Our lines of service
Who we are.
We’re a worldwide professional services network employing more than 180,000 people in 158 countries. In Switzerland we have around 2,800 people working for us at 15 offices. We’re the number one professional services firm in this country.
Who places their trust in us.
Our clients include innovative technology start-ups, established Swiss family firms, and prestigious international companies in all sectors of industry. But we also work for non-profit organisations, public sector bodies, and wealthy private individuals.
What we do.
We help and advise our clients on the entire range of questions and issues related to assurance, tax and legal and corporate management. Want to know more? Read on to find out more about our lines of service and our Internal Services.
Assurance Services
- Individual and consolidated financial statements. Our colleagues in Assurance Services audit individual, consolidated and interim financial statements in line with all the relevant Swiss and international financial reporting standards, for example Swiss GAAP FER, IFRS and US GAAP. As the largest auditing firm in Switzerland we get an insight into a huge range of different companies and industries. We draw on this knowledge and expertise to provide advice and tailormade solutions when clients have specific problems or issues.
- Special audits. Our clients also come to us when they need help with special challenges. This could include a special audit, establishing a company, increasing or reducing capital, going public, or a court opinion.
- Systems and process management. We work on behalf of clients to ensure that their business models and processes, IT systems and controlling are functioning as an integral whole. In other words, we monitor these processes and help clients to set them up so that they feed into their annual reporting process correctly, and system and IT risks are minimised.
- Internal control systems. Internal controls are an important management tool that help build confidence in a business, and ultimately enhance its brand image. We advise clients and help them comply with the law and internal directives, ensure that they have a sound basis for making important decisions, and make sure their business processes run smoothly and seamlessly and are subject to the proper controls.
- Internal audit. The internal auditors help the board of directors meet its responsibility of making sure that the business is run subject to the proper controls. This involves taking a thorough look at processes, risk management and control systems, and coming up with suggestions of where they can improve. Our service can include strategic consulting to our client’s internal auditors, full or partial outsourcing of the internal audit, and providing special expertise.
Corporate Tax. If our clients wish, we can take care of their taxes – locally, across Switzerland, or across the world. Some of the situations where they may ask us to do so include restructuring projects, deals or joint ventures. We help them set up tax-efficient group or holding structures, develop modern financial instruments, and design funds or cash pooling structures. Naturally we can also take care of their tax returns and negotiate with the tax authorities on their behalf.
Value Added Tax. Our value added includes setting up VAT organisations or negotiating with national or international tax authorities; it may also include guiding clients through audits and legal proceedings, or taking care of administration on their behalf.
Private Clients. High net worth individuals, business owners and executives come to us when they want to make sure their wealth is invested tax efficiently and in compliance with the law. This may involve setting up companies, foundations or trusts. If clients want to buy property abroad or ensure their investment portfolio is tax efficient, we work in international interdisciplinary teams to make sure their needs are met.
Human Resource Services. What are the implications in terms of income tax and social security contributions when employees move from one country to another? What’s the best strategy for companies to win the war for talent? How can we gain the trust of new staff following an acquisition? And how do you go about designing and implementing appropriate and competitive compensation systems? These are just some of the questions our colleagues will answer.
Company Administration Services. If a company wants to concentrate on its core business, we act as an outsourcing partner to take care of part or all of its finance, HR or IT processes, from bookkeeping and payroll administration to planning and managing enterprise software solutions such as Abacus.
Legal. Whether you’re talking company, contract or intellectual property law, if it involves the law the chances are it’s complicated – especially if it’s connected with a cross-border transaction. That’s why our clients are only too glad to have our highly specialised lawyers to help when they want to design a legal framework or have their interests represented in negotiations or before the authorities.
Value Added Tax. Our value added includes setting up VAT organisations or negotiating with national or international tax authorities; it may also include guiding clients through audits and legal proceedings, or taking care of administration on their behalf.
Private Clients. High net worth individuals, business owners and executives come to us when they want to make sure their wealth is invested tax efficiently and in compliance with the law. This may involve setting up companies, foundations or trusts. If clients want to buy property abroad or ensure their investment portfolio is tax efficient, we work in international interdisciplinary teams to make sure their needs are met.
Human Resource Services. What are the implications in terms of income tax and social security contributions when employees move from one country to another? What’s the best strategy for companies to win the war for talent? How can we gain the trust of new staff following an acquisition? And how do you go about designing and implementing appropriate and competitive compensation systems? These are just some of the questions our colleagues will answer.
Company Administration Services. If a company wants to concentrate on its core business, we act as an outsourcing partner to take care of part or all of its finance, HR or IT processes, from bookkeeping and payroll administration to planning and managing enterprise software solutions such as Abacus.
