitif was held in all stores to toast the anniversary. "We are proud of our history and what PKZ has achieved in 140 years - we want to share this joy with our customers. At the same time, we are giving a preview of what the future holds," says CEO Manuela Beer. Because the anniversary also marks the start of a new fashion era. PKZ has hired a sustainability expert to support the company on its way to a greener future. As part of the "WE CARE" initiatives, which ensure greater transparency with regard to materials and production, sustainable labels such as Armedangels, Lanius and Calida complement the range. PKZ has done pioneering work over the past 140 years and has always looked ahead - now the success story is to be continued.

Source and further information: PKZ 

While many companies are still concerned about the packaging of their products, the situation is unfortunately often different when it comes to outer packaging. Many goods are still not securely packaged, for example, or the quality of the outer packaging is compromised. Repackaging should not only protect the product, but also the surrounding packaging. At best, the product and its packaging arrive at the customer's premises in the same condition as when they left the warehouse.

The role of high-quality and well thought-out outer packaging in particular will become increasingly important in the future. For years, the Swiss have been at the top when it comes to online shopping. In 2018, a full 75 percent of all people ordered something online in the last three months at the time of the survey - and the trend is rising. Only in the UK did people order more online. Today, with the increasing importance of the home office, deliveries are once again more important - also Groceries and food are often delivered. All these goods have to reach customers by mail. And they only survive this well, without exception, if thought has gone into the outer packaging.

Product packaging: Important features

Before it comes to the outer packaging, each product must be packaged "well". The quality of a package is characterized by various properties. Basically, it should give a product light protection from friction or gentle shocks. However, it is more likely to be of cosmetic use than of practical use. In other words, it is mainly the design that counts, which should be appealing and well thought out.

Simplicity
Well-designed product packaging is characterized by simplicity and unambiguity. The motto "less is more" applies here as hardly anywhere else. At best, the packaging should make it clear at a glance which product it contains and which brand is behind it.

Of course, a deliberate opposite approach can also be taken. Interest can also be aroused through restraint and mysteriously ambiguous packaging. However, smaller companies with little reputation are not advised to do this.

Individuality
Nothing is worse than a generic design that hardly stands out from other product packaging or, in the worst case, even resembles an already familiar product. In order to make a product packaging as individual as possible, on the one hand the packaging should be tailor-made to fit the product. On the other hand, a high-quality, independent and appealing design should be created, which at best is part of the corporate identity.

Help with design is now even offered by print shops on the Internet themselves, providing templates and samples and guiding through the design process. In the process easy to understand and detailed instructions which basically anyone can use to create a simple packaging design. Those who do not have basic design skills themselves are nevertheless well advised to enlist the help of a trained graphic designer.

Stylishness
This also leads us to the third point, stylistic confidence. Stylishness in this case means that the product packaging should be "well thought out" and "well-rounded. In the design of the packaging, for example, elements can be picked up in some way that skilfully reflect the characteristics of the product.

But stylish also means thinking creatively when it comes to product packaging. Take the Heinz ketchup bottle, for example. As soon as the company packaged the ketchup in plastic and turned it upside down as a "squeeze bottle," sales figures once again increased significantly.

Repackaging: Bringing goods safely to the customer

Quality and size
Goods only reach the customer safely in their packaging if the outer packaging is also right. The quality of the selected cardboard packaging and the size are particularly decisive. It is better to spend a little too much than too little on the stability and security of a carton. After all, poorly packaged goods cause unnecessary hassle and lead to additional costs and often to complaints. As a rule, you can't go wrong with 2- and 3-wall corrugated cardboard boxes made of kraft paper.

As far as size is concerned, it is better to opt for cartons that tend to be too large. The free space between the packaging and the outer packaging can then be lined with cushioning and filling material to cushion the goods.

Upholstery
Cushioning and filling material comes in different forms. It protects the goods from bumps and shocks and prevents slipping inside the outer packaging.

Bubble wrap or foam films are best for lightweight products. Heavy goods are best protected with generous paper cushions. Hollow spaces are additionally best filled with packaging chips or paper chips.

