Standing Strong. Moving Forward Together: 20 Organizations Awarded the Swiss LGBTI-Label

At a time when workplace diversity is coming under increasing pressure internationally, leading Swiss employers are sending a visible signal: at the eighth Swiss LGBTI-Label award ceremony in Bern, 20 companies and organizations were newly certified or recertified for their commitment to LGBTIQ inclusion. Under the motto “Standing Strong. Moving Forward Together,” the Swiss LGBTI-Label Association recognized organizations that take a clear stand and continue moving forward together.

Around one hundred guests from the business community, public administration, and civil society gathered at Swiss Post in Bern on 22 July to celebrate a dual achievement: the continuous progress of long-standing label holders and the entry of new organizations into a growing community. The Swiss LGBTI-Label is the only certification in Switzerland that recognizes employers’ commitment to LGBTIQ inclusion through a structured, externally assessed process.

“Standing Strong. Moving Forward Together” is more than a motto. It reflects the reality of this year: while diversity programs are being scaled back elsewhere, Swiss organizations are voluntarily undergoing assessment and publicly committing to an inclusive working environment. Inclusion is not a fair-weather initiative. Its value becomes particularly evident when it matters most.

The evening was hosted by moderator Olivier Borer. Following the welcome address by Carole Rentsch, Head of Human Resources at Swiss Post, Theres Bachofen, President of the Swiss LGBTI-Label Association, provided an overview of the latest developments. This was followed by remarks from Schindler Elevators and JTI.

Newly Certified: Five Organizations Receive the Swiss LGBTI-Label for the First Time

Four corporate groups, representing five organizations, successfully completed the certification process for the first time:

• SIX Group
• Beiersdorf
• Landquart Fashion Outlet
• sanofi-aventis (schweiz) and Sanofi International

Heike Huber, Country Manager Switzerland at Beiersdorf, said:

“The Swiss LGBTI-Label is a wonderful recognition of our commitment to an inclusive corporate culture. However, it is not the end of the journey. Particularly in the current climate, the label sends an important signal in support of diversity and inclusion. At Beiersdorf, we want to create a working environment in which all employees experience a sense of belonging and can realize their full potential. We can only move closer to this goal by taking an honest look at ourselves. Where are we doing well, and where do we need to improve? This recognition reinforces our determination to continue consistently along this path.”

Markus Isenmann, Managing Director and AllEBRG Sponsor for Sanofi in Switzerland and Austria, said:

Receiving the Swiss LGBTI-Label is a meaningful recognition of Sanofi’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. It confirms our ambition to create workplaces where everyone can be themselves. At Sanofi, we have also understood that diversity drives innovation, strengthens the trust of our employees, and enables solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Through our Employee Business Resource Groups, such as PRIDE+, we put this commitment into practice every day through empathy, respect, and concrete action.

By obtaining their initial certification, these organizations commit to embedding LGBTIQ inclusion in their human resources and corporate policies in a structured and verifiable manner.

Recertified: 15 Organizations Reaffirm Their Commitment

Fifteen label holders completed the recertification process, confirming that they have not only maintained their commitment over the years but have continued to develop it:

art floral · Accenture · Allianz Suisse Versicherungs-Gesellschaft · JTI (Japan Tobacco International) · Swiss International Air Lines · PricewaterhouseCoopers · Boston Consulting Group · Schindler Elevators · Sunrise · City of Zurich · HDI Global SE, Switzerland · EY · Horváth & Partner · OE Group · Swiss Post

Carole Rentsch, Head of Human Resources at Swiss Post, said:

“With around 44,000 employees, Swiss Post is as diverse as Switzerland itself. It is particularly important to me that everyone in our organization feels respected, accepted, and that they belong. No one should feel that they have to pretend to be someone else in order to fit in. I am therefore delighted that we have once again received the Swiss LGBTI-Label. It confirms that we are on the right path while also showing us where we can improve further. An inclusive working culture strengthens teams, promotes innovation, and makes Swiss Post an attractive employer.”

The recertified organizations range from small businesses to some of the largest employers in both the public and private sectors. They demonstrate that commitment to inclusion is not a question of size, but of values and conviction.

Business and the Public Sector Working Together

This year’s group of participants highlights the breadth of the movement. Globally active corporations, consulting firms, industrial companies, a retail destination, insurers, the aviation sector, and two major public-sector employers, the City of Zurich and Swiss Post, are united behind the same objective: creating workplaces in which everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, is safe, respected, and treated equally.

Theres Bachofen, President of the Swiss LGBTI-Label Association, said:

“The fact that 20 organizations chose to undergo assessment this year sends a powerful signal. Particularly at a time when diversity is being questioned elsewhere, these employers are consciously choosing to take a stand and continue moving forward.”

The Association would like to thank Swiss Post Ltd, Schindler Elevators, and JTI for their generous support of the event.

In closing, Alejandro Betancor, Managing Director of the Swiss LGBTI-Label Association, commented:

“The label is not merely a badge, but a promise. Organizations that carry it commit to making inclusion measurable and verifiable, year after year.”