About us

SACO was founded on December 4, 1998 for the purpose of exchanging information, opinions and experiences as well as for the purpose of networking. SACO is not an organization with a code of conduct for compliance or compliance officers. Only persons being compliance officers or performing compliance tasks in a financial institution in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein are eligible for membership.


Activities

The "Swiss Compliance Officers Meeting" (SCOM), which generally takes place twice a year, is geared towards the members of SACO and special guests. The purpose of this conference is to convey information from the field of compliance and related areas. External parties may be invited.

Meetings of SACO members in small circles (“Baskets”) are used as a platform for discussions, exchange of experiences and comparisons. Foremost topics of discussion are compliance issues related to everyday aspects of compliance. Four to six of these meetings are taking place each year.

Conferences on special compliance subjects and related areas are held for  SACO members and invited experts on an irregular basis.

Seminars and workshops are organized to pool knowledge. Further educational events are taking place on demand.

 

Membership

Persons who are

a. compliance officers or who perform compliance functions and
b. who have a contract of employment with a financial institution according to the following definition may become members of the Association:

 

The following financial intermediaries are regarded as being financial institutions:

 

a. intermediaries having their domicile in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein
b.

and are subject to finma/FMA supervision as

  • a bank or securities trader including foreign representatives,
  • insurance companies including foreign representatives,
  • mortgage-backed securities (Pfandbrief) centres
  • Swiss/Liechtenstein collective investment undertakings or fund managers or
  • group companies of a previously mentioned financial intermediary who are  jointly subject to finma/FMA supervision,
c. as well as the Swiss National Bank and the Swiss Post, Postfinance.

 

Applications for membership are to be made and submitted via the SACO website. The decision regarding approval for membership shall be made by the Executive Board. The Executive Board may also reject a membership application without having to give reasons.

 

The annual membership fee is CHF 100.-.