Additional protection
Furthermore, there are various protective measures for special goods. Products that need to be protected from electrostatic charge, for example, must be packed in antistatic packaging. On the other hand, to protect a product from electrical discharge, conductive packaging made of bubble wrap or bubble foam, for example, is necessary. If goods are susceptible to moisture, desiccants in the form of bags, rods, mats or cushions that are placed in the package are suitable.

Proper bonding and special markings
Gluing the outer packaging also contributes to the safety of the goods. Cardboard is basically one of the best carrier materials. There are qualitative differences in the adhesive tape. PVC adhesive tape with natural rubber adhesive has the strongest force and is therefore particularly suitable for heavy goods. PP adhesive tapes, which are also available with acrylate or hot-melt adhesive, are perfectly adequate for light to medium-weight goods.

It is also important to tape the packages all around so that there are no large openings into which dust, dirt or water can penetrate particularly easily.

Load securing

Anyone who delivers goods to customers independently should ultimately ensure good load security during transport. This depends on the choice of the right pallets and suitable anti-slip intermediate layers as well as appropriate securing methods. Whether stretch film, shrink hood, lashing straps or strapping bands - the main thing is that the goods are securely fastened in the delivery vehicle and cannot slip. Then nothing stands in the way of safe delivery.

Author
Mark Schulz is a marketing expert with a focus on product marketing. For several years, he has been independently advising companies on all aspects of developing and designing appealing marketing campaigns and optimizing product peripherals. The related topics of product packaging and shipping always play an important role here.

The total distributions, consisting of dividend payments, distributions from share premiums and par value reductions, of all companies listed on the Swiss Performance Index (SPI) amounted to 47.6 billion Swiss francs for the 2020 financial year. According to the financing study by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, this is only five percent less than for the 2019 financial year. The fact that the dividends of the SPI companies remained stable in total despite the COVID 19 crisis was not to be expected, according to the study authors. Thomas K. Birrer, editor of the study and lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, is pleased with the low impact of the COVID 19 crisis: "Although companies have reduced their share buybacks by 30 percent, distributions have remained surprisingly stable and there has been no widespread increase in debt. This is overwhelmingly positive news and the data shows that listed Swiss companies are mostly very solidly financed." A similar stable picture was seen among SMI companies. Only the mid-sized companies (SMIM) saw a significant reduction in dividends.

Not a classic IPO

2020 will go down in the history books as a year without a "classic" Swiss IPO, although international IPO activity was unexpectedly high. However, with the spin-offs Ina Invest (from Implenia) and V-Zug (from the Metall Zug Group), spin-offs and thus new listings did take place. Overall, capital increases totaling more than CHF 4.0 billion were carried out in 2020.

More interest-bearing debt

As of the end of 2020, the 199 non-financial companies surveyed had the following capital structure of the cumulative balance sheet total of 819 billion Swiss francs: 44.1 percent equity and 55.9 percent debt (FC).

The current interest rate situation in Switzerland is also noticeable in the increase in companies' short- and long-term interest-bearing liabilities. Between 2011 and 2020, interest-bearing liabilities increased by 40 percent to a total of 224 billion Swiss francs, which corresponds to an increase of 87 billion Swiss francs. On average, this is more than 3.5 percent per year. In the period under review, the change in accounting rules for lease liabilities was one of the reasons for an increase in interest-bearing liabilities of more than 30 billion Swiss francs in the years 2018 to 2020.

The effective borrowing costs of the companies surveyed have fallen since 2011, in some cases significantly. The median cost of debt (calculated as interest expense / interest-bearing debt) for 2020 is 2.04 percent, with the individual companies showing widely diverging borrowing costs.

Fundamentally healthy debt

With the increase in interest-bearing debt, net debt has also increased by around 83 percent since 2014. Likewise, the median net debt/EBITDA ratio increased from 0.39x in 2011 to 0.70x in 2020. The median net debt/EBITDA ratio for large caps is 1.60x, which is significantly higher than for mid caps (0.53x) and small caps (0.92x).

Impact of Covid-19 on the capital structure

The COVID 19 crisis has not brought about any significant change in the capital structure of the companies studied compared with previous years. The composition of the cumulative balance sheets of the analyzed companies remained relatively constant in the last three years, with a slight decrease in equity by a few percentage points and simultaneous expansion of long-term debt. Compared with 2019, higher net issuance activity was observed in 2020. This is at the second highest level in the last ten years.

