Pink Cross

What Pink Cross does

Pink Cross is the national umbrella organization for gay and bisexual men in Switzerland, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Bern at Monbijoustrasse 73. Operating across all four Swiss language regions (German, French, Italian, Romansh), it functions as the primary advocacy body for LGBTIQ rights at the federal level. Its core activities span political lobbying, media relations, legal consultation services, hate crime reporting and victim support, community-building events (annual LGBTIQ Conference, Prides, Speedfriending queer, Pink Social outings, IDAHOBIT commemorations), and the administration of the Fonds Respect grant program for queer community projects. The organization employs six staff and is led by Secretary General (Geschäftsleiter) Roman Heggli, with governance by a board (Vorstand). It maintains strategic partnerships with Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, Transgender Network Switzerland (TGNS), Lesbenorganisation Schweiz (LOS), Network (Gay Leadership), the LGBTIQ Helpline, Checkpoint, Dr. Gay, Vogay, and international actor All Out.

Pink Cross is funded entirely through individual membership fees (CHF 150/year standard, CHF 75 reduced for unemployed/AHV/IV recipients, CHF 40 for youth up to age 25, CHF 50 fan/ally tier) and donations. It develops no proprietary technology products but operates a standard digital stack including ActiveCampaign for newsletter automation, bexio for payment processing, Make for workflow integration, Typeform for surveys, and Google Analytics plus Facebook Pixel for web analytics. The pinkcross.ch website is published in German, French, Italian, and English, and the Pink Mail political magazine is distributed electronically. No app exists, no public API is offered, and no headcount scale signal beyond six employees is present.

The organization's recent advocacy wins include the 64.1% "yes" vote for Marriage Equality in Switzerland on 26 September 2021 (effective July 2022) and Swissmedic's approval of non-discriminatory blood donation criteria effective 1 November 2023, ending the de facto exclusion of gay and bisexual men from donating blood. In 2023 it conducted one of Switzerland's largest national surveys of gay, bisexual, and queer men (~1,500 respondents). The 30th anniversary gala in August 2023 at Casinotheater Winterthur drew over 200 attendees including Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, signalling durable institutional legitimacy.

Name

Pink Cross

Legal name

PINK CROSS

Website

https://pinkcross.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pink Cross is a Swiss non-profit umbrella organization founded in 1993 that advocates for legal equality and social acceptance of gay and bisexual men across all four Swiss language regions through lobbying, community programs, and legal services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTQ Advocacy and Community Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

Keywords

• LGBTQ advocacy services
• Membership association
• Political lobbying
• Peer counseling
• Community organizing

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pink Cross is Switzerland's national umbrella organization for gay and bisexual men, providing political advocacy and lobbying, legal consultation, peer counselling through the LGBTIQ Helpline, community-building events (Speedfriending, Pink Social, Pride, annual LGBTIQ Conference), the Pink Mail newsletter, and the Fonds Respect grant program for queer projects. The organization operates across all four Swiss language regions and is funded primarily by individual memberships and donations.

Product overview

Pink Cross is Switzerland's national umbrella organization for gay and bisexual men, functioning as an advocacy and community organization rather than a technology product company. The organization operates as a single integrated service offering comprising legal consultation, peer counseling via the LGBTIQ Helpline, community-building events (Speedfriending, Pink Social), financial support through Fonds Respect, and regular newsletter communication (Pink Mail). These services work together to advance equality and acceptance for gay and bisexual men across all four language regions of Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership Annual membership program for individual supporters of Pink Cross, offered in four tiers: standard (CHF 150/year, first year CHF 50), reduced for unemployed/AHV/IV (CHF 75/year, first year CHF 50), youth under 25 (CHF 40/year), and Fan/Ally membership for non-member supporters (CHF 50/year). Membership supports Pink Cross's political advocacy and unlocks community benefits such as the VZ VermögensZentrum financial counselling discount.
• Legal Consultation Service Legal advice service providing information and support on topics related to homosexuality, registered partnerships, asylum, and other legal matters affecting gay and bisexual men in Switzerland.
• LGBTIQ Helpline National peer support hotline for gay, bisexual, and other LGBTIQ individuals in Switzerland, providing confidential counselling on coming out, dating, hate crime reporting, and general LGBTIQ questions. Operational since 2016, with French-language evening support added on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1 April 2025. Pink Cross is a founding partner organization.
• Fonds Respect Financial grant program hosted at fonds-respect.ch that provides funding to queer community projects and initiatives in Switzerland, including short films, visibility campaigns, and community activities.
• Pink Mail Newsletter Regular electronic newsletter (also referred to as the Pink Mail political LGBT magazine) providing updates on queer topics, Pink Cross advocacy, community events, and political developments affecting the LGBTIQ community in Switzerland. Distributed via ActiveCampaign.
• Community Events (Speedfriending, Pink Social, Pride, LGBTIQ Conference) Recurring community-building events for members and the wider LGBTIQ community, including Speedfriending queer networking events co-organized with Vogay and Dr. Gay, Pink Social cultural outings, Pride participation across multiple Swiss cities, and the annual LGBTIQ Conference in Wabern bei Bern.

