Since 1958, Soliswiss has been a cooperative – and this is a conscious choice. In 2018, we reaffirmed our cooperative structure in our Cooperative Strategy – out of conviction.
But what does “cooperative” mean?
Like other types of companies, cooperatives are regulated under the Swiss Code of Obligations. Article 828 defines a cooperative as:
«A cooperative is a corporate body formed by an unlimited number of persons or commercial companies, the principal aim of which is to promote or guarantee the economic interests of its members through joint self-help or to pursue charitable purposes.»
For Soliswiss, being a cooperative means:
- We exist to pursue a goal based on shared values: protecting Swiss citizens abroad. Self-help and solidarity among members are at the heart of what we do.
- We are open to new members who identify with our values.
- All members jointly and equally own the cooperative.
- Our members make the key decisions, and every member has one vote.
- Our purpose is to serve our members, and we measure success by the value we create for them.
- We empower self-help through advice as well as access to products and services from our partners.
- We and our members live solidarity – through the emergency fund, the lump-sum compensation, and long-standing loyalty to Soliswiss, which enables us to offer affordable membership and advice.
- Our focus is on our members, not on maximising profits. We are not profit-driven.
- We act with a long-term vision and do not aim for short-lived success.
The 2018 Cooperative Strategy marked a clear return to Soliswiss’ core mission: helping, advising, offering solutions, creating benefits, and connecting people.
Since 2006, alongside the Soliswiss Cooperative, there has also been Soliswiss Ltd. This company was established at the time to carry out riskier and more heavily regulated activities, such as asset management and insurance brokerage. Soliswiss Ltd. is wholly owned by the Soliswiss Cooperative. Since 2018, and also for regulatory reasons, Soliswiss Ltd. has intentionally become less active. The risky business was transferred to partners in the spirit of long-term, sustainable operations. Now, a logical and consistent step has been taken: the Ltd. is being merged back into the Cooperative. Soliswiss is thus, not only in spirit but also on paper, once again a unified Cooperative. The reverse merger leads to cost savings, as expenses for the board of directors, accounting, and auditing are no longer necessary. It also significantly increases transparency, as the Cooperative’s annual financial statement will now present all figures in one place. On 10 June, the Soliswiss General Assembly unanimously approved the merger.
We promote the cooperative idea not only within Soliswiss but also more broadly. We are a member of Idée Coopérative, a cooperative for cooperatives and Switzerland’s competence centre for cooperative matters. Because of the importance of cooperatives, the UN has declared 2025 the Year of Cooperatives. So it is only fitting that the merger of Soliswiss AG into the Soliswiss Cooperative will take place in 2025 – under the motto: Soliswiss – Fully a Cooperative.