Stiftung Tosam

What Stiftung Tosam does

Stiftung Tosam is a Swiss non-profit foundation established in 1989 by Martin Grob and headquartered at St. Gallerstrasse 26, 9100 Herisau, operating across Eastern Switzerland in the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, and St. Gallen. The foundation provides supervised employment, integration, and training placements for psychosocially burdened individuals and people with cognitive impairments who cannot access the primary labor market, employing approximately 280-300 supervised workers across its operational facilities. Its model combines social mission with commercial revenue generation through a portfolio of social enterprises: four WinWin secondhand retail stores (Herisau, Degersheim, Flawil, Gossau), two Gartenbau garden services operations (Herisau, Appenzell), the WinVita Caritas-Market for subsidized food, the Scancenter for document digitization (launched 2025), clearing/transport/disposal services, and two recycling centers (EasyDrive Degersheim, Chammerholz Herisau).

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining commercial sales from the operating businesses with government contracts from IV (Disability Insurance), RAV (Regional Employment Centers), and Social Welfare Offices (Sozialämter). The foundation achieved its first-ever donation-independent profitable financial result in 2024, a milestone in its operational history. Go-to-market is direct: physical retail storefronts for consumer-facing secondhand and food markets, on-site service delivery for garden and clearing services, and direct B2B relationships with public administrations and government social services. Pricing varies by service, with subsidized pricing at the Caritas-Market for eligible customers and professional market pricing for garden and document digitization services.

Technology infrastructure is light and operational rather than platform-based. The Scancenter provides structured document digitization for organizations and administrations. Marketing channels include a Mailchimp newsletter, the 'Einblick' house magazine published three times annually, Instagram (@tosam_stiftung) and Facebook organic social, and the organization's website (tosam.ch). The foundation is led by Marcel De Tomasi (Geschäftsleitung / CEO since 2019), who succeeded founder Martin Grob, and is governed by a Stiftungsrat (Board of Trustees). Core referral partnerships with IV, RAV, and Sozialämter form the structural backbone of the social integration revenue stream.

Name

Stiftung Tosam

Legal name

Tosam Stiftung

Website

https://tosam.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tosam Stiftung is a Swiss non-profit foundation operating since 1989 in Eastern Switzerland that provides supervised employment, integration, and training for psychosocially burdened individuals and people with cognitive impairments through social enterprises including secondhand retail, garden services, document digitization, recycling, and a Caritas food market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Enterprise Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Supported employment services
• Secondhand retail stores
• Garden maintenance services
• Social integration programs
• Document digitization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Herisau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Secondhand Retail Sales (WinWin): Revenue from sales of donated and second-hand goods in WinWin retail stores. Items include furniture, household goods, clothing, books, and specialty items sold at affordable prices.
2. Garden Services (Gartenbau): Professional garden maintenance, care, and construction services provided by supervised employees in Herisau and Appenzell locations.
3. Scancenter Services: Document digitization services for organizations, companies, and public administrations, providing structured employment for supervised staff.
4. Caritas-Market (WinVita): Affordable food and household items sold to eligible customers at the WinVita Caritas-Market location.
5. Clearing, Transport & Disposal: Professional clearing, transport, and disposal services for households and businesses, ensuring proper recycling and disposal.
6. Recycling Centers (EasyDrive, Chammerholz): Collection, processing, and recycling of goods and materials at dedicated recycling centers in Degersheim and Herisau.
7. Job Coaching (Social Welfare): Job coaching services provided in partnership with social welfare offices, helping individuals transition toward primary labor market employment.
8. Social Integration Services: Structured work placements including IV measures, RAV employment programs, bridge internships, and day structures for people with disabilities or social support needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stiftung Tosam is a Swiss non-profit foundation that operates social enterprise businesses combining professional service delivery with supervised employment for people who cannot find a place in the primary labor market. It sells secondhand goods through WinWin retail stores, delivers garden maintenance and construction services via Gartenbau, runs a subsidized Caritas-Market (WinVita), provides document digitization through the Scancenter, and offers clearing, transport, and disposal services. These commercial operations fund and create structured work placements, integration programs, and job coaching in partnership with government agencies (IV, social welfare offices, RAV).