Quantifiable outcome

• 64.1% YES vote for Marriage Equality in the Swiss referendum on 26 September 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• All OutminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022All Out is an international LGBTQ rights organization. Pink Cross collaborated with All Out, LOS, and TGNS on the 2022 FIFA World Cup action calling on FIFA to protect LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar.
• LGBTIQ HelplinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The LGBTIQ Helpline is the national support hotline for LGBTQ questions in Switzerland, operational since 2016. Pink Cross is a founding/partner organization. The helpline provides peer counselling and hate crime reporting for the entire country, now expanded to French-language support (from 1 April 2025, Tuesdays and Fridays evenings).
• Dr. GaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Gay answers all questions about gay sex and sexual health. Pink Cross collaborates with Dr. Gay on joint community projects such as the Speedfriending queer event organized together with Dr. Gay and Vogay.
• CheckpointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheckpoint is a health center for men who have sex with men and trans people, operating in six cities across Switzerland. Pink Cross refers members and the community to Checkpoint for HIV testing, PrEP access, and sexual health services. Coordinated with Safe Space Bern as an LGBTQ space for refugees.
• VogayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVogay is a Swiss LGBTQ organization active in the Vaud canton. Pink Cross collaborates with Vogay on community events, including the Speedfriending queer event co-organized with Dr. Gay.
• Du-bist-duminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDu-bist-du provides peer counselling for young people on sexual orientation, gender identity, and coming-out. Pink Cross refers young people to du-bist-du for youth-specific support.
• MilchjugendminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilchjugend is the national youth organization for LGBTQ youth in Switzerland, organizing youth meetings across the country. Pink Cross refers young people to Milchjugend for peer support and community connection.
• Refuge GenèveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefuge Genève is an LGBTQ support organization in Geneva. Pink Cross refers young people questioning their sexuality or gender identity to Refuge Genève for confidential support and advice.
• Aids-Hilfe Schweiz (Swiss AIDS Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAids-Hilfe Schweiz (Aide Suisse contre le Sida) works with Pink Cross on HIV/AIDS legal advice, blood donation advocacy, and LGBTQ health policy. Together with Network and Pink Cross, they successfully campaigned to end discriminatory blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men.
• Lesbenorganisation Schweiz (LOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLOS (Organisation suisse des lesbiennes) is the Swiss lesbian organization and a key partner in joint advocacy. Pink Cross and LOS collaborate on hate crime reports (published together annually on IDAHOBIT), same-sex marriage campaigns, FIFA World Cup actions, international solidarity campaigns (Brunei, Indonesia), and other LGBTQ rights initiatives.
• Transgender Network Switzerland (TGNS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTGNS (Transgender Network Switzerland) is a key advocacy partner. Together they work on hate crime reporting (annual joint reports on IDAHOBIT), trans rights, FIFA World Cup actions, and blood donation advocacy. TGNS also provides specific legal information on trans and gender identity as grounds for asylum.
• Network – Gay LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork (Gay Leadership) is a partner in LGBTQ rights advocacy, particularly on blood donation reform and political lobbying. Together with Pink Cross and Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, they successfully campaigned for non-discriminatory blood donation criteria.
• Fonds RespectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFonds Respect is a financial grant program supporting queer community projects in Switzerland, hosted at fonds-respect.ch. Pink Cross references and promotes the fund to community members seeking financial support for LGBTQ initiatives.
