Annual report 2023*

8 Employee benefit plans

The defined benefit obligations for the active members of pension plans is the present value of accrued pension obligations at the balance sheet date considering future salary and pension increases and turnover rates (using the project unit credit method). The defined benefit obligations for the retirees are the present value of the current and future pension benefits considering future pension increases.

Reconciliation of the amount recognized in the balance sheet as of December 31

 

 

2023

millions of CHF

 

Funded plans Switzerland

 

Unfunded plans Germany

 

Total

Present value of funded defined benefit obligation

 

–114.1

 

 

–114.1

Fair value of plan assets (funded plans)

 

135.6

 

 

135.6

Overfunding / (underfunding)

 

21.5

 

 

21.5

Present value of unfunded defined benefit obligation

 

 

–0.9

 

–0.9

Adjustment to asset ceiling

 

 

 

Asset / (liability) recognized in the balance sheet

 

21.5

 

–0.9

 

20.6

– thereof as defined benefit obligations

 

–0.7

 

–0.9

 

–1.5

– thereof as defined benefit assets

 

22.1

 

 

22.1

 

 

2022

millions of CHF

 

Funded plans Switzerland

 

Unfunded plans Germany

 

Total

Present value of funded defined benefit obligation

 

–97.5

 

 

–97.5

Fair value of plan assets (funded plans)

 

121.7

 

 

121.7

Overfunding / (underfunding)

 

24.1

 

 

24.1

Present value of unfunded defined benefit obligation

 

 

–1.0

 

–1.0

Adjustment to asset ceiling

 

–24.1

 

 

–24.1

Asset / (liability) recognized in the balance sheet

 

 

–1.0

 

–1.0

– thereof as defined benefit obligations

 

 

–1.0

 

–1.0

– thereof as defined benefit assets

 

 

 

The group operates funded defined benefit pension plans in Switzerland. Unfunded defined benefit plans relate to pension plans in Germany. The plans are exposed to actuarial risks, e.g., longevity risk, currency risk and interest rate risk, and the funded plans additionally to market (investment) risk.

In Switzerland, the group contributes to two pension plans funded via two different pension funds, i.e., a base plan for all employees and a supplementary plan for employees with salaries exceeding CHF 152'869 per year. Both plans provide benefits depending on the pension savings at retirement. They include certain legal minimum interest credits to the pension savings (i.e., investment return) and guaranteed rates of conversion of pension savings into an annuity at retirement. In addition, the plans offer death in service and disability benefits. The two pension funds are collective funds, administrating pension plans of group companies and other companies. In case of a material underfunding of the pension plans, the regulations include predefined steps, such as higher contributions by the employer and employees or lower interest on pension savings, to eliminate the underfunding. The pension funds are legally separated from the group. The vast majority of the active participants in the two pension funds are employed by companies not belonging to the group. The Board of Trustees for the base plan comprises 10 employee representatives and 9 employer representatives. The total expenses recognized in the income statement in 2023 were CHF 5.2 million (2022: CHF 5.6 million).

In Germany, the group operates an unfunded defined benefit pension plan and benefits are paid directly by the employer to the beneficiaries as they become due. The plan is closed for new entrants. Existing employees who participated in the defined benefit plan continue to be eligible for these defined benefit pensions. The defined benefit plan offers retirement pensions and disability pensions. The total expenses recognized in the income statement in 2023 were CHF 0.0 million (2022: CHF 0.0 million).

Employee benefit plans

millions of CHF

 

2023

 

2022

Reconciliation of effect of asset ceiling

 

 

 

 

Adjustment to asset ceiling at January 1

 

–24.1

 

Interest expenses / (income) on effect of asset ceiling

 

–0.5

 

Change in effect of asset ceiling excl. interest income / (expenses)

 

24.7

 

–24.1

Adjustment to asset ceiling at December 31

 

 

–24.1

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of asset / (liability) recognized in the balance sheet

 

 

 

 

Asset / (liability) recognized at January 1

 

–1.0

 

5.4

Defined benefit income / (expenses) recognized in the income statement

 

–5.2

 

–5.6

Defined benefit income / (expenses) recognized in OCI

 

21.4

 

–5.4

Employer contributions

 

5.3

 

4.6

Currency translation differences

 

0.0

 

0.1

Asset / (liability) recognized at December 31

 

20.6

 

–1.0

 

 

 

 

 

Components of defined benefit income / (expenses) in the income statement

 

 

 

 

Current service costs (employer)

 

–4.4

 

–5.6

Interest expenses

 

–2.3

 

–0.4

Interest income on plan assets

 

2.8

 

0.4

Past service costs

 

–0.7

 

Interest expenses / (income) on effect of asset ceiling

 

–0.5

 

Other administrative costs

 

–0.0

 

–0.0

Income / (expenses) recognized in the income statement

 

–5.2

 

–5.6

– thereof charged to personnel expenses

 

–5.1

 

–5.6

– thereof charged to financial expenses

 

–0.0

 

0.0

 

 

 

 

 

Components of defined benefit gains / (losses) in OCI

 

 

 

 

Actuarial gains / (losses) on defined benefit obligation

 

–5.2

 

9.9

Returns on plan assets excl. interest income

 

1.9

 

8.9

Changes in effect of asset ceiling excl. interest expenses / (income)

 

24.7

 

–24.1

Defined benefit gains / (losses) recognized in OCI 1)

 

21.4

 

–5.4

1) The tax effect on defined benefit cost recognized in OCI amounted to CHF -1.9 million (2022: CHF 0.7 million).

