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Eye on the Multinationals: Your questions become our stories

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There are many benefits to working for a multinational company including international travel, a diverse workplace, and opportunities for advancement. Keystone

Do you work for or would like to work for a multinational company? Are you concerned about the impact of multinational companies at home and abroad? Send us your questions and we’ll investigate.

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Multinational companies are big business in Switzerland. Although they represent only 5% of all companies, both Swiss and foreign multinationals directly employ more than a quarter of the labour force and contribute at least a third of tax revenue.

Among them are some of the largest and most influential companies in the world, from pharmaceutical giants like Novartis and Roche to tobacco companies like Philip Morris International and commodity traders including Glencore, Vitol, and Trafigura. Foreign firms like Google, Procter & Gamble, and L’Oréal have also had operations in Switzerland for years, while a growing number of Chinese firms are becoming attracted by low taxes, a skilled workforce, and easy access to European markets. 

+ Learn more about Switzerland’s love affair with multinationals

While they can bring a lot of value to the economy and society, multinationals are often surrounded by controversies and scandals. Switzerland has seen its fair share with accusations of bribery and corruption levelled against Glencore, revelations of child labour in the supply chains of some Swiss chocolate and confectionary brands, and cases of price gouging by the pharmaceutical industry.

What do you want to know about these companies? As part of our Eye on the Multinationals series, we are asking you, our readers, to share your questions and we’ll turn them into stories. 

These can be general questions like:

  • What is it like to work for a Swiss multinational? What are the benefits and drawbacks of working for a global company?
  • What new policies and laws in Switzerland will affect multinationals and their employees and how?
  • What is the reputation of Swiss multinationals at home and abroad? Is it changing?
  • What is the Swiss government doing to hold companies accountable for their impact abroad?

Or, specific questions like:

  • What could make Glencore more transparent about its financial dealings?
  • Why are there so few female CEOs in Swiss multinationals?
  • Can a country like Switzerland reconcile its neutrality with a growing arms export sector?

 Ask us your questions, and we’ll get our reporters on it!

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