Clair Bois Foundation
Fondation Clair Bois is a Geneva-based Swiss non-profit foundation providing specialized education, residential care, therapy, and vocational training for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and multiple disabilities, supplemented by five social enterprises that generate revenue and employment opportunities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersPlan-les-ouates, Switzerland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Clair Bois Foundation does
Fondation Clair Bois is a Swiss non-profit foundation established in 1975 and headquartered in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. Its core mission is to provide specialized support to children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and/or multiple disabilities across the Canton of Geneva, delivered through a continuum-of-care model that includes specialized schools and boarding schools (Clair Bois-Chambésy, Clair Bois-Lancy), housing services, therapeutic and care services, and day centers at multiple sites (Chambésy, Lancy, Gradelle, Minoteries, Pinchat). The foundation also operates the Centre de Formation du DFIP, providing inclusive apprenticeships and professional reintegration training for people with disabilities, career changers, and those in reintegration.
Revenue is generated through four streams: (i) cantonal and government-funded care and education services delivered under authorized-provider agreements; (ii) tax-deductible donations collected through the foundation's website and annual fundraising events; (iii) social-enterprise revenue from two GRTA-certified restaurants (Clair d'Arve in Geneva and Clair de Lune in Vessy), a catering operation (Traiteur), two professional laundries (Blanchisserie Pinchat and Blanchisserie Tourbillon), and graphic-design/video-production workshops (Ateliers / Ex&Co); and (iv) vocational training programs supported by government reintegration measures. The social enterprises serve a dual purpose: generating earned revenue and providing adapted vocational training and employment for people with disabilities.
The foundation's underlying technology is centered on assistive communication rather than digital platforms. It deploys Alternative and Enhanced Communication (CAA) panels, pictograms, speech synthesis, and visual supports to enable non-verbal individuals to communicate, and in April 2026 inaugurated the first CAA public-space signage in Geneva (Parc Louis-Bertrand, Lancy) in partnership with the Ville de Lancy. Digital infrastructure is conventional (WordPress-based website, PostFinance payment processing, Infomaniak hosting), with no proprietary software platform, API, or mobile app. The foundation is governed by a Conseil de Fondation; leadership transitioned in early 2026 with Arnaud Perrier succeeding Horace Gautier as president and Alain Kolly serving as Director General.
Clair Bois Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clair Bois Foundation
- Legal name
- Fondation Clair Bois
- Website
- https://www.clairbois.ch/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Fondation Clair Bois is a Geneva-based Swiss non-profit foundation providing specialized education, residential care, therapy, and vocational training for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and multiple disabilities, supplemented by five social enterprises that generate revenue and employment opportunities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clair Bois Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability and Social Care Services
- NAICS
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)
Keywords
Where Clair Bois Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plan-les-ouates
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Clair Bois Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Public donations through website and annual fundraising events. Donations are tax-deductible in Switzerland.
- Social Enterprises: Commercial operations including restaurants (Clair d'Arve, Clair de Lune), catering services, laundries (Pinchat, Tourbillon), and graphic/video production (Ateliers). These provide both revenue and vocational training for people with disabilities.
- Educational and Care Services: Government-funded educational and care services for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap, including schools, residential care, therapy, and day centers.
- Vocational Training: Training programs through DFIP (Centre de Formation) for people with learning difficulties and disabilities, supported by government measures.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Restaurant Clair d'Arve - Plat du jour and menu items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Restaurant Clair de Lune - Daily suggestions and menu |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Book 2015-2025 (50th anniversary publication) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Clair Bois Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fondation Clair Bois delivers specialized education, residential housing, therapy, and day programs for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and multiple disabilities across multiple Geneva sites. It also operates a portfolio of social enterprises (restaurants, catering, laundries, graphic/video production) that serve as both commercial operations and vocational training environments, and runs an inclusive apprenticeship training center (DFIP).
Product overview
Fondation Clair Bois is a Swiss foundation providing a comprehensive ecosystem of care, education, housing, and social inclusion services for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and/or multiple disabilities. Its offering spans specialized schools and boarding schools, therapeutic and care services, housing solutions, and day centers across five sites. In parallel, the foundation operates a portfolio of social enterprises — two GRTA-labeled restaurants (Clair d'Arve in Geneva and Clair de Lune in Vessy), a catering service (Traiteur), two professional laundries (Pinchat and Tourbillon), and graphic design and video production workshops (Atypik/Ex&Co) — which serve as both commercial operations and vocational training environments for people with disabilities. The foundation also runs a dedicated training center (Centre de Formation du DFIP) offering inclusive apprenticeships and professional reintegration programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Écoles et Internats (Specialized Schools and Boarding Schools) Specialized educational and boarding services for children and adolescents with polyhandicap and multiple disabilities, delivered across the foundation's Chambésy and Lancy sites.
- Habitat (Housing Services) Residential housing services for adults with polyhandicap, including the La Passerelle pilot project offering part-time housing solutions that allow young adults to maintain family connections while receiving structured care.
- Thérapies et Soins (Therapies and Care) Therapeutic and care services for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap, delivered by professional staff in a warm environment conducive to progress and well-being.
