ESG in Switzerland: regulatory developments and practical implications

In a recent contribution to LexisNexis Practical Guidance, Prof. Dr. Daniel Dedeyan (Partner), provides an overview of the key pillars of Switzerland’s ESG framework, highlighting how company law disclosure, financial sector supervision and targeted enforcement mechanisms are converging.

At the core of the Swiss regime are disclosure obligations under company law, requiring larger listed companies and FINMA-supervised entities to report on non-financial matters such as environmental impact, climate risks, workforce-related considerations, and governance practices. These requirements are increasingly complemented by expectations around transparency in nature-related risks, as well as enforcement routes under unfair competition and advertising rules, particularly relevant in the context of green claims.

For many organisations, the practical challenges arise from the interaction between:

• board-level responsibility for ESG reporting and transition plans;
• supervisory expectations from FINMA, particularly for financial institutions and investment funds; and
• the growing scrutiny of public disclosures and sustainability-related communications.

These developments illustrate how ESG in Switzerland is no longer limited to disclosure. Instead, it reflects a broader shift towards integrated governance, risk management and accountability, requiring alignment between legal, regulatory, and operational frameworks.

This contribution forms part of our broader work on ESG and sustainable investment.

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For more information or to discuss the Swiss ESG landscape, please feel free to reach out to Daniel Dedeyan listed below.