Swiss criminal laws on bribery: reforms as of july 2016 - Swiss and foreign companies as well as their board members are compelled to act

As of July 1, 2016, bribery in the private sector is subject to stricter rules and could more easily lead to criminal prosecution. Swiss and foreign companies operating in Switzerland, as well as their board members, have to reassess and, if required, revise their existing compliance and anti-corruption measures. In the absence of tighter anti-corruption measures, if an act of bribery were committed by an individual within the company, the company itself and its board members may also become personally liable and be subject to criminal prosecution. This is of particular importance for small or medium size enterprises that may not have yet implemented adequate anti-corruption measures – now is the time to act. Read our update.