7.1 Dolder Hotel AG as an employer
Progress to date
Employer positioning and work culture. Since our reopening in 2008, professional development has been an integral part of our corporate DNA. The experiences of the pandemic have shown us that modern employee development requires far more than just training courses and structured appraisal interviews. In 2022, we therefore developed a comprehensive HR roadmap that complements existing offerings and sets new priorities.
Dolder Hotel AG has been certified as a Top Employer Switzerland since 2024. The annual recertification is based on a structured evaluation process covering six HR areas and around 20 subject areas in accordance with internationally recognised standards. The results once again exceed the industry benchmark and confirm the continuous development of our work culture.
Workplace health promotion. The introduction of workplace health promotion (WHP) has created a key new area of focus. The programme now includes New Work approaches to promote healthy working environments, annually changing focus topics, a varied range of sports and activities, mediation and counselling, as well as the ‘Health Ambassadors’ working group. Our aim is to raise awareness among our employees and strengthen their resilience.
Social inclusion. To contribute to social integrity, we collaborate with various institutions and offer two to three work placements annually for people facing particular life circumstances – whether due to illness, social disadvantage or migration. The relevant line managers receive targeted training, and HR provides close support to these employees.
Flexible working models. Part-time working arrangements – including at management level – remote working and sabbatical opportunities form a balanced mix that demonstrates a sense of responsibility in a changing world of work.
Training and development. Dolder Hotel AG views guest service as a vocation and therefore places particular emphasis on nurturing young talent. The training programme is embedded in a comprehensive staff development strategy: all job-related training is mandatory, supplemented by voluntary options, cross-departmental training and a buddy system for onboarding. As at 31 December 2025, 23 apprentices were undergoing training in