SZW Conference on the New Swiss Corporate Law 2024: First Experiences and Practical Recommendations

Co-Chairing by Prof. Dr. Rahid Bahar, Prof. Dr. Christoph B. Bühler, Prof. Dr. Karin Müller and Dr. Markus Vischer

Joint Presentation by Prof. Dr. Christoph B. Bühler and Anne-Sophie Burckhardt-Buchs on Non-Financial Reporting

The conference assessed the recent reforms of Swiss corporate law and discussed the first practical experiences with their implementation. The capital band, introduced in 2023, was designed to provide greater flexibility in relation to corporate capital requirements. In addition, the reform introduced facilitations for the digital conduct of shareholders’ meetings and board meetings. The transitional period for adapting articles of association and organisational regulations to the revised corporate law expires at the end of 2024.

Furthermore, 2024 marked the first year in which companies were required to report on non-financial matters, including sustainability-related aspects. At the SZW Conference 2024, experienced practitioners and academics addressed these and other topical issues, including:

• What practical challenges arise in conducting fully virtual shareholders’ meetings?
• Corporate restructuring proceedings: Must a capital deficiency be permanently eliminated?
• Non-financial reporting: What conclusions can be drawn from the first year of implementation? Has a Swiss “best practice” already emerged? Which lessons can be carried forward into the second reporting cycle?