Caritas

What Caritas does

Caritas is referenced in the provided input only by name, with no source-anchored factual material supplied in this extraction call. The aggregated content block contains no WX-prefixed source IDs and no substantive descriptive text. Accordingly, a detailed 2-3 paragraph factual description cannot be reliably produced from the supplied data without violating the no-fabrication rule. Based solely on the entity name "Caritas" — a well-known international network of Catholic charitable organizations headquartered in various national chapters (the contextual thinking artifact references a Switzerland-headquartered affiliate with humanitarian, social services, and retail operations) — the organization is generally understood to operate charitable programs including poverty relief, refugee assistance, debt counseling, and international development cooperation. However, none of these facts are backed by a verifiable source ID in the current input, and the description should be treated as provisional pending a follow-up extraction call with primary-source material.

Name

Caritas

Legal name

Caritas Switzerland

Website

https://caritas.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Caritas is a charitable organization (no further specifics available from the supplied input data).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Social Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Poverty alleviation programs
• Social counseling services
• International development cooperation
• Charitable donation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: Caritas Switzerland generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization offers one-time, monthly, and annual donation options with suggested amounts of 75 CHF, 135 CHF, and 250 CHF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Caritas Switzerland prevents and alleviates poverty in Switzerland and approximately 20 countries worldwide through social services (Caritas Markets discount grocery stores, debt counseling, KulturLegi discount cards, social consulting, clothing redistribution), volunteer programs (mountain farming assistance, youth engagement, digital inclusion), and international humanitarian/development projects addressing income, climate, and migration. The organization is funded primarily by donations and delivers services through a network of regional Caritas organizations.

Product overview

Caritas Switzerland operates as a humanitarian organization preventing and alleviating poverty in Switzerland and approximately 20 countries worldwide. Rather than a unified tech product, Caritas offers a portfolio of social service programs (debt counseling, Caritas Markets discount grocery stores, KulturLegi discount cards, clothing centers, social counseling), volunteer initiatives (mountain assistance, youth engagement through youngCaritas, digital inclusion support), and humanitarian programs (cash assistance, climate adaptation, migration support). The organization also produces knowledge products including annual reports, the Caritas-Magazin, Sozialalmanach, development policy almanacs, thematic papers on international cooperation, and position papers. These services work together through a network of regional Caritas organizations coordinated by Caritas Switzerland, with thematic focuses on income/livelihoods, climate, migration, and humanitarian aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caritas Markets Network of 23 discount grocery stores across Switzerland offering fresh vegetables, basic food items, and everyday products at significantly reduced prices for people affected by poverty.
• Debt Advice Service (Schuldenberatung) Professional debt counseling service that helps prevent people in poverty from falling into a cycle of debt, providing advice sessions to those in financial difficulty.
• KulturLegi Discount card program providing reduced-price access to cultural and sporting activities for people with limited budgets.
• Social Counseling Social consultation services providing advice and support for people in emergency situations.
• Clothing Center (Kleiderzentrale) Clothing collection and redistribution service, providing affordable clothing to those in need.
• Caritas-Bergeinsatz (Mountain Assistance) Volunteer program connecting motivated helpers with mountain farming families in emergency situations and during busy summer months for tasks including childcare, barn work, haymaking, and construction.
• YoungCaritas Youth sector of Caritas targeting young people and young adults aged 16-30, offering knowledge resources, volunteer opportunities, project funding support, and the annual youngCaritas Award for social and sustainable projects.
• Return Counseling (Rückkehrberatung) Counseling and support service for asylum seekers and refugees planning their return to their country of origin.
• Cash Assistance Programs Cash-based assistance programs such as CARMA V supporting vulnerable Syrian families with a combination of cash aid and case management.
• Climate Adaptation Projects Projects supporting vulnerable communities in adapting to climate change, strengthening resilience, and sustainably securing income through ecosystem restoration, energy efficiency, and natural disaster protection.
• Digital Participation (Digitale Teilhabe) Support program helping people with digital challenges, including assistance with smartphone apps, laptop use, and online registrations through regional 'Digi-Treff' meeting points.
• Padrinati / Sponsorships ('mit mir' Patenschaft) Sponsorship program where volunteers commit one or two times per week to support disadvantaged families and children, providing companionship and assistance during difficult times.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1.4 million people in Switzerland affected or threatened by poverty served through various programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SunrisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunrise has partnered with Caritas Switzerland on the pilot project 'Digital Access Promotion and Skills' to support digital inclusion. CEO André Krause has publicly endorsed the partnership as an ideal collaboration.
• claro fair trade AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas Switzerland has increased its stake in claro fair trade AG, a fair trade company handling food, crafts, and textiles from the Global South. In 2013, claro took over Caritas's fair trade operations including Unica stores. The partnership maintains Caritas's connection to fair trade principles.
• Cash Learning Partnership (CALP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas Switzerland is a member of the CALP network, which enables collaboration to increase the scale and quality of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) while helping organizations track their progress.
• Coop Patenschaft für BerggebieteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoop Patenschaft für Berggebiete cooperates with Caritas-Bergeinsatz since 2021, supporting communication and mutual assistance for mountain farming families.
• Alliance SudcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance Sud is the alliance of Swiss NGOs engaged for global justice. Members include Swissaid, Fastenaktion, Helvetas, Caritas, Heks, Solidar Suisse, and Terre des Hommes.
• Hochschule für Agrar-, Forst- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften (HAFL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAFL of Bern University of Applied Sciences was the lead research partner in developing Caritas Switzerland's Climate Proofing Approach, linking climate adaptation and greenhouse gas accounting in land use.
• Hochschule für Soziale Arbeit Freiburg (HETS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas Switzerland provides internship placements for HETS students as part of academic cooperation.
• Curaviva SchweizminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas collaborates with Curaviva Schweiz on a training series about palliative care in retirement and care homes.
• Dachverband Schuldenberatung SchweizminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaritas Switzerland is a member of the Dachverband Schuldenberatung Schweiz, working together to strengthen debt counseling and prevention.
• Catholic Church (Cuba)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe US government announced $6 million in humanitarian aid for Cuba to be distributed by the Catholic Church and Caritas, including supplies like rice, beans, pasta, tuna, and solar lamps.

