Services for members 

The Swiss Bankers Association represents the interests of its members to politicians, the authorities and the public at large. We engage in intensive, open dialogue with the federal authorities, parliament, supervisory authorities, business organisations, NGOs and the media. We act as a conduit for the concerns of the financial centre and are an effective advocate for the sector’s interests. Our public relations activities enhance the reputation of the financial centre at home and abroad. 

Over 700 experts and specialists from member institutions are active in steering committees, commissions and working groups, developing broad-based positions and sector solutions. The Swiss Bankers Association also provides a range of platforms for coordination and exchange. Our individual members include some 12,300 senior bank employees, for whom we organise events in all parts of the country. We also stage numerous other sector events to grow our network and strengthen dialogue within the banking industry, and maintain regular contact with the authorities, politicians, business and the general public. 

Our members enjoy free advice from our experts on all the most important technical and political issues. They also receive regular information via push notifications on relevant developments in regulation and tax law, as well as the latest guidelines, recommendations and publications. 

Working with our members, we draw up binding sector guidelines and codes of conduct covering areas such as the real estate market and due diligence. We also closely monitor sector trends and future issues of growing importance for our members, and work together to develop broad-based recommendations and guidelines as an aid to addressing them. 

Foundation and career development courses for apprentices, staff and management in the banking sector are a key area of the Swiss Bankers Association’s work. We promote joint training and continuing education initiatives, and certify the training programmes of banks and third parties. We also offer a wide range of seminars for bank staff on selected topics related to taxation, regulation and the digital transformation. 

Our members have access to the widely recognised and well-established Swiss Banking Ombudsman. 

The Swiss Bankers Association guidelines on the treatment of assets without contact and dormant assets held at Swiss banks (Guidelines on Dormant Assets) are clear and binding. Customers and anyone with a claim can also, via the Swiss Banking Ombudsman, search a central database for assets without contact and dormant assets. 

Our e-alarm system is a digital platform for preventing financial crime. Fast, decentralised input of warnings by banks and the police means that affiliated institutions are notified of threats as soon as possible and can take direct action, such as blocking accounts.  

When engaging in netting (offsetting the value of opposing derivatives positions), banks need legal opinions on the enforceability of netting agreements in the jurisdictions concerned. The Swiss Bankers Association obtains these opinions for banks and makes them available on an electronic platform.  

Our members benefit from the following services: 

• Affiliation to the industry’s compensation office (OASI): compensation office for the Swiss banking industry
• Affiliation to the banks’ family compensation office
• Affiliation to group daily sickness benefits, accident and health insurance agreements with SWICA