What position do Swiss companies hold in the realm of sustainability—is it perceived as a curse, a blessing, or merely an empty term? The matter is set to impact all businesses imminently. Starting from January 2023, larger Swiss firms have been mandated to disclose sustainability reports. This requirement extends to detailing the practices of their suppliers and service providers, who are, in turn, compelled to adopt more sustainable measures through procurement processes. Additional mandates for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are already emerging.

From November 2023 to mid-January 2024, we conducted a survey as a foundation for further research and to support the industry, involving 306 companies from the broader Airport Zurich area. These companies represent a cross-section of the business community, including small (51%), medium-sized (34%), and large enterprises (15%). The sectors these companies operate in include services (53%), construction (13%), industry (13%), trade (8%), and others (13%).

It was noteworthy that sustainability is considered important by nearly all participants, with many actively implementing measures to enhance sustainability within their organizations, surpassing existing legal mandates. A diverse array of examples of their sustainability initiatives was showcased. Furthermore, there was a significant identification of both current and future demands for support, ranging from basic information on sustainability requirements to technical assistance in product enhancement and the development of circular production concepts.

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