Origin creates trust: How Swiss companies benefit from their regional roots
The HWZ Impact event highlights the growing importance of a company’s origins for brand trust. Experts will discuss how regional roots strengthen customer loyalty and what strategic opportunities this presents for companies.
On September 5, 110 participants attended the HWZ Impact event, which focused on the relevance of origin for national companies. A recent study by the HWZ in cooperation with htp St. Gallen, YouGov and Jung von Matt showed that companies with strong regional roots appear more authentic and create deeper emotional ties with their customers.
At the event, moderated by Stephan Feige, industry experts discussed the importance of corporate origins. Stephan Huber (Hug AG) emphasized the social responsibility and national identity of brands, while Patrick Eisenhut (ÖKK) highlighted the role of corporate history in building trust. Sandra Bürkle (Raiffeisen) explained that local roots create trust, but also pose challenges for corporate identity.
Aurèle Meyer (Locher Brewery) emphasized the importance of tangible quality and values, while Roman Reichelt (Brack Alltron) described human proximity as the key to trust and identification. Oliver Wuest (Hirz) emphasized the balance between tradition and innovation as crucial for brand companies.
The study presented shows that companies can build a closer bond with their customers by emphasizing their origin. In an increasingly deglobalized world, in which 90% of Swiss consumers prefer regional products, this offers strategic opportunities for differentiation in the market. Authentic communication of values and regional roots is becoming an indispensable success factor.