Legal. Whether you’re talking company, contract or intellectual property law, if it involves the law the chances are it’s complicated – especially if it’s connected with a cross-border transaction. That’s why our clients are only too glad to have our highly specialised lawyers to help when they want to design a legal framework or have their interests represented in negotiations or before the authorities.
Deals
- Corporate Finance/Real Estate Consulting/Valuation/Mergers & Acquisitions. Buy or sell? From whom, to whom? With what chances of success? Deals throw up many different questions. We evaluate the strategic options on our clients’ behalf. Then we value the object of their desire, structure the deal, plan the relevant financing, and prepare for execution.
- Transaction Services. Whether you’re buying or selling, due diligence is crucial to any deal. We look at what lies behind the figures, examine the strategic options, and weigh up the opportunities and risks to see whether the planned transaction is an investment with a future.
Consulting
- Strategy & Operations/Business Technology. Our clients want to understand how market developments and their own ambitions influence their strategy and operating model and the relevant systems, processes and people. We guide them through change processes, work with them to come up with the relevant strategies, and help them optimise their value chain. This can involve developing a viable IT environment and helping HR management adapt accordingly. The solutions we create for our clients are tailored to their specific needs and the requirements of the industries in which they operate.
- Finance. We help CEOs, CFOs, accountants, controllers and the people who head finance departments to hone their approach to finance and make an even bigger contribution to the performance of the business. We make sure that the people involved in finance are up to the challenge of putting appropriate control standards and efficient back office functions in place, and giving the organisation as a whole the far-sighted guidance and support it needs.
- Risk & Compliance/Forensics. Our business is prevention: a clear legal framework, voluntary pledges and enterprise risk management are good for a business because they strengthen the trust of all its stakeholders. We help our clients meet all the relevant requirements. Our business is also damage limitation: lying, fraud and corruption cost companies a lot of money. We work hand in hand with clients to take the necessary precautions, combat all forms of economic crime, and exert an influence on their operating models and operational culture.
- Consulting West (French-speaking Switzerland). Advisory is a people business. It’s mainly about the people for and with whom we work. This means sensitivity is required, not least when it comes to dealing with cultural peculiarities. For this reason we have a special team to look after clients in French-speaking Switzerland. It offers all our advisory services locally in close collaboration with teams in the other regions.
Finance & Controlling. The people in Finance & Controlling keep our own accounts, prepare our financial statements, and take charge of liquidity and cash management. They also support our applications and analyse data to give us a sound basis for making smart decisions.
Global Technology Solutions. They do IT, from document management to financial and email systems. Global Technology Solutions is responsible for providing our people with powerful IT tools, monitoring systems and networks, supporting the entire range of business processes within PwC, and responding to questions and enquiries.
Human Capital. We’re dedicated to the people who work for PwC. Our human capital specialists make sure that we hire and develop the best people and create a challenging and motivating environment for them to work in. The most challenging aspects of our work include strategic projects and ensuring we don’t stand still in areas such as global mobility, recruitment, talent management, compensation and benefits, and learning and development.
Marketing & Communications. Our marketing professionals are there to build the brand and deepen client relationships. Their job includes planning, delivering and evaluating campaigns. They also plan, write and design brochures and website content. Our event specialists organise events for our clients. Our graphic and web designers make sure we make an attractive visual impression. And our communications specialists shape the dialogue with all PwC’s stakeholders.
Office of the General Counsel. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) monitors business risks and takes charge of our legal affairs. They make sure that everyone who works at PwC complies with all the relevant laws, professional standards and rules, including the auditor independence requirements and anti-money laundering and data protection legislation. Our colleagues at the OGC are also there to advise the lines of service on any legal matters, for example designing contracts.
Global Technology Solutions. They do IT, from document management to financial and email systems. Global Technology Solutions is responsible for providing our people with powerful IT tools, monitoring systems and networks, supporting the entire range of business processes within PwC, and responding to questions and enquiries.
Human Capital. We’re dedicated to the people who work for PwC. Our human capital specialists make sure that we hire and develop the best people and create a challenging and motivating environment for them to work in. The most challenging aspects of our work include strategic projects and ensuring we don’t stand still in areas such as global mobility, recruitment, talent management, compensation and benefits, and learning and development.
Marketing & Communications. Our marketing professionals are there to build the brand and deepen client relationships. Their job includes planning, delivering and evaluating campaigns. They also plan, write and design brochures and website content. Our event specialists organise events for our clients. Our graphic and web designers make sure we make an attractive visual impression. And our communications specialists shape the dialogue with all PwC’s stakeholders.
Office of the General Counsel. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) monitors business risks and takes charge of our legal affairs. They make sure that everyone who works at PwC complies with all the relevant laws, professional standards and rules, including the auditor independence requirements and anti-money laundering and data protection legislation. Our colleagues at the OGC are also there to advise the lines of service on any legal matters, for example designing contracts.
