For the first time in recent Swiss church history, a sitting Federal Councilor and the highest Swiss Protestant delivered a joint sermon. Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and Federation of Churches President Gottfried Locher called for innovation in church and state and called on the economy, as Switzerland's innovation engine, to put itself at the service of people, according to the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches FSPC.
The occasion of the festive service with joint sermon in Zurich's Grossmünster was Reformation Sunday. Church Federation President Locher emphasized that constant renewal is inherent in the Reformation itself. Therefore, the church must constantly renew itself - but the innovation must be in the service of the people. Likewise, the economy also has a certain responsibility; it too is "in the service of people," Gottfried Locher reminded us.
Implementing "sense of responsibility" politically
Federal Councilor Parmelin expressed his conviction that the economy must uphold fundamental values. These would include a sense of responsibility, entrepreneurial freedom, enjoyment of work and a constant striving for quality and reliability. "Innovation is needed while taking into account and preserving these fundamental values," said Federal Councillor Parmelin.
For Mission 21, this is an important statement. It gives us hope that politicians will commit business more concretely to act responsibly abroad as well and to comply with environmental regulations, human rights and social standards - as specifically demanded by the Corporate Responsibility Initiative (KOVI) and the less far-reaching counter-proposal of the National Council.
Mission 21 welcomes it if the Council of States also decides in favor of an effective indirect counter-proposal in the sense of a compromise in the next session. The committee of the corporate responsibility initiative has announced that it will withdraw the initiative in this case. In this way, companies operating abroad would be obliged more quickly to comply with environmental regulations, human rights and social standards.
► Website Corporate Responsibility Initiative (KOVI)
► Mission 21 is a member of "Church for Corporate Responsibility
