Guarantees

Established to facilitate access to bank loans, SME guarantees are rapidly increasing and exceeding the objectives of the Confederation.

The total volume of guarantees granted to SMEs is increasing very rapidly in Switzerland and is even largely exceeding the objectives set by the Confederation. This instrument to support companies helps them to obtain access to credit. It is offered by four guarantee cooperatives:

Société coopérative de cautionnement SAFFA, for women
CC Centre, guarantee cooperative for SMEs
Coopérative romande de cautionnement - SME (CRC-SME)
BG OST, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft für KMU

See also:

Access to Financing: Guarantees

After recording a slight drop in 2011 (to CHF 210.7 million versus CHF 214.5 million in 2010), the total amounts granted by the four guarantee cooperatives grew in 2012 (CHF 218.2 million). Nevertheless, this amount is less than the objectives assigned by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), specifically CHF 240 million.