12. State of the Art and Progress of Corporate Sustainability in Switzerland

The state of the art and the progress of sustainability management were surveyed among 205 companies with headquarters in the German-speaking part of Switzerland; 25 of those companies responded to the ICSB questionnaire. Compared to the international average, the sample included a larger number of small companies (between 250 and 10,000 employees) and from the finance & services sector, but fewer companies from the industry sector. For many questions, the results indicate similar trends compared to the international average, but values from Swiss companies are often lower. Some differences were noticeable. Although social and environmental issues were considered less important for the management than on international average, a substantial knowledge and relatively high level of application of management tools is striking. Also the influence of many external stakeholders is considered less promoting for the implementation of corporate sustainability. The findings are discussed in relation to the particularities of the Swiss sample.