Reviving the Flame

4.1.5. Environmental
As a general tendency, temperatures are increasing steadily. While the country possesses many national
parks, and one third of its land area is covered by forest, biodiversity is threatened by the constant decrease
of the natural environment. On the bright side, the air quality in Switzerland has improved these last 25
years. Similarly, waters are usually pure and drinkable, but some area remain polluted due to the use of
pesticides and industrial activities. The landscape has slowly been modified since the 70s. The result is
visible today with a depreciation of the natural landscape and the constant increase of urban area. The
main environmental risks in Switzerland are avalanches, earthquakes, torrential floods, etc. (Swiss
Confederation, 2015).
Switzerland is often seen as a clean country, and in terms of recycling, Swiss people are a real model
according to the government. Though it is difficult to determine which country is “greener”, Switzerland
holds a good position in environmental welfare (Wong Sak Hoi, 2016).
4.1.6. Legal
While Switzerland is a politically stable and safe country, it still faces specific situation. In 2016, the
middle east crisis impacted the EU and Switzerland with a growth of migrant arrivals and the increasing
threat of terrorist attacks by jihadists. Another direct threat concerns the risk of cyber-attacks and spies,
against which the government has conducted a campaign to warn enterprises and schools of such issues
(Swiss Confederation, 2016).
Apart from these external risks, Switzerland has a strong legal system, which protects citizen and
inhabitants. In terms of work, all Swiss citizen are protected by work laws in case of conflict. There is no
minimum salary, though conventions exist within domains that rules salaries, holidays, working hours, etc.
(Swiss Confederation, n.d.). While the principle of equality between men and women is enshrined in the
Constitution, women still earn ~20% less than men (RTS, 2017).
Legally, all citizens have the right to protest or strike, under condition (authorisation needed, no salary,
etc.). Every Swiss can collect signatures for a potential initiative or referendum and voting is done
anonymously. Finally, freedom of speech and opinion is widely recognized, as long as these remain
respectful of race, sexual orientation, etc. (Swiss Confederation, 2017).
4.2. Hofstede’s Dimensions
According to the country comparison of Hofstede’s dimension, Switzerland is a country with a low power
distance, which means its society uses hierarchy only for convenience and favour equal rights, open
communication with superiors and independency. There is though differences between Swiss German and
Swiss French, where the latter would rather prefer a hierarchical society, like in France.
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