Product overview

Stiftung Tosam operates as a social enterprise offering a portfolio of interconnected services that combine professional work with social impact. The organization runs four WinWin secondhand retail stores selling donated goods (furniture, clothing, books, household items), garden maintenance operations in Herisau and Appenzell, a Caritas-Market (WinVita) providing affordable food for eligible customers, a Scancenter for document digitization, and clearing/transport/disposal services. These commercial operations serve as platforms to create supervised employment, integration, and training positions for psychosocially burdened individuals and people with cognitive impairments. The core model provides day structures, job coaching, and educational support through dedicated programs funded by donations and public subsidies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tosam WinWin (Secondhand Retail) Secondhand retail stores offering furniture, household items, clothing, books, and pre-owned specialty goods at affordable prices. Four locations across Herisau, Degersheim, Flawil, and Gossau.
• Tosam Gartenbau (Garden Services) Professional garden maintenance, care, and construction services delivered on customer premises in Herisau and Appenzell, performed by supported employees under professional supervision.
• Tosam WinVita / Caritas-Markt (Discount Food Market) Low-cost food and household goods market for eligible customers, operating as a Caritas-Market to combat food waste and support people affected by poverty. Includes engagement with the Schweizer Tafel (Swiss Food Bank).
• Tosam Scancenter (Document Digitization) Document digitization services for organizations, companies, and administrations, delivering structured digital archiving and process optimization with reliable quality and social value.
• Räumung, Transporte & Entsorgung (Clearing, Transport and Disposal) Professional clearing, transport, and disposal services for households and apartments, ensuring reusable items are resold and non-reusable items are properly disposed of.
• Arbeits- und Betreuungsangebote (Supervised Employment and Care Programs) Supervised employment and care programs for people with support needs, including social office services, bridge internships, IV measures, RAV employment programs, day structures with wages, and job/application coaching, delivered under contract with IV, Social Welfare Offices, and RAV.
• Recyclingstellen (Recycling Centers) Recycling facilities at EasyDrive in Degersheim and Chammerholz in Herisau where items and waste can be dropped off for resale or proper disposal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every second person in job coaching can start a work trial (Arbeitsversuch)

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Computeria HerisauminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Computeria Herisau conducts Linux Mint workshops at the WinWin Herisau location, teaching participants how to repurpose older computers with free open-source software instead of disposal. This partnership supports Tosam's ecological mission while providing educational value.
• Schweizer TafelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Tosam actively engages with Schweizer Tafel (Swiss Food Bank) to combat food waste and distribute food to people affected by poverty. This partnership supports the social mission while reducing environmental impact through food waste prevention.
• deinadieu.chminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with deinadieu.ch for estate planning services, enabling supporters to include Tosam in their wills. The online testament generator and consultation services make legacy giving accessible. Martina Montanus serves as contact for legacy inquiries.
• Social Welfare Offices (Sozialämter)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Tosam provides job coaching services under contract with the Social Welfare Office in Herisau (taken over in 2024). Government agencies refer clients to Tosam's supported employment programs, creating a core revenue stream and fulfilling the social mission.
• IV (Disability Insurance)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024IV (Invalidenversicherung) funds supported employment and training placements for people with disabilities at Tosam facilities. This is a core partnership enabling Tosam's primary mission of integration through work.
• RAV (Regional Employment Centers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024RAV (Regionales Arbeitsvermittlungszentrum) refers unemployed individuals to Tosam's employment programs. Government-funded placement services create sustainable social integration pathways.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stiftung RgZ (Rundum kompetent): A Zug-based foundation providing integration programs and supported workplaces (sheltered workshops, residential services) similar to Tosam's portfolio. Comparable canton-scale social foundation model.
• Stiftung Wagerenhof: Stiftung Wagerenhof (Uster) operates residential care and sheltered work for people with cognitive disabilities in the Canton of Zurich. Comparable focus on psychosocial integration through work, with a similar foundation governance model.
• Stiftung Brändi: Stiftung Brändi is a Lucerne-based social foundation providing sheltered employment in production and services for people with disabilities. Comparable in structure: foundation model, multiple business lines (assembly, gastronomy, retail) designed to fund supported workplaces.
• Genossenschaft Werkstätten Wallenkirch: A cooperative offering sheltered employment workshops in the St. Gallen region. Same geography (Ostschweiz) as Tosam, with overlapping supported-employment and training mission for people with disabilities.
• Heilsarmee Schweiz (Brocki.ch): Heilsarmee Schweiz operates Brocki.ch, a chain of secondhand retail stores that combine commercial reselling with social mission employment for disadvantaged populations. Most directly comparable peer: also a faith-rooted social enterprise using thrift retail as a vehicle for supported work.

Others

• INSOS Schweiz: National umbrella association of Swiss social enterprises providing work integration (similar member profile to Tosam). Functions as industry body / advocacy for the same sheltered-employment sector in which Tosam operates.
• Schweizer Tafel: Swiss food bank with which Tosam has a partnership. Same food-waste / poverty-relief mission; complementary rather than competitive, but operates a similar discount food distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Schweiz: Caritas Schweiz operates Caritas-Märkte (discount food markets) and broader social services nationally. Caritas is Tosam's strategic neighbor in the Caritas-Markt concept and offers a comparable supported-employment + food-waste model, though at much larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tosam.stiftung
• Instagraminstagram.com/tosam_stiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-tosam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Stiftung Tosam