Sustainability on the rise

Sustainable business and the resulting ESG (environmental, social and governance) guidelines are steadily gaining ground. The global green bond market is showing high growth momentum. For example, the global market volume increased from less than $30 billion to around $1,000 billion in the last six years. In Switzerland, the outstanding green bond volume increased from zero francs to more than six billion francs in the last four years. At first glance and compared to the total bond volume outstanding, this appears to be little, but the growth trend is likely to continue in the future. It is therefore not surprising that the volume of outstanding green bonds from Swiss issuers increased by 23 percent in the first half of 2021, as the financing study further notes.

Source: Lucerne University

For the eleventh time, the Award Show brought together the most promising Swiss startup CEOs with Swiss and international investors, executives and journalists on September 8, 2021. What started with the first publication of the ranking in 2011 has evolved into a comprehensive selection of events and activities, including an Award Night, to which invited guests are admitted, the Investor Summit, where hand-picked TOP 100 startups present to selected Swiss and international investors, regional pitch events organized together with presenting partner Credit Suisse, and the Scale-up ranking. The TOP 100 Swiss Startups magazine reports on all these events and news with editorial content in German, French, English, Chinese and - for the first time in 2021 - in Japanese.

Overall, the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award is a success story: To date, a total of 470 startups have received awards. Swiss startups have raised 7.3 billion Swiss francs and created 11577 jobs. 59 exits and 5 IPOs have been recorded so far. And last but not least: The 100 Best Startups 2021 records 63 women in leadership positions and 19 co-founders.

Not an easy year for Swiss startups

The pandemic also had an impact on the startup scene. "Last year was not easy, but the Swiss startup ecosystem has shown that it is resilient and thrives under pressure. Celebrating the TOP 100 means celebrating all entrepreneurs in these turbulent times," says Jordi Montserrat, Managing Partner at Venturelab. "We begin the second decade of TOP 100 Swiss Startups not only with a new location, but also with a wide range of innovations that will positively impact our lives and strengthen Switzerland's position as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.

The two keynote speakers of the evening illustrated the strength of the Swiss startup ecosystem and showed the potential of the TOP 100 startups: Ulf Grawunder is founder and CEO of Basel-based NBE Therapeutics, a startup acquired by Boehringer Ingelheim in December 2020 for EUR 1.18 billion. Fabien Jordan is co-founder and CEO of Astrocast, a Lausanne-based company that went public in August. "NBE Therapeutics and Astrocast have recently made headlines - during a pandemic that has been challenging for many - and we are delighted that they are sharing their experiences with TOP 100 entrepreneurs, investors and partners," said Stefan Steiner, co-managing director of Venturelab and TOP 100 director.

The 100 Best Startups 2021: Planted Foods, CUTISS and 9T Labs are the winners of the evening

Three startups from the foodtech, biotech and engineering sectors lead the TOP 100 Swiss Startup Ranking 2021. Planted Foods, CUTISS and 9T Labs show the diversity and potential of Swiss startups: they are on average three years old, have together created over 140 new jobs and raised CHF 80 million in investments.

• First rank: Planted Foods (www.eatplanted.com): Turning plants into meat. The Zurich-based startup is revolutionizing the food industry by making plant-based protein from 100% animal product-free ingredients. Planted Foods' vegan meat alternatives contain no additives, chemicals, GMOs, antibiotics or hormones. Planted Foods was founded in 2019 by Christoph Jenny, Eric Stirnemann, Lukas Böni and Pascal Bieri. The startup ranked 37th in 2020.
• Second place: CUTISS (www.cutiss.swiss): CUTISS is a biotech startup capable of producing large quantities of customized human skin grafts. The product, denovoSkin™, is a safe, effective and accessible therapy for children and adults who have suffered large-scale burns or scalds. CUTISS' human skin grafts are expected to result in minimal scarring after transplantation. The Zurich-based startup was founded in 2016 by Dr. Daniela Marino (CEO) and Dr. Fabienne Hartmann-Fritsch (CCO) and won first place in 2020.
• Third place: 9T Labs (www.9tlabs.com): A new way to manufacture carbon composites. Zurich-based 9T Labs offers a manufacturing solution that makes high-performance parts easily accessible. The startup's all-in-one hardware, software and materials solution offers customers a cost-effective and easy way to design and mass-produce ultralight parts for sectors such as the medical, aerospace and automotive markets. The engineering startup was founded in 2018 by Martin Eichenhofer, Chester Houwink and Giovanni Cavolina and placed sixth in 2020.

