Multinationals in brief
Multinationals
are a reflection of
the Lake Geneva region
Geneva’s history is closely linked to its openness to the rest of the world, and Swiss and foreign multinationals find fertile ground for their development here. The economic vitality and prosperity of the Lake Geneva region are closely linked to their presence. They provide numerous jobs, are business partners for thousands of SMEs and self-employed individuals, and contribute significantly to the welfare state. They also play a vital role in research and training. They are thus a key player in the influence of international Geneva.
Key documents
They find in Geneva the ideal terrain for their development:
- A skilled, multilingual local workforce
- Cultural diversity that reflects the markets in which they operate
- A spirit of openness
- Shared values
Perfectly integrated into the economic and social fabric, multinationals are committed to the region in a responsible way:
- They recruit locally: 36% of multinationals' employees are Swiss nationals and 44% are from EU/EFTA countries. Recruitment to management and executive positions increasingly benefits local staff
- They train hundreds of young people from the region and develop scientific collaborations with leading universities
- They offer attractive working conditions and are developing cutting-edge HR policies, particularly in terms of promoting equality
- They are committed to charity, sport, culture and associations in partnership with numerous institutions
- They are active in terms of sustainable development and their environmental impact: in particular, they encourage soft mobility through incentives for their employees
Multinationals contribute to the prosperity and influence of the entire region
The economic vitality and prosperity of the Lake Geneva region are largely dependent on the presence of Swiss and foreign multinationals. As major players in the regional fabric, they are significant job providers, essential partners for thousands of SMEs and self-employed individuals, strong contributors to the funding of the social security system and academia, and key drivers of the region’s international influence.
Multinationals invest heavily in training, welcoming hundreds of young people each year, as well as in research and development. In Switzerland, they account for 89% of R&D investments, helping to position the country among the world leaders in innovation and patents, with major discoveries such as the World Wide Web at CERN and Velcro at EPFL.
Multinationals represent:
Together to
face the future
In a changing world, business competitiveness is being severely tested by rising costs linked to the strength of the Swiss franc, tax competition between states, growing over-regulation, and international pressure.
This is why multinationals, like SMEs/SMIs, must be able to rely on favorable framework conditions for their development in order to plan for the long-term future:
- A stable legal and legislative framework
- A long-term political vision favorable to the entrepreneurial spirit
- Competitive taxation that meets international standards
- An efficient social system, a guarantee of industrial peace
- Facilitated access to a qualified workforce in addition to the local workforce, which implies maintaining the free movement of people
- Easier access to foreign markets
- Stable and lasting relations with the EU