Philanthropy and the Swiss economy have always been closely tied. These connections extend far beyond financial aspects to include sharing expertise, networks, and the desire to take an active role in shaping society. Companies’ reasons and approaches vary significantly, with only a handful getting involved within the framework of CSR, CCR, SDG or ESG. Most have never heard these terms, yet fulfil their social responsibilities with tremendous success – even without a conceptual framework. Especially in crises, larger company donations provide quick and effective help.

Beyond this, there is far too much we still do not know, which is why we have dedicated this issue to examining corporate philanthropy. We delve into social projects at multinational corporations such as Novartis, Nestlé and ABB, explore what Ricola stands for (it’s more than just cough drops) and discover how much Swissair employees have accomplished with their foundation, though the company itself no longer exists. Of particular interest are foundations that own joint stock companies (AG).