The complete list of the 100 Best Startups 2021 and the 10 winners of the TOP 100 Public Voting can be found here. here.

Targeting the growth of Swiss scale-ups

In 2019 and 2020, just over CHF 2 billion was invested annually in Swiss startups for the first time. Despite the coronavirus crisis, Swiss startups have already raised this amount by July 2021 and are heading for an impressive record. Significantly more than half of this investment volume is attributable to alumni of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups - including wefox's USD 650 million fundraising round or SOPHiA GENETICS' IPO on Nasdaq. To lay a solid foundation for future fundraising success stories, the TOP 100 Investor Summit, invited selected startups that are looking for capital. The startups had the opportunity to network with hand-picked Swiss and international Super Angels, venture capitalists, corporate investors and family office representatives from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Switzerland and to present their innovations.

Between September 7 and 11, 2022, the grounds of Bernexpo will for the third time after 2014 and 2018 become a huge temporary stage for over 1000 talented professionals from around 140 different Swiss apprenticeship professions. The format of the central SwissSkills enables the public and especially young people in the career orientation process to look over the shoulders of the country's best young professionals at work and thus experience a wide variety of apprenticeships on a 1:1 basis.

Record participation and strong signs from the business community

Daniel Arn, President of the organizing association SwissSkills Bern, is extremely pleased with the huge interest on the part of the professional associations that will present their apprenticeships and hold Swiss championships at SwissSkills. "Neither for the first two events held in 2014 and 2018, nor for SwissSkills 2020, which has unfortunately been postponed by two years for corona reasons, did we have so many registrations from the professional associations," explains the OC President. Equally pleasing is the interest on the part of public and private partners. In addition to the support from the public sector, SwissSkills can once again count on great support from the business community. "Our previous partners have remained loyal to us and already the first new sponsors have joined us," continues Arn. "Our vocational training system has proven itself extremely well in the current crisis and offers young people in the country prospects even in these unfamiliar times. More than ever, SwissSkills 2022 will be a showcase for Swiss vocational education and training, such a central pillar of Switzerland as a place to work and think. Together with all those involved and, above all, the young professionals in action, we will send out an important signal of new beginnings in the fall of 2022."

120,000 visitors expected

The organizers are confident that they will be able to offer visitors an inspiring event experience with unique insights into the variety of professions without any drastic restrictions by one year from now. Some 120,000 visitors are expected over the five days of the event, including 60,000 schoolchildren from all over Switzerland, who will be able to visit SwissSkills in Berne as part of a forward-looking school trip. Thanks to the partnership with SBB, school classes from all over Switzerland will be able to travel to SwissSkills in Bern for a maximum of CHF 20 per person.

Qualification process started - details available on new SwissSkills website

The selection process for apprentices to take part in SwissSkills 2022 has already begun in some professions. As diverse as the SwissSkills professions are, so are the participation criteria for SwissSkills set by the respective professional associations. An overview of the criteria and any preliminary competitions can be found on the SwissSkills website (www.swiss-skills.ch/mitmachen). While the selection process has already started in some professions, in others it will not be determined until after the final apprenticeship examinations in summer 2022 who can take part in SwissSkills in September.

SwissSkills Champions Vera Stocker and Yunus Ruff are the "Faces" of SwissSkills 2022

One year before the opening, the new main advertising motif for SwissSkills 2022 was also published. It shows the two current SwissSkills champions Vera Stocker (baker-confectioner EFZ, Swiss champion in the bakery-confectionery category) and Yunus Ruff (automation technician EFZ; Swiss champion in the Industry 4.0) with their medals from the SwissSkills Championships 2020. The new motif reflects the emotionality and passion of the young professionals that make SwissSkills so unique.

Vera Stocker and Yunus Ruff are also members of the SwissSkills National Team due to their successes. In the coming year, they will be preparing intensively for the WorldSkills in Shanghai, which will take place in October 2022. Together with Silvan Wiedmer, Yunus Ruff will represent Switzerland at the EuroSkills in Graz (22 to 26 September) in just over two weeks.

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