• Regional LGBTQ organizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPink Cross connects members with local LGBTQ organizations across Switzerland's language regions, including: Fédération genevoise des associations LGBT, ARQ Freiburg (Fribourg), Sarigai (Vaud/Fribourg), Alpagai (Valais romand), and others. These organizations host youth groups and community activities that Pink Cross refers members to and collaborates with.
• VZ VermögensZentrum (financial counselling)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPink Cross members receive a 15% discount on financial consultations at VZ VermögensZentrum (VermögensZentrum), specifically for queer financial planning topics. Pink Cross promotes this as a member benefit.
• Rainbow Europe / ILGA EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPink Cross participates in and is referenced by ILGA Europe's annual Rainbow Map ranking of European countries on LGBTQ rights. Switzerland ranked 23rd out of 49 European countries in 2020.
• Human Rights WatchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuman Rights Watch publishes reports documenting LGBTQ rights violations globally (e.g., Qatar, Indonesia, Brunei). Pink Cross references HRW reports to support its international solidarity advocacy positions.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lesbenorganisation Schweiz (LOS): Switzerland's national lesbian organization and Pink Cross's closest advocacy partner; co-publishes hate crime reports on IDAHOBIT, jointly campaigns on marriage equality, FIFA actions, and international solidarity. Operates the same Swiss non-profit umbrella model focused on a complementary LGBTQ sub-constituency.
• Transgender Network Switzerland (TGNS): Swiss national trans rights organization that co-publishes hate crime reports with Pink Cross on IDAHOBIT and collaborates on blood donation advocacy and FIFA World Cup actions. Serves a different but adjacent LGBTQ constituency with the same Swiss advocacy model.
• Network – Gay Leadership: Swiss gay leadership organization and core partner with Pink Cross and Aids-Hilfe Schweiz on blood donation reform and political lobbying. Operates a similar advocacy model focused on a leadership-oriented gay constituency in Switzerland.
• Du-bist-du: Swiss peer-counselling organization for young people on sexual orientation, gender identity, and coming out; Pink Cross refers young members to du-bist-du. Same Swiss non-profit service model for an overlapping LGBTQ sub-constituency (youth).
• Milchjugend: Swiss national LGBTQ youth organization that organizes youth meetings across Switzerland; Pink Cross refers young members to Milchjugend for peer support. Operates the same Swiss non-profit umbrella model focused on a sub-constituency (youth).
• Aids-Hilfe Schweiz (Swiss AIDS Federation): Switzerland's national HIV/AIDS organization and core partner with Pink Cross on HIV legal advice, blood donation reform (co-won the November 2023 non-discriminatory criteria), and LGBTQ health policy. Operates a closely related health-and-rights advocacy model for overlapping populations.
• Vogay: Vaud/Fribourg regional LGBTQ organization that co-organizes community events (e.g., Speedfriending queer) with Pink Cross. Operates the same community-advocacy model but at a regional (cantonal) level in western Switzerland.

Emerging players

• All Out: International LGBTQ rights organization that collaborated with Pink Cross on the 2022 FIFA World Cup action calling on FIFA to protect LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar. Operates an international digital advocacy and campaign model that intersects with Pink Cross's national advocacy on international solidarity issues.

Broad incumbents

• ILGA-Europe: European umbrella LGBTQ federation that publishes the Rainbow Map in which Switzerland is ranked (23rd of 49 in 2020); Pink Cross is referenced as a Swiss national partner. Operates a much broader pan-European advocacy and policy monitoring role of which Pink Cross is a national constituent.

Regional players

• Refuge Genève: Geneva-based LGBTQ support organization to which Pink Cross refers members; provides confidential support and advice for people questioning sexuality or gender identity. Same non-profit peer-support model operating at cantonal level in French-speaking Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinkcross

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pink Cross