Why are many organizations headquartered in Switzerland?

World
Europe

From the League of Nations to world sporting bodies, Switzerland has been a favored destination for the headquarters of non-governmental organizations and financial institutions over the past 200 years. But why do they choose the alpine nation as their base? Read this story to find out more.

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SWITZERLAND’S ROLE IN THE WORLD

Switzerland is the world’s oldest permanently neutral state. Back in 1815, the country’s status of neutrality was guaranteed at the Congress of Vienna and confirmed at the Treaty of Paris. Although the European nation retains an active foreign policy, it has not been involved in an international conflict since 1815.

The country remained neutral through both world wars, a stance that attracted many organizations originally established in Paris. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), for example, left the French capital for Lausanne during World War One.

Protective of its independence, Switzerland did not participate in the United Nations until 2002 and is not a member of the European Union.

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PREFERENTIAL POLICY

To attract international organizations, Switzerland offers numerous preferential policies. UN officials, for example, are exempt from taxation and officials working for several other international organizations enjoy a tax abatement policy.

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PEACEFUL STATE

Switzerland hasn’t fought in a foreign war since 1815, and Geneva is often nicknamed the capital of peace. Switzerland was one of the top countries in the UN Human Development 2015 rankings, while Geneva and Zurich have been rated two of the most livable cities in the world for years.

TOP ORGANIZATIONS WITH HQs IN SWITZERLAND

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Geneva, the second largest Swiss city, is home to around 22 major organizations. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is based in Geneva even though its high profile annual gathering is held in the alpine town of Davos.

Organizations with headquarters in Geneva.

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Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, is home to football’s world governing body, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).This is news text.

The headquarters of a large number of financial institutions and banking giants are also based in the city.

There were a total of 240 banks with their primary offices in Switzerland as of 2015, with 212,000 people working in the financial sector. The country’s private banking industry, famed for its discretion, is widely seen as the safest in the world.

Organizations with headquarters in Zurich.

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Lausanne, the fourth largest Swiss city, has such a focus on international sport that it was recognized as “the Olympic Capital” in 1994.

Organizations with headquarters in Lausanne.