Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS

What Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS does

The Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS is the national federation of 25 Reformed Protestant churches in Switzerland, succeeding the Schweizerischer Evangelischer Kirchenbund (SEK) under a new constitution that took effect in 2020. The federation represents approximately 1.8 million Protestant women and men and is governed by a Synod of 80 delegates representing the 25 member churches (24 evangelical-reformed cantonal and national churches plus the Evangelical Methodist Church), with a Council (Rat) serving as the executive body and a Secretariat (Geschäftsstelle) in Bern implementing decisions. Its president since January 1, 2021 is Rita Famos, who simultaneously chairs the Swiss Council of Religions (SCR) and serves as managing President of the Community of Evangelical Churches in Europe (GEKE).

The federation's service portfolio centers on theological-ethical foundation work, ecumenical representation, interreligious dialogue, public advocacy, and specialized pastoral care. Core products and services include the monthly EKS-Newsletter, position papers and statements (covering antisemitism, conversion practices, peace ethics, marriage and family, media ethics), consultation responses (Vernehmlassungsantworten) to Swiss federal draft legislation, the Kompetenzzentrum für Theologie und Ethik (KTE), specialized pastoral care in federal asylum centers (Bundesasylzentren) coordinated with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), army chaplaincy (Armeeseelsorge), palliative care chaplaincy through the Competence Center for Chaplaincy in Healthcare, and a bilingual webinar series on abuse and church running October 2026 through April 2027. The Geschäftsstelle in Bern is staffed by approximately 30 employees across five departments (Presidential Staff, Theology and Ethics, Church Relations, External Relations and Works, Communication, and Central Services).

EKS is a non-profit religious organization and does not sell commercial products or services. Revenue is generated through annual member contributions (Mitgliederbeiträge) from the 25 member churches, supplemented by grant flows tied to its outreach and aid-work relationship with HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirche Schweiz), Mission 21, and Deutsche Mission. The go-to-market is community- and member-led rather than commercial: EKS delivers its services internally to member churches, federal authorities, ecumenical bodies (GEKE, ÖRK, KEK, WGRK), and the Swiss public through newsletters, social media, blogs, position papers, and twice-yearly Synods. Commercial technology footprint is minimal; the federation uses Mailchimp for newsletter distribution and maintains digital channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, website) for public engagement.

Name

Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS

Legal name

Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS

Website

https://eks-eers.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS is the national federation of 25 Reformed Protestant churches in Switzerland, representing approximately 1.8 million Protestants. It coordinates theological-ethical work, ecumenical representation, interreligious dialogue, federal consultation responses, and specialized pastoral care (asylum, army, healthcare) through a ~30-person Secretariat in Bern.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization / Church Federation

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Religious federation
• Theological ethics
• Ecumenical relations
• Pastoral care
• Church governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Church Contributions: The EKS is funded primarily through contributions from its 25 member churches. The member churches pay annual contributions (Mitgliederbeiträge) to support the national body's operations, theological work, ecumenical relations, and public engagement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS is a national federation of 25 Reformed member churches representing approximately 1.8 million Protestants in Switzerland. It provides theological-ethical guidance, ecumenical representation, specialized pastoral care coordination (army, asylum, and healthcare chaplaincy), public advocacy through position statements and consultation responses, and a bilingual webinar series on personal integrity protection. Its core activity is convening, coordinating, and representing the Reformed Protestant church community at national and international levels.

