Advantages of a SKW membership

The Swiss Cosmetics and Detergent Association SKW is the leading national association of the cosmetics, detergent and cleaning agent industry. It represents around 30 international and 70 Swiss manufacturers or importers, who achieve a domestic turnover of approx. CHF 3 billion and an export volume of approx. CHF 2 billion.

As the "voice of the industry", the SKW is an indispensable instrument for asserting the interests of the industry with all stakeholders. The strongly developed national and international network enables the association to provide rapid and target group-oriented information within the association. Compliance with antitrust law has the highest priority in all activities.


Advantages for all members

Information and competence center

  • Knowledge and competence center for national and global regulatory and technical issues
  • Permanent exchange of knowledge and experience with the stakeholders
  • Relief of the member companies thanks to the possibility of delegation or review of various in-house activities (e.g. regulatory, technical, export) to the association

Representation of interests in politics, legislation and law enforcement

  • Personal contacts and close cooperation with the relevant federal authorities and parliamentarians
  • Coordination and submission of official industry statements in case of legislative revisions
  • Combating special national regulations that deviate from EU legislation
  • Constant cooperation with the cantonal enforcement authorities for transparent and uniform law enforcement
  • Acceleration of administrative processes for the submission of product notifications under chemicals legislation and for biocide approvals
  • Coordinated effort for administrative simplification of the VOC incentive fee

Extended SKW network

  • Coordination of the political representation of interests in the "SKW Netzwerk Politik", direct contacts to various parliamentarians (national and cantonal parliaments)
  • Extensive network to all relevant national stakeholders
  • "SKW Stakeholder Council" as an advisory body to the Managing Board (representatives from authorities, environmental and consumer organizations, partner associations, education, science, trade)
  • Extensive international network to international corporations and partner associations in export countries (International Association Collaboration, IAC)

Focus: Communication

  • Representation of the industrial standpoints in the media
  • Professionally developed crisis PR organization that can be deployed at short notice
  • Individual access to the "ARGUSavenue" platform, daily media monitoring of industry-relevant reports (print, radio, TV, online)
  • Weekly media review by e-mail (press review)
  • Online presence of the brands, specialist fields and fields of activity of all members on the SKW website
  • International coordination of media topics with Cosmetics Europe, PCPC (USA) and International Associations Collaboration (IAC)
  • Monitoring of commercial publications and product tests for compliance with the competition law guidelines of the Swiss Commission for Fair Trading
  • Target-group oriented and current SKW publications, e.g. "Waschen heute" (Washing today)

Expertise and market figures

  • Events and workshops of the various working groups according to special fields
    • SKW Conference of Managing Directors
    • Technical Committees (Cosmetics or Detergents and Cleaning Agents)
    • Working Group Communication
    • Expert Team Packaging and Environment
    • Expert Team VOC
    • Working Group Natural and Organic Cosmetics
  • Access to events of partner organizations at reduced rates
  • Partnership with Nielsen Switzerland, publication of market figures on the website and in the annual report, regular updates on market developments


Additional advantages for international groups

  • Knowledge of the Swiss specifics of legislation, law enforcement and market
  • Exchange of knowledge and experience with national manufacturers and stakeholders enables confidential and rapid clarification of questions 
  • Commitment to the prevention of Swiss unilateral action in legislation or in the interpretation of legislation by the enforcement authorities (e.g. aluminium salts, furocoumarins)
  • Direct access for foreign headquarters of SKW member companies to the SKW office for technical and legal questions


Additional advantages for Swiss manufacturers

  • Permanent exchange of experience and representation of interests in the working group Swissness & Export, the Swissness network of the cosmetics industry for companies and partner organisations
  • Support of the protection of the designation of origin "Swiss Made" abroad as a member of the Public Private Partnership "Swissness Enforcement", coordinated by the Institute of Intellectual Property IPI
  • Access to the worldwide SKW contacts in the network International Association Collaboration (IAC)
  • Information and advice on legislation, registration and market entries in export countries
  • Advantages of the cooperation with swiss export and Switzerland Global Enterprise for trade fair presentations, information, and further education
  • Issue of Free Sale / GMP certificates for the export of cosmetics

 
Additional advantages for B2B areas

  • Own working groups for professional hair care and professional cleaning
  • Integration of B2B products into the SKW network; no separate associations
  • Specific statistics panels, not available elsewhere
  • Technical and legal exchange of experience in an antitrust protected environment
  • Great synergies with the entire SKW network, increase in representativeness