In Focus
Sustainability Strategically Anchored
Today, the manifold aspects of sustainability influence key business decisions in the international environment. For Swiss companies, it is an opportunity, a driver of innovation, and an area with increasing demands all at once.
These aspects have led S-GE to firmly anchor sustainability in its mandates and within its own organization. In export promotion, S-GE assists companies with regulatory requirements and new market opportunities. In investment promotion, S-GE selectively attracts sustainable and responsible companies to Switzerland. And as an organization, S-GE is continuously developing its own environmental, social, and economic activities.
As an official body for export and investment promotion, S-GE provides guidance, connects companies with relevant partners and tools, and enables them to scale up sustainable solutions globally. S-GE has also published a Sustainability Report since 2024, and in so doing creates transparency about its activities and their impact.
We see it as our mission to provide Swiss companies with secure, sustainable, and forward-looking support in international markets. In 2025, we supported 1,105 export companies, including 529 cleantech solutions, in the area of sustainability and helped them to identify opportunities and requirements at an early stage.
Export Promotion
A Success Factor in Global Business
In export promotion, S-GE supports Swiss companies in understanding sustainability requirements in their target markets, seizing opportunities, identifying risks, and scaling up sustainable solutions globally. In 2025, S-GE found the topic of sustainability to be somewhat less of a focus due to other priorities (e.g. US tariffs). However, the demand for sustainability support remained high, as the topic remains strategically relevant for companies. S-GE was able to actively offer Swiss companies effective support with suitable formats.
1,105
companies supported with sustainability issues
S-GE recorded a slightly reduced, yet still high demand from Swiss companies for information about new developments and requirements in the area of sustainability compared to the previous year (2024: 1,444). Around 15% of all companies assisted by S-GE in 2025 received support on sustainability issues (previous year: 20%). More than anything, developments regarding sustainability regulations in target markets and the search for business partners certified as sustainable received a lot of attention.
98%
satisfaction
S-GE helped 529 Swiss companies roll out innovative solutions in the cleantech sector internationally (previous year: 573). These companies were very satisfied with the information and consulting services provided by S-GE and its partners. S-GE uses the satisfaction measurement to check whether its offering is meeting the needs of the companies.Examples from Export Promotion
CBAM – Update on Current Developments and Implications for Swiss Exporters
The compact informative webinar presented the new requirements and simplifications introduced by the European Commission’s Omnibus Package in relation to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and what this means specifically for Swiss exporters. 257 participants took part in the webinar.
CLIMADA – Climate Strategy as a Competitive Advantage
Global climate change is confronting exporting SMEs with stricter regulations, rising costs, or new customer expectations. With global markets enforcing frameworks such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive or the EU Taxonomy, Swiss SMEs need to adapt quickly to remain competitive or even emerge as industry leaders. Together with CLIMADA Technologies, S-GE helps Swiss companies to analyze climate risk and make appropriate strategic decisions.
IFIs – Sustainable Infrastructure Projects as an Opportunity
Emerging markets are investing heavily in sustainable infrastructure. International financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank or regional development banks finance thousands of projects in areas such as transport, energy, water, and urban development. This opens up access to high-quality tenders for Swiss SMEs.
Together with industry associations, SERV, and SECO, S-GE helps companies to achieve success, from identifying opportunities and performing targeted matchmaking to providing training on IFI standards. This targeted support lowers market entry barriers for Swiss SMEs and increases their visibility in front of key decision-makers.
SkyCell – Sustainable Swiss Precision Across Asia
SkyCell, a leading provider of temperature-regulated container solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, was planning to expand into Asia. . With S-GE’s support, the company was able to establish important connections, increase brand awareness, and consolidate its presence in the rapidly developing markets of Japan, Korea, and China. SkyCell’s innovative products help to reduce CO2 emissions in the pharmaceutical air freight sector and are an example of sustainable market opportunities.