Product overview

The Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS is a national religious organization rather than a technology product company. Its offering consists primarily of religious services, theological publications, ethical position statements, and pastoral care coordination across its 25 member churches representing approximately 1.8 million Protestant members in Switzerland. The core services include the EKS-Newsletter (a monthly curated news publication), the business office (Geschäftsstelle) in Bern with approximately 30 staff across five departments, specialized pastoral care services (army chaplaincy, asylum center chaplaincy, palliative care), the Kompetenzzentrum für Theologie und Ethik (KTE) for theological-ethical work, and a range of position statements and studies covering topics such as peace ethics, marriage/parenthood/children, anti-Semitism, and conversion practices. EKS also organizes a bilingual webinar series on personal integrity protection in the church.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Gemeinschaft Evangelischer Kirchen in Europa (GEKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS is a member of the GEKE, a communion of evangelical churches in Europe. The President of the EKS, Rita Famos, serves as the executive President of the GEKE (since 2024), representing the EKS at the highest level of European Protestant ecumenism.
• Ökumenischer Rat der Kirchen (ÖRK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC/ÖRK), the broadest global ecumenical body of Christian churches.
• Konferenz Europäischer Kirchen (KEK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS is a member of the Conference of European Churches (CEC/KEK), a pan-European ecumenical body distinct from but complementary to the GEKE.
• Weltgemeinschaft Reformierter Kirchen (WGRK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS is affiliated with the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC/WGRK), a global Reformed ecumenical body.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in der Schweiz (AGCK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS is a member of the AGCK, the Swiss ecumenical body bringing together Christian churches for dialogue and joint action. The AGCK secretariat is housed at the EKS Bern office.
• Schweizerischer Rat der Religionen (SCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS participates in the Swiss Council of Religions, an interfaith dialogue body. EKS President Rita Famos chairs the SCR. The SCR secretariat is housed at the EKS Bern office.
• Schweizerische BischofskonferenzmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS maintains bilateral relations with the Swiss Bishops' Conference (SBK/MKS), the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland.
• Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirche Schweiz (HEKS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEKS is the aid organization of the EKS. The EKS supports HEKS through funding and policy alignment, and HEKS carries out international development and humanitarian work on behalf of Swiss Protestantism, including emergency relief appeals coordinated through the EKS.
• Mission 21majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission 21 is a Protestant mission organization rooted in the EKS and Basel. The EKS maintains a regulatory relationship with Mission 21 through its commission for mission and development work.
• DM (Deutsche Mission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM (Deutsche Mission) is supported through the EKS's commission for mission and development, alongside Mission 21.
• Staatssekretariat für Migration (SEM)coreOthersThe EKS coordinates pastoral care in federal asylum centers in cooperation with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), organizing and providing chaplaincy services in Bundesasylzentren.
• Christkatholische Kirche in der SchweizmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EKS maintains ecumenical relations with the Old Catholic Church in Switzerland (Christkatholische Kirche), alongside its main Catholic counterpart.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Church of Scotland: National Presbyterian/Reformed church in Scotland with synod-based governance. Highly comparable in Reformed theological identity, ecumenical posture, and role of coordinating national mission, theology, and public engagement for a Protestant constituency.
• Evangelische Kirche A.u.H.B. in Österreich: Austrian Protestant church federation (Augsburg and Helvetic Confessions). Comparable size and structure to EKS, also a small-country national body coordinating theology, ecumenism, and chaplaincy services for a Protestant minority.
• Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD): The national federation of Evangelical (Protestant/United) churches in Germany. Closest structural analogue to EKS: a council/synod-based federation of regional member churches representing millions of German Protestants, coordinating theology, ethics, ecumenical relations, and public advocacy. Directly comparable governance and mandate.
• Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN): The main Protestant church federation in the Netherlands, formed by merger of Reformed and Lutheran churches. Comparable to EKS in providing national theological, ecumenical, and public-affairs coordination for a Reformed constituency in a secularizing European context.
• Fédération protestante de France: National federation uniting French Protestant churches (Reformed, Lutheran, Evangelical). Mirrors EKS's role in coordinating member churches, theological reflection, ecumenical engagement, and public positions in a francophone national context.
• Schweizer Bischofskonferenz (SBK): The national governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland. Most direct domestic counterpart to EKS in terms of role, structure, and engagement with Swiss federal authorities, even though it represents a different confession.

Others

• World Council of Churches (ÖRK/WCC): The broadest global ecumenical body, of which EKS is a member. Not a direct competitor but a higher-tier counterpart whose ecumenical agenda and theology work directly overlaps with EKS's international mandate.
• Conference of European Churches (KEK/CEC): Pan-European ecumenical body in which EKS participates. Adjacent enabling peer in European church coordination, mirroring EKS's role at the pan-Swiss level.
• Gemeinschaft Evangelischer Kirchen in Europa (GEKE/CPCE): European communion of Evangelical/Reformed churches; EKS is a member and its President chairs GEKE. Direct European-level institutional peer focused on theological convergence and shared Reformed identity.

Broad incumbents

• Church of England: The established Protestant church in England with national synod governance, theological commissions, and chaplaincy services. Much larger and state-established, but functions as a broader incumbent in the same governance and public-theology space as EKS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/eks.eers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/evangelisch-reformierte-kirche-schweiz-eks-eers
• Instagraminstagram.com/eks_eers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz EKS