Message From The Farhat Ali President

It is indeed very commendable that the Embassy of Switzerland in Pakistan has undertaken an initiative to promote the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) being implemented by the Swiss Companies operative in Pakistan and Embassy’s collaboration with the magazine ‘EVOLVE – Business Insight’ who is publishing a special issue on the subject to invoke public awareness with Swiss Companies as the role model.

The Swiss Government is also reported to be a great exponent of CSR. The Swiss Federal Council has adapted a position paper which includes an action plan on corporate social responsibility. While there are no rules for the implementation of CSR, the Swiss Federal Council says that CSR should ideally become a part of a company’s corporate culture. This is truly reflected in the conduct of the Swiss Companies who have adapted it as an integral part of their mission statement and corporate policy, inclusive of the ones operative in Pakistan.

It is also commendable that all the major Swiss Companies operative in Pakistan have volunteered to be part of this initiative and make transparent to public the importance of CSR and its impact on the environment, the safety and protection standards practiced at work, the welfare and development of the Human Resource deployed by them and above all the philanthropic activities they are engaged in as their responsibility and contribution to the civil society.

The endeavors of the Embassy to the cause and that of the Swiss Companies towards the same, has positioned the State of Switzerland and the Swiss Businesses on the same page. The two put together shall undoubtedly contribute their bit in making the country a better place to work and live in.

The last few decades witnessed unprecedented challenges to environment, the limitation of the Government to catch up on its social responsibility towards its growing population and the awareness of the employees to their safety at work.

In Pakistan, a good over 60 % of the public social responsibility is managed by the private and corporate sector, notably, in education and health care.

The corporate and the private sector in Pakistan has also well recognized that, while profitability and growth is its primary goal, there are substantial benefits to engaging in CSR by virtue of which the company’s image and reputation is enhanced. As per a study conducted by a global consulting firm, Forbes says “analysis shows that 41% of how people feel about a company is based on their perceptions of the firm’s corporate social responsibility practices.

Swiss Business Council, operative since 2008, is registered with Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan as a legal entity to facilitate and support the collective interests of the Swiss Companies operative in Pakistan. Since the last over one year, in collaboration with Switzerland Global Enterprise, it is pursuing a special initiative to link the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of Switzerland with the SMEs in Pakistan through Investments, Joint Venture partnership, Agency arrangements and Technology transfer.

In the last one year, SBC has managed to link six Swiss Companies with Pakistani Companies. SBC's target for this year is to add on six more companies. We are confident that the growing footprints of Swiss Companies in Pakistan will add to the CSR pursuits in the best interest of their businesses, their employees and the society. 

I wish the Swiss Embassy, the Swiss Companies and EVOLVE great success in their endeavors towards to this project of great national importance.