The Federal Registry of Commerce registers currently about 23'000 foundations (proportional to the population one of the highest densities of foundations worldwide). The major number of these foundations have been established as pension funds (17'000).
The Swiss legislator created a very liberal and non extensive regulation in the Art. 80-89bis of the Swiss Civil Code which allowed to create special purpose foundations, originally not meant to exist under these articles, such as corporate foundations. Such foundations are regularly established to pursue commercial aims by controlling an enterprise directly as the owner of its assets or by keeping interests as shareholder or as associate. As examples reference is made to the Kuoni-Hugentobler-Stiftung which controls approximately 25% of the voting rights in Kuoni AG. Also ATAG Ernst & Young Holding AG and Montres Rolex SA are controlled by foundations.
