Plan International Schweiz/Switzerland

What Plan International Schweiz/Switzerland does

Plan International Schweiz is the Swiss national entity of Plan International, a global independent non-profit organization founded in 1937 and headquartered in Zürich since 2006. It is focused on advancing girls' rights and gender equality across nine program areas — education, economic empowerment, child protection, health, sexual and reproductive rights, humanitarian response, disaster preparedness, children's participation, and water/sanitation. The Swiss office operates within a global network active in over 80 countries, with roughly 10,000 staff worldwide, and delivers its mission through field programs, advocacy campaigns (including #BeatTheClock, #GirlsTakeover, and the International Day of the Girl Child established via UN advocacy in 2012), and humanitarian crisis response in geographies such as Gaza, Venezuela, South Sudan, and Vietnam.

The organization's core 'products' are not technology artifacts but programmatic offerings funded through three primary revenue streams: individual donations (including themed funds like the Mädchenfonds/Girls' Fund and Nothilfefonds/Emergency Aid Fund), recurring child and community sponsorships, and legacy/bequest giving. Donations are tax-deductible under Swiss law (exemption CHE-113.006.828), with 86% of donations flowing directly to project work. Donor acquisition and engagement are executed through a multi-channel GTM motion: a website donation portal (plan.payrexx.com), social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), email newsletters, the PlanInfo magazine, and community programs such as Champions of Change. Corporate and institutional partnerships (Z Zurich Foundation, UNICEF, Dariu Foundation, Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance) extend reach beyond individual giving.

The Swiss entity operates as part of a federated global network, retaining operational independence while benefiting from the Plan International parent brand. Governance is provided by a board (Karina Candrian as President) and a three-person co-leadership executive team (Elizabeth Kiewisch, Hillechien van der Klaauw, Jochen Stark) established in late 2022 after the departure of CEO Rashid Javed. The organization is audited annually by PwC Zürich and recognized through awards including the 2021 Prix Jeunesse at the Swiss Youth Session. There is no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capability disclosed; the organization runs on standard commercial tools (Payrexx for payments, Google Analytics for web analytics).

Name

Plan International Schweiz/Switzerland

Legal name

Plan International Schweiz

Website

https://plan.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plan International Schweiz is the Swiss branch of global nonprofit Plan International, focused on girls' rights and gender equality through donations-funded humanitarian and development programs delivered across more than 80 countries from its Zürich headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development & Humanitarian Aid (Children's Rights Non-Profit)

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Global Health & School Health Partnerships (WASH, Nutrition, SRH) (EDADALAH)

Keywords

• Girls rights advocacy
• Humanitarian aid programs
• Children rights protection
• Charitable donation programs
• Gender equality initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The primary revenue stream comes from individual donations from supporters in Switzerland. Donors contribute to various themed funds including the Mädchenfonds (Girls' Fund), emergency relief fund, and project-specific donations. 86% of donations flow directly to project work.
2. Sponsorships: Plan International offers sponsorship programs where supporters can sponsor children and communities, providing ongoing financial support for development projects.
3. Legacies and Bequests: The organization accepts inheritance donations and legacies as part of its fundraising strategy, allowing supporters to make long-term planned contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Plan International Schweiz is the Swiss branch of the global non-profit Plan International network, established in 2006. The organization raises donations from Swiss supporters to fund programs protecting and empowering girls and young women worldwide through education, economic strengthening, and elimination of harmful practices (child marriage, FGM). It also delivers humanitarian relief in crises caused by war or natural disasters, with explicit attention to the needs of women and girls.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mädchenfonds (Girls Fund) A dedicated donation fund that supports girls' rights and gender equality by funding girls' access to education, protection, and economic independence, particularly during the transition to adulthood. Donors in Switzerland contribute to this fund.
• Nothilfefonds (Emergency Aid Fund) An emergency response donation fund providing humanitarian aid in crises caused by war or natural disasters, with specific attention to the differentiated needs of women and girls.
• Child and Community Sponsorship Program A sponsorship program allowing Swiss donors to sponsor individual children or communities, providing ongoing financial support for development projects and a relational connection to the sponsored beneficiary.
• Erbschaften und Legate (Legacy and Bequest Giving) A planned-giving program allowing Swiss supporters to include Plan International Schweiz in their estate planning through inheritance donations and bequests, with tax benefits under Swiss law.
• Champions of Change A community engagement program enabling Swiss supporters to actively participate in advocacy, fundraising, and awareness activities for girls' rights and gender equality.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of donations flow directly to project work
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlan International is a member of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance, a partnership of nine public and private sector organizations united by a shared vision of resilient communities. The alliance focuses on climate hazard resilience and operates globally through programs in Vietnam, El Salvador, and other countries.
• The Dariu FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Vietnam Girls in Tech project. The Dariu Foundation works with Plan International Vietnam to promote digital participation and gender equality through technology education for girls in rural and ethnic minority communities.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on humanitarian projects including child protection and gender-based violence (GBV) response in South Sudan, where both organizations work together to ensure protection services for returning and refugee children.
• PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) ZürichminorOthersAnnual financial audits are conducted by PWC Zürich to ensure transparency and compliance with regulatory standards for Plan International Schweiz.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Terre des Hommes Schweiz: Swiss children's aid NGO focused on child protection and development aid, sharing an almost identical operating model: Swiss-raised donations funding programs across multiple developing countries, with comparable overhead ratios and donor stewardship expectations.
• World Vision Schweiz: Swiss affiliate of World Vision International, also running child sponsorship and humanitarian programs globally. Directly comparable on the recurring child-sponsorship revenue model that Plan International Schweiz operates.
• Save the Children Schweiz: Swiss national affiliate of Save the Children, the closest direct peer — also a children's rights and humanitarian NGO raising funds in Switzerland for global development and emergency programs, with very similar donor segments and GTM motion.
• Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation: Major Swiss international development NGO operating in dozens of countries, similar in fundraising mechanism (Swiss individual donors + institutional partnerships) and in delivering programs through country offices, though with a broader development mandate beyond children's rights.
• SOS-Kinderdorf Schweiz: Swiss arm of SOS Children's Villages, a globally operating children's welfare NGO. Comparable in target donor base (Swiss individuals), sponsorship/legacy programs, and children's-rights thematic focus.
• Swissaid: Swiss development cooperation NGO with comparable funding model and country footprint. Smaller in scale but addresses an overlapping donor base interested in international development programs.
• UNICEF Schweiz: Swiss national committee of UNICEF, the UN children's agency. Competes directly for the same Swiss donor pool around children's welfare themes, with comparable legacy, recurring, and emergency donation programs.

Emerging players

• Right To Play Schweiz: International NGO using sport and play for child development. Overlaps thematically with Plan International's education and child-protection mandate and competes for Swiss institutional and individual donors interested in children's welfare.
• Médecins Sans Frontières Schweiz: Swiss section of MSF, focused on humanitarian medical response rather than children's rights specifically. Competes for emergency-appeal donations and shares the Swiss individual-donor fundraising motion.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Schweiz: Largest Swiss charitable organization with a broader humanitarian and social mandate than Plan International. Competes for similar Swiss individual and corporate donors but operates a wider portfolio including domestic poverty relief.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/planschweiz
• Facebookfacebook.com/planschweiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plan-international-switzerland
• Instagraminstagram.com/planswitzerland/?hl=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Plan International Schweiz/Switzerland