Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

Gender equality continues to make progress in Swiss workforce

The proportion of women in Swiss company boardrooms and management ranks continues to rise, according to an annual survey of the largest employers in both private and public sectors.

Read More »

Switzerland gears up to place robots in classrooms

Covid-19 has accelerated the transition to online teaching, raising questions about the role of robots in classrooms. Switzerland is rolling out its own robot learning programs, but it’s still a long way off before they will replace teachers.

Read More »

Former Swiss central banker throws in towel to lead OECD

Former Swiss National Bank (SNB) chairman, Philipp Hildebrand, has pulled out of the race to become the next secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Read More »

Swiss press divided over phased easing of Covid restrictions

Is the government showing some backbone or being cowardly by keeping to its gradual pandemic reopening plans? The Swiss media can’t agree. For the German-speaking Neue Zürcher ZeitungExternal link broadsheet, the government – which confirmed its measures on Wednesday – is simply being obstinate.

Read More »

Swiss tourism boss says ski resort openings have been justified

The head of the Switzerland Tourism organisation reckons the decision to open ski resorts in the country this winter has – so far – proven to be a good one.

Read More »

Pandemic pushes Swiss away from cash 

Cash has lost its appeal among the Swiss population as the coronavirus pandemic led more people to pay by bank card, mobile app or online, a recent survey has found. 

Read More »

Some Swiss cantons call for earlier restaurant re-openings

Several cantons have called for restaurants to be re-opened a month earlier than the official nationwide plan presented by the government earlier this week.

Read More »

Alpine skiing industry faces uphill battle after reopening U-turn

As a fresh covering of snow brought ideal skiing conditions to the Alpine resort of Piani di Bobbio last weekend, facilities manager Massimo Fossati eagerly anticipated the arrival of the first visitors in nearly a year.

Read More »

The Swiss eID law has flaws, but is another version worth the wait?

The eID is billed as a long-overdue key to the digital world, a single access point for services provided by a range of public and private-sector organisations. But the model proposed by Switzerland – being put to a nationwide referendum in March – is far from watertight.

Read More »

Switzerland tops global e-commerce index

Switzerland is the best equipped country for online shopping, according to a United Nations comparison of more than 150 states.

Read More »

The United Nations in Geneva – before and during the pandemic

With the exception of a few organisations and institutions that continue to operate in person, such as the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently conducting its Universal Periodic Review process, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the WHO and some permanent missions to the United Nations, most day-to-day business and multilateral activities are conducted online.

Read More »

Swiss competition watchdog to investigate Mastercard

The competition authority suspects the global credit card firm of using its position to prevent the rollout of a new, more uniform, ATM system across Switzerland.

Read More »

Residential property prices continue to rise 

Residential property prices in Switzerland rose sharply in the final quarter of 2020, and by an average 2.5% for the year as a whole, according to the Federal Statistics Office. 

Read More »

Hear Swiss stories for the world on The Swiss Connection podcast

What’s it like to move back to – or away from – Switzerland during a pandemic? What does gold mined in Peru have to do with Switzerland? Did you know that “nostalgia” is a Swiss invention?

Read More »

Report shows slump in foreign investment in Swiss real estate

The share of foreign investment in Swiss commercial real estate fell from 15% before 2011 to 5% between 2017 and 2019, according to new research. The issue of foreigners buying cheap Swiss property during the Covid-19 pandemic is being discussed in Bern.

Read More »

Swiss spent record amount on food in 2020

Consumers spent 11.3% more on food and beverages in brick-and-mortar shops last year than they did in 2019, helping the food retail trade to pull in a record turnover of nearly CHF30 billion ($33.7 billion).

Read More »

Covid changes Swiss holiday and transport habits

A third of Swiss people chose not to travel on holiday last year as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, according to automobile association Touring Club Switzerland (TCS).

Read More »

‘Looking after citizens’ ID data is a sovereign task’

Lawyer and parliamentarian Sibel Arslan explains why she is against the proposed new law on digital identity (eID) and why rejecting it would be an opportunity for digitisation. 

Read More »

Switzerland experiences highest unemployment rate in a decade

The unemployment rate in Switzerland rose again in January, reaching 3.7% - the highest level since April 2010. 

Read More »

The introduction of women’s suffrage worldwide

Switzerland was one of the last countries to grant women their right to vote, preceding only 22 other countries worldwide. Today, only one country doesn't allow women voters to cast their ballot in national elections, just because there aren't any. In Vatican City, an absolute monarchy, the legislators are appointed by the Pope. Neither male nor female citizens have the right to vote. February 7, 2021, marks the 50th anniversary of Swiss women's...

Read More »