Our commitment and experience for greater responsibility

With extensive experience in the extractive sector in Chad, Niger, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau, SWISSAID has developed numerous projects to improve living conditions for local populations. Through its projects, civil society puts pressure on the authorities to ensure that the use of revenues from raw materials is subject to legal regulations, and guarantee that part of these revenues is actually used to improve the living conditions of the population. Civil organizations are also lobbying governments to draw up binding social and ecological standards for national and international companies. Finally, in Tanzania, a project is attempting to develop minimum standards to improve working conditions, both for miners and for people working around extraction sites.

In Switzerland, experience gained in developing countries is used to encourage greater transparency in the financial flows of raw materials companies, particularly trading companies.

In addition to improving transparency, SWISSAID also advocates corporate responsibility, and is committed to the socially and ecologically sustainable exploitation of raw materials. Examples from SWISSAID’s partner countries provide an important basis for political work.

Within various networks such as the Coalition for Responsible Multinationals or the Swiss Better Gold Association, SWISSAID strives to maintain pressure on private and public bodies with an impact on the sector.

SWISSAID has published numerous studies on the subject in its efforts to improve the commodities sector, particularly gold. In this way, SWISSAID stands out for its professionalism and niche knowledge.

As an expert in the field of raw materials, both in Switzerland and in its partner countries, SWISSAID is regularly contacted by the media. Part of its advocacy work involves raising public awareness of the gold issue through various media such as newspapers, radio, television and podcasts.