Employee benefit plans

millions of CHF

 

2023

 

2022

Reconciliation of defined benefit obligation

 

 

 

 

Defined benefit obligation as of January 1

 

–98.5

 

–95.7

Interest expenses

 

–2.3

 

–0.4

Current service costs (employer)

 

–4.4

 

–5.6

Contributions by plan participants

 

–3.8

 

–3.3

Past service costs

 

–0.7

 

Benefits paid / (deposited)

 

–0.2

 

–3.5

Other administrative costs

 

–0.0

 

–0.0

Actuarial gains / (losses)

 

–5.2

 

9.9

Currency translation differences

 

0.0

 

0.1

Defined benefit obligation as of December 31 1)

 

–115.0

 

–98.5

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of the fair value of plan assets

 

 

 

 

Fair value of plan assets as of January 1

 

121.7

 

101.1

Interest income on plan assets

 

2.8

 

0.4

Employer contributions

 

5.3

 

4.6

Contributions by plan participants

 

3.8

 

3.3

Benefits (paid) / deposited

 

0.2

 

3.4

Returns on plan assets excl. interest income

 

1.9

 

8.9

Fair value of plan assets as of December 31

 

135.6

 

121.7

 

 

 

 

 

Total plan assets at fair value – quoted market price

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

7.2

 

5.0

Equity instruments

 

31.6

 

27.0

Debt instruments

 

35.9

 

34.7

Real estate funds

 

4.3

 

4.3

Others

 

7.7

 

7.3

Total assets at fair value – quoted market price as of December 31

 

86.7

 

78.3

 

 

 

 

 

Total plan assets at fair value – non-quoted market price

 

 

 

 

Properties occupied by or used by third parties (real estate)

 

41.1

 

36.0

Others

 

7.7

 

7.3

Total assets at fair value – non-quoted market price as of December 31

 

48.9

 

43.4

 

 

 

 

 

Best estimate of contributions for upcoming financial year

 

 

 

 

Contributions by the employer

 

5.3

 

4.6

1) The defined benefit obligation includes the funded part and the unfunded part.

Employee benefit plans

millions of CHF

 

2023

 

2022

Components of defined benefit obligation, split

 

 

 

 

Defined benefit obligation for active members

 

–93.1

 

–75.0

Defined benefit obligation for pensioners

 

–21.8

 

–23.4

Defined benefit obligation for deferred members

 

–0.1

 

–0.1

Total defined benefit obligation as of December 31

 

–115.0

 

–98.5

 

 

 

 

 

Components of actuarial gains / (losses) on obligations

 

 

 

 

Actuarial gains / (losses) arising from changes in financial assumptions

 

–8.3

 

23.1

Actuarial gains / (losses) arising from changes in demographic assumptions

 

0.3

 

Actuarial gains / (losses) arising from experience adjustments

 

2.8

 

–13.2

Total actuarial gains / (losses) on defined benefit obligation

 

–5.2

 

9.9

 

 

 

 

 

Maturity profile of defined benefit obligation

 

 

 

 

Weighted average duration of defined benefit obligation in years

 

13.4

 

12.0

Principal actuarial assumptions as of December 31

The following were the principal actuarial assumptions:

 

 

2023

 

2022

 

 

Funded plans Switzerland

 

Unfunded plans Germany

 

Funded plans Switzerland

 

Unfunded plans Germany

Discount rate for active employees

 

1.5%

 

4.2%

 

2.2%

 

3.8%

Discount rate for pensioners

 

1.5%

 

4.2%

 

2.3%

 

3.8%

Future salary increases

 

1.8%

 

0.0%

 

1.5%

 

0.0%

Future pension increases

 

1.5%

 

1.0%

 

0.0%

 

1.0%

Life expectancy at retirement age (male / female) in years

 

22/24

 

21/24

 

22/24

 

21/24

Sensitivity analysis of defined benefit obligations

Reasonably possible changes at the reporting date to the relevant actuarial assumptions, holding other assumptions constant, would have affected the defined benefit obligation by the amounts shown below.

millions of CHF

 

2023

 

2022

Discount rate (decrease 0.25 percentage points)

 

–3.9

 

–2.9

Discount rate (increase 0.25 percentage points)

 

3.7

 

2.7

Future salary growth (decrease 0.25 percentage points)

 

1.4

 

1.1

Future salary growth (increase 0.25 percentage points)

 

–1.5

 

–1.2

Life expectancy (decrease 1 year)

 

0.5

 

0.4

Life expectancy (increase 1 year)

 

–0.5

 

–0.3