Scale indicators5 records

Direct peers

• Swissaid: Swiss development NGO and Alliance Sud co-member focused on poverty alleviation, food sovereignty, and women's empowerment in Global South countries. Same Zewo-certified donation model and similar Swiss donor base as Caritas Switzerland.
• HEKS/EPER: Swiss Protestant aid organization and Alliance Sud member. Comparable as a Swiss-registered, donation-funded NGO delivering domestic social services and international development programs, with similar program structure (integration, migration, livelihoods).
• Helvetas: Swiss development NGO and Alliance Sud member focused on poverty reduction, water, agriculture, and governance in developing countries. Directly comparable model: Swiss-based, donation-funded, international development focus, similar organizational scale.
• Solidar Suisse: Swiss solidarity/development NGO and Alliance Sud member. Operates donation-funded programs on labor rights, migration, and global justice. Direct peer in funding model, Swiss donor base, and Alliance Sud coalition membership.
• Caritas Internationalis: The global confederation of which Caritas Switzerland is a member. Operates the same humanitarian and social service model across 160+ countries, with shared branding, methodology, and donor constituencies.
• Terre des Hommes Suisse: Swiss child-rights NGO and Alliance Sud member. Comparable as Swiss-headquartered, donation-funded NGO running development and humanitarian programs for vulnerable children, with similar thematic overlap on migration and child protection.

Broad incumbents

• Swiss Red Cross: Switzerland's largest humanitarian organization, operating domestic social services, blood transfusion, and international aid. Comparable in mission (poverty relief, migration, disaster response) and fundraising scale, but broader in scope (health, rescue services).
• Oxfam Switzerland: Swiss affiliate of Oxfam International, focused on poverty, inequality, and humanitarian response. Comparable donation-funded Swiss NGO with similar international development and emergency relief portfolio.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Switzerland: Swiss section of the global medical-humanitarian organization MSF. Comparable in operating-model terms (Swiss-based, donation-funded, emergency response in fragile states) but specializes in medical humanitarian aid rather than broad social services.
• Save the Children Switzerland: Swiss affiliate of Save the Children, focused on children's rights, education, and emergency response. Comparable in donor-base structure and international program delivery, with thematic overlap on child and family welfare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CaritasSchweiz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CaritasSchweiz
• Facebookfacebook.com/Caritas.Schweiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caritas-schweiz
• Instagraminstagram.com/caritas.schweiz
• TikToktiktok.com/@caritas.schweiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Caritas