Investment Promotion
A Sustainable Business Location
By focusing on global innovation leaders, investment promotion is able to deliberately settle companies with sustainable business models in Switzerland. These companies often come with progressive ideas and practices, thereby promoting the development of sustainable technologies and the exchange of knowledge with Swiss industry. S-GE actively looks for foreign companies that will strengthen Switzerland as a sustainable business and innovation location. In addition, S-GE reviews all interested companies and projects for sustainability.
100%
of target companies assessed on sustainability criteria
S-GE reviews the selected target companies for ESG risks using the Swiss database RepRisk. This helps S-GE to ensure that only companies with certain standards are actively addressed.
50%
of relocation projects also assessed on additional sustainability criteria
When dealing with a specific relocation project, i.e. if a company wants to settle in Switzerland, S-GE also assesses this using a specific evaluation grid.In addition to ESG criteria, S-GE also conducts targeted background checks on specific companies. The LexisNexis database is used to ensure professional due diligence and to identify risks at an early stage. This service is also offered to the cantonal and regional promotional agencies. During this period, 40 companies and 81 individuals were checked, and 47 due diligence checks were carried out for the cantons and regions.
Example from Investment Promotion
BYD Boosts Sustainable Mobility in Switzerland
BYD, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electric vehicles, is opening a branch office in Zurich, marking the start of its expansion into Europe. The location serves the Chinese company as a central hub for emission-free mobility.
BYD intends to expand its dealer network and strengthen partnerships from its Zurich location. Together with local partners, BYD wants to expand the ecosystem for sustainable technologies and implement innovative solutions in the field of mobility. As an innovation-friendly country, Switzerland offers ideal conditions to do so.
S-GE Activities
A Sustainable Organization and Employer
Sustainability is a strategic issue for S-GE, not only regarding the services it offers to other companies, but also in terms of its own operations. An interdisciplinary team ensures that environmental, social, and economic aspects are embedded throughout the organization and are consistently developed further.
S-GE strives to act responsibly in all of its operational activities. This includes business trips as well as procurement, training, and day-to-day collaboration. In this way, we make a measurable contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and the Confederation.
6,4
6,4 CO2 footprint per full-time equivalent
S-GE endeavors to continuously reduce its own CO2 footprint to help achieve global climate targets. To this end, S-GE measures its own CO₂ emissions annually in collaboration with SwissClimate and derives measures from the results. Specifically, S-GE is strengthening ecological and social criteria in its procurement guidelines, promoting the reuse of materials at trade fairs and events, and establishing guidelines for a responsible business travel culture.
53 %
proportion of employees who take part in further training
S-GE places a special focus on the further training of its staff. As an employer, S-GE therefore promotes the skills of the team and the personal development of its employees. It offers internal training and development programs and supports participation in external training. In 2025, for example, S-GE offered two mandatory training sessions on sustainability for all employees.Examples of S-GE as an Organization
Partnership with UN Global Compact
S-GE has been a member of the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland + Liechtenstein since 2024 and actively puts the ten principles on human rights, labor law, the environment, and anti-corruption into practice. In 2025, together with the UN Global Compact, S-GE provided practical support to Swiss companies, e.g. with the joint webinar “Sustainability Reporting for Exporting SMEs”, which offered export companies specific insights into international reporting standards, materiality analyses, and useful tools. Further initiatives are planned for the coming quarters to support Swiss companies in the area of sustainability.
Learning and Working Culture: New Learning Management System Provides Reinforcement
S-GE attaches great importance to promoting an inclusive and fair working environment. The organization is committed to equality and diversity, offers competitive remuneration according to SQS Fair Compensation, and facilitates flexible working models. At the same time, S-GE consistently invests in the continuous development of its employees, thereby strengthening their skills and prospects.
In 2025, S-GE launched the pilot phase of the Learning Management System (LMS) to make training and development more systematic, visible, and efficient. The LMS supports the exchange of knowledge, development of skills, and promotion of talent, and is part of S-GE’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and further expanding a solid learning culture.
Downloads
Sustainability Report
