Vaud ‘International Link’ connects expats and locals

Working globally, sharing locally is the driving idea behind International Link, a service being set up by the CVCI (Vaud Chamber of commerce and industry) and the DEV (Development Economic of Vaud) in response to the needs of a growing international community.

“We realized that foreign companies and their employees in Vaud often remain isolated, without an adequate knowledge of the local infrastructure, so we decided it was time to do something about it” says Claudine Amstein, Director of the CVCI, widely regarded as the initiator of the project.

“In essence, International Link will ensure the ‘after sales service’ for companies that the DEV has attracted to Vaud” Amstein explains.

“But it will also serve as a platform to promote a higher level of collaboration between foreign and local businesses” she adds.

There are currently 101 multinationals, 80 international sports federations and several international institutions of higher learning in Vaud. There are also more than 260 local companies that deal with the international market.

“When we did our market research, we discovered that these organizations had very few contacts between themselves” Claudine Amstein reveals.

“We are dealing with a new economic reality and to develop its full international potential, Vaud needs to adapt its tools” she stresses.

The ambition of International Link is to accompany and adapt to the fast-evolving situation by providing expertise and tailor-made services both for businesses and individuals, as well as creating meeting and networking opportunities.

EXPERTISE AND SERVICES

Amongst the immediate measures, foreign companies will be able to benefit from a hot-line for legal services provided in English. The CVCI legal department will answer questions relating to business activities, such as labor law, social funds, contracts, corporate law and taxation or will recommend specialists for advanced counsel.

HR managers, many of whom have little or no knowledge of local employment practices, will have access to Vaud-specific information and will be offered the opportunity to meet their local counterparts.

Targeted seminars on specific topics relating to current events and legislative changes, such as taxation, intellectual property or commercial law will also take place.

A Welcome Package on social issues with relevant workshops can be provided by independent partner E-Gestion to obtain expertise on the Swiss social security system, details on wage deductions, health insurance and retirement plans.

Start-ups that do not have the required personnel can off-load their social fund assistance and administration onto the CVCI social contribution services.

International Link also intends to promote a higher level of communication with the local authorities, which in turn could lead to lobby groups in defence of specific centres of interest or preoccupation, for example the development of the infrastructure (housing and schools).

MEETING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

“I have been here for six months and you are the first real Swiss that I have met” an Australian expat who works for the local branch of a multinational said to Claudine Amstein when they were introduced at the Montreux Festival last year.

It is precisely to remedy situations of this kind that International Link has set up a variety of networking opportunities.

There are an estimated 100,000 expats in the French-speaking part of Switzerland alone.

To promote exchanges, Best Practices Breakfasts will be regularly organized on suggested themes such as marketing, finance or HR practices.

Furthermore, the CVCI Business Club regularly organizes events to create and strengthen business relationships in a relaxed atmosphere, often in a cultural or sports environment. International Link members will be cordially invited to join in.

“I’m always impressed to see how hard people try to communicate, even when they don’t know the other person’s language very well” Claudine Amstein observes. These meetings, she stresses, are great chances to practice.

To meet the more individual needs of the expat community, International Link proposes an impressive lineup of activities, many of them organized with on-going partners Institut Polycours, C2You, Eurocentres, Café Vivant et HRTop. They include Welcome to Switzerland, Expat Ladies French Experience, Job Search Workshop, Fun French Programs, Orientation  for Newcomers, etc.

And finally, aimed at helping trailing spouses find a job and put their valuable experience and skills to good use, Expats Career Days will be a big event with presentations, booths and workshops to meet and exchange with member companies and local organisations.

It is estimated that more than 400 companies could become members of International Link. Credit Suisse are their first sponsors.

More information on www.internationallink.ch

Check out the Calendar with up-coming events:

Welcome Day
Apr 21, 2010 8.45 am to 14:00 pm

Workshop Bienvenue en Suisse
Apr 28, 2010 8.45 am to 14:00 pm

Best Practices Breakfast
30 April at 8 am on the theme of HR practices