Help maintain a high quality of life and an intact environment
Switzerland is one of the countries with the highest quality of life in the world. This is largely thanks to its healthcare system, unspoilt nature and social security. Nevertheless, we face major challenges, such as our consumption of resources, demographic developments and population growth. With your commitment in numerous fields of activity, you can help to ensure that Switzerland remains a great place to live for all its inhabitants.
Where you can get involved
Together with the cantons, the FOPH is responsible for public health. This includes the management and supervision of health and accident insurance, prevention campaigns to promote health, legislation on human research and transplantation medicine, and the regulation of university-level medical and healthcare professions.
One of the FOEN's core tasks is to preserve ecosystems, the basis of life, and their flora and fauna. It also deals with the causes of climate change and its consequences. The FOEN supports the cantons and communes in taking targeted and forward-looking measures to protect against floods, rockfall and avalanches.
The FOT manages the gradual expansion and financing of the railway infrastructure. It executes the mandates issued by the Federal Council and Parliament, monitors compliance with costs and deadlines, and ensures that public transport is safe.
The FOCA is committed to a high standard of safety in Swiss civil aviation, relying on standards adopted by the international community. In addition to its supervisory activities, it is responsible for the preparation and implementation of aviation policy decisions. It also defends Switzerland's interests in international aviation organisations.
The FOGE is responsible for ensuring both legal and true equality between women and men. In particular, it promotes equal pay and work-life balance, and is committed to preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The FOGE provides financial assistance to support projects that promote equal opportunities for women and men in the workplace.
The FSVO is responsible for food safety, nutrition, animal welfare and animal protection, and supports the cantons with enforcement. It is responsible for protecting the Swiss population from deception and health hazards relating to foodstuffs and consumer goods. The Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) is attached to the FSVO.
A growing population, increasing mobility, higher demands for residential space, combined with increasingly scarce land resources: these are the sometimes contradictory challenges facing the ARE. It is committed to protecting the landscape, helps to ensure that transport infrastructure is even better coordinated with urban development and oversees the legal basis.
FEDRO is responsible for the expansion and maintenance of motorways. In order to further reduce the number of people killed or injured in road accidents, it also implements the “Via sicura” road safety programme. The aim is to achieve this goal by ensuring that only well-trained drivers with safe vehicles are travelling on safe roads.
The FSIO ensures that the social insurance network functions properly. This network includes old-age and survivors' insurance, disability insurance, pension funds, compensation for loss of earnings in the event of military or civilian service and maternity leave, family allowances and supplementary benefits. At federal level, the FSIO is also responsible for issues relating to the family, children, youth, old age and intergenerational relationships, as well as general social policy matters.
The FOAG is committed to ensuring the success of an agri-food sector that markets high-quality foodstuffs, produces sustainably and conserves resources. The focus is on framework conditions that support entrepreneurship in agriculture. The Agroscope research institute provides the scientific basis for this.
The Federal Council's energy policy focuses on improving energy efficiency, expanding renewable energies, further developing electricity grids, strengthening energy research and international cooperation. The SFOE puts these principles into practice and draws up effective regulations.
As a national service, MeteoSwiss ensures the supply of weather and climate information. Ground measuring stations, weather radars, satellites, radiosondes and other instruments record the weather. MeteoSwiss warns the authorities and the population in the event of severe weather, and provides basic data on climate change.
The CIVI is responsible for all aspects of civilian service, which is a form of compulsory service that conscientious objectors perform instead of military service. It provides services for the community where resources are lacking and takes on civilian tasks relating to security policy.