Swiss Diversity

What Swiss Diversity does

Swiss Diversity (Verein Swiss Diversity) is a Swiss non-profit association founded in 2019 to promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) across Swiss society. The organization operates as a multi-format platform consisting of five interconnected programs: the annual Swiss Diversity Award Night gala (eighth edition in 2026, hosting approximately 300 guests), the Impact Business Forum (sixth edition in 2026, a networking platform for industry leaders, researchers, and policy experts), the Leaders Club (a national exchange platform for DE&I professionals with the monthly 'Leaders @ Lunch' webinar series), the Swiss Diversity Think Tank (engaging over 40 personalities from culture, business, sport, and society, founded in 2022), and the annual Swiss Diversity Studie (a research publication produced in cooperation with ZHAW). The organization's projects are operationally supported by Diversity & Inclusion Services GmbH, a separate Swiss limited liability company.

The underlying technology consists of a multilingual (German, French, Italian, English) website platform, event ticketing infrastructure (notably e-guma.ch for the Impact Business Forum), and distribution through owned social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and email newsletters. The organization awards nine prizes annually across categories including LGBTQIA+ Inclusion, Gender Equality, Age Diversity, Disability, Education & Social Background, Nationality & Ethnicity, and Religion & Spirituality, plus special awards from founding partners (Allianz Lifetime Award, Swisscom Entrepreneurship Award). Two independent juries, including representatives from the Competence Center for Diversity, Disability & Inclusion at University of St. Gallen, select winners from submitted nominations.

Swiss Diversity's revenue model relies on event ticket sales (CHF 50-350 per attendee for the Impact Business Forum), sponsorship arrangements with founding partners Allianz and Swisscom, and contributions from a broader supporter base including Coca-Cola, JTI, Beiersdorf, Takeda, BKW, Stadt Bern, Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Schweiz, ZHAW, and University of St. Gallen. The go-to-market is event-driven, targeting Swiss enterprises and organizations seeking DE&I recognition, DE&I professionals seeking peer exchange, and academia/research institutions seeking applied DE&I research. The organization is governed by a 9-member board (President Yvonne Apiyo Brändle-Amolo, Founder Michel Rudin) and a 25-member advisory board, with a lean team of approximately 11 employees.

Name

Swiss Diversity

Legal name

Verein Swiss Diversity

Website

https://swissdiversity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swiss Diversity is a Swiss non-profit association that operates a multi-format DE&I platform, running the annual Award Night, Impact Business Forum, Leaders Club, Think Tank, and ZHAW-partnered research studies to advance diversity and inclusion across Swiss enterprises and organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Business Associations (81391), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Multicultural & Diversity Marketing Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Diversity and inclusion
• DE&I events
• Corporate awards programs
• Professional networking platforms
• DE&I research studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event ticketing and sponsorship: Revenue is generated through ticket sales for the annual Impact Business Forum and Award Night events, as well as sponsorship arrangements with founding partners and corporate sponsors.
2. Partner and supporter contributions: The organization receives financial and in-kind support from founding partners (Allianz, Swisscom), partners, and supporters who align with the DE&I mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Swiss Diversity is a non-profit association platform that organizes events, studies, and networking programs focused on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Switzerland. Its core offerings include the annual Award Night gala, the Impact Business Forum, the Leaders Club networking platform, a Think Tank engaging over 40 personalities, and annual DE&I research studies conducted with ZHAW. The organization serves Swiss enterprises, NGOs, DE&I professionals, and academia through these formats.

Product overview

Swiss Diversity is a non-profit association operating as a multi-format platform for promoting diversity and inclusion in Switzerland. The organization consists of five interconnected programs: the annual Award Night (gala celebration), the Impact Business Forum (networking platform), the Leaders Club (expert network with webinars), the Think Tank (collaborative think tank), and the annual Swiss Diversity Studie (research publication). These formats work together to advance DE&I awareness, recognize exemplary commitment, and generate research insights for the Swiss market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swiss Diversity Award Night: Gala evening honoring projects and individuals for their commitment to diversity and inclusion, featuring cultural performances
• Impact Business Forum
• Swiss Diversity Think Tank
• Leaders Club
• Swiss Diversity Studie