- Centres de jour et Activités (Day Centers and Activities) Structured daytime programs for people with disabilities, delivered across three sites: Clair Bois-Gradelle, Clair Bois-Minoteries, and Clair Bois-Pinchat.
- Centre de Formation du DFIP (Inclusive Vocational Training) Inclusive vocational training center offering personalized, supportive apprenticeship programs for people with disabilities, career changers, and persons in reintegration, using adapted pedagogical methods and accessible facilities.
- Restaurant Clair d'Arve GRTA-certified restaurant located at 11 rue des Minoteries, Geneva, serving cuisine made with local Genevan terroir products. Functions as a vocational training workplace for people with disabilities, open Tuesday to Friday with daily specials around CHF 24.
- Restaurant Clair de Lune GRTA-certified restaurant located at 5 chemin Henri Baumgartner, Vessy, offering seasonal cuisine with fresh regional products. Functions as a training environment for people with disabilities, open daily from 07h30 to 15h30.
- Traiteur Clair Bois (Catering Service) Catering service capable of serving events from 10 to 300 people, operated at Chemin Henri-Baumgartner 5, Vessy, open Monday to Friday from 07h00 to 17h30, with custom menu creation.
- Blanchisserie Pinchat (Laundry Services) Professional commercial laundry service operated as a social enterprise providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities or learning difficulties, located at the Pinchat site.
- Blanchisserie Tourbillon (Laundry Services) Professional commercial laundry service operated as a social enterprise providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities or learning difficulties, located at the Tourbillon site.
- Ateliers de Communication — Graphisme et Vidéo (Graphic Design and Video Production) Graphic design and video production workshops (including the Atypik design studio and Ex&Co Vidéo Production) where people with disabilities or learning difficulties receive training and develop creative and professional skills, while delivering commercial graphic and video production services to clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- La Passerelle pilot project providing part-time housing for young adults with polyhandicap
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Clair Bois Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Clair Bois Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Clair Bois Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ville de LancycoreCollaboration with the City of Lancy for the installation of CAA (Communication Alternative et Améliorée) panels at Parc Louis-Bertrand. First Geneva initiative for inclusive public communication. Inaugurated April 30, 2026. Partners share commitment to accessibility and inclusion in public spaces.
- Léman BleucoreRegional television channel broadcasting Décadrages, a series produced by Ex&Co on disability themes. Partnership for inclusive media content distribution.
- Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève (MAH)minorPartner location for Eternité short film production, providing filming locations and artistic context.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clair Bois Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pro Infirmis: Switzerland's largest disability service organization, providing similar social assistance, residential support, and inclusion services for people with disabilities across multiple cantons — directly comparable in mission and service mix to Clair Bois's polyhandicap offering.
- Cerebral Suisse: Swiss foundation serving people with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities, providing comparable specialized care, support, and advocacy services to a closely overlapping population to Clair Bois's polyhandicap beneficiaries.
- Fondation Ensemble: Swiss Romande foundation providing residential, day, and integration services for people with intellectual and physical disabilities — closely comparable Swiss nonprofit operating a similar service ecosystem.
Others
- INSOS Switzerland: National industry association of service providers for people with disabilities in Switzerland, representing institutions that operate residential, workshop, and vocational programs similar to those run by Clair Bois.
- CURAVIVA Switzerland: Swiss industry association representing providers of care and education services for children, youth, and adults with special needs — overlapping ecosystem and policy environment to Clair Bois.
Broad incumbents
- Mencap: One of the UK's largest disability service charities, offering residential, day, employment, and advocacy services for people with learning disabilities — comparable in breadth of care continuum though operating at much larger national scale.
Emerging players
- Specialisterne: Global social enterprise focused on employment and vocational training for people with autism and disabilities — directly comparable to the vocational-inclusion angle of Clair Bois's DFIP training center and social enterprises.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clair Bois Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceClair Bois Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clair Bois Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Clair Bois Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Clair Bois Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clair Bois Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clair Bois Foundation
What does Clair Bois Foundation do?
Fondation Clair Bois delivers specialized education, residential housing, therapy, and day programs for children, adolescents, and adults with polyhandicap and multiple disabilities across multiple Geneva sites. It also operates a portfolio of social enterprises (restaurants, catering, laundries, graphic/video production) that serve as both commercial operations and vocational training environments, and runs an inclusive apprenticeship training center (DFIP).
Is Clair Bois Foundation a public or private company?
Clair Bois Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Clair Bois Foundation founded?
Clair Bois Foundation was founded in 1975. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Clair Bois Foundation based?
Clair Bois Foundation is headquartered in Plan-les-ouates, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Clair Bois Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are social Enterprises, educational and Care Services and vocational Training.
Who are Clair Bois Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pro Infirmis, Cerebral Suisse and Fondation Ensemble. Others are INSOS Switzerland and CURAVIVA Switzerland. Mencap is listed as a broad incumbent. Specialisterne is listed as an emerging player.
Does Clair Bois Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clair Bois Foundation.
What industry is Clair Bois Foundation in?
Clair Bois Foundation's product category is Disability and Social Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADABAJ, Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult), with a secondary code of HLADAIAI, Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors). Its NAICS code is 62321 and its SIC code is 8300.