Products and services

• Award Night Annual gala evening celebrating and awarding projects and individuals for outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion in Switzerland, featuring cultural performances and awarding nine prizes across DE&I categories (LGBTIQ+ Inclusion, Gender Equality, Age Diversity, Disability, Education & Social Background, Nationality & Ethnicity, Religion & Spirituality, plus the Allianz Lifetime Award and the Swisscom Entrepreneurship Award). Welcomes nearly 300 guests. For Swiss enterprises, NGOs, DE&I professionals, and the public.
• Impact Business Forum High-level platform bringing together industry leaders, researchers, and policy experts to network, exchange perspectives on DE&I, and inspire each other through workshops and keynote sessions. Sixth edition scheduled for June 23, 2026 at Landesmuseum Zurich, with CHF 250 NGO / CHF 350 business full-program tickets and CHF 50 NGO / CHF 80 business evening-only tickets.
• Leaders Club National exchange platform for DE&I experts and interested parties from the business world, hosting regular in-person meetings in Swiss cities and the monthly 'Leaders @ Lunch' webinar series on DE&I topics. For DE&I professionals, HR diversity leads, and inclusion-focused business practitioners across Switzerland.
• Think Tank Think tank engaging over 40 personalities from culture, business, sport, and society to collaboratively promote diversity and inclusion in Switzerland. Publishes White Papers and serves as an advocacy platform. For policy experts, researchers, cultural and business leaders, and civil society stakeholders.
• Swiss Diversity Studie Annual research study conducted in cooperation with ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) and financially supported by BKW, examining a different dimension of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Swiss organizations each year. Provides benchmarking data and management-oriented findings. For enterprises, academia, NGOs, and DE&I professionals in Switzerland.

Quantifiable outcome

• Swiss organizations with strategic D&I management gain competitive advantage through enhanced creativity, innovation, brand attractiveness, and reduced skilled labor shortages (per ZHAW study findings presented at Award Night 2022).

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Disability:IN: Global nonprofit driving disability inclusion in business through corporate engagement, an annual conference, and recognition programs (Disability Equality Index). Comparable to Swiss Diversity's "Disability" award category and corporate partner model, but operates at global scale.
• Out & Equal: US-based nonprofit focused on LGBTQIA+ workplace equality, running the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit and recognition programs. Closely matches Swiss Diversity's combination of annual gala/summit, awards, and corporate sponsor engagement, though Out & Equal is single-issue and US-focused.

Regional players

• Transgender Network Switzerland (TGNS): Swiss nonprofit advocating for transgender rights and inclusion. Operates in the same Swiss DE&I space and overlaps with Swiss Diversity's LGBTQIA+ Inclusion programming, sharing target audiences and potential partner network.
• Special Olympics Switzerland: Swiss nonprofit sports organization promoting inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities (current employer of Swiss Diversity board member Bruno Barth per source). Comparable as a Swiss mission-driven nonprofit, with overlap on the Disability category and cross-pollination of board networks.
• Pink Cross: Swiss national LGBTQ+ advocacy organization (former employer of board member David Reichlin per source). A directly comparable Swiss DE&I-focused nonprofit, sharing geography and constituency with Swiss Diversity's LGBTQIA+ Inclusion award category.
• Allbright Foundation (AllBright): European nonprofit promoting women into leadership positions through research, events, and corporate engagement. Closely comparable to Swiss Diversity's Gender Equality programming and corporate partner model, though active primarily in Germany/UK.
• European Women's Lobby: European umbrella nonprofit advocating for gender equality across 27 EU member states. Comparable as a regional DE&I advocacy and recognition organization, though focused on gender and policy rather than corporate DE&I.

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Institute: Global nonprofit operating think tanks, leadership programs, and events that convene business, policy, and civic leaders. Comparable to Swiss Diversity's Think Tank and Impact Business Forum in combining thought leadership, networking events, and corporate engagement around social themes.
• Seramount (formerly Diversity Best Practices): Membership-based DE&I research and advisory organization serving large global corporates. Similar to Swiss Diversity's role as a horizontal DE&I platform for Swiss enterprises, but operates at larger scale and with a paid membership model.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit working to advance women and DE&I in the workplace through research, events, and corporate partnerships. Comparable to Swiss Diversity as a mission-driven DE&I nonprofit that combines research outputs, recognition programs, and corporate engagement. Significantly larger and global, hence broad incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/swissdiversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swiss-diversity
• Instagraminstagram.com/swissdiversityawards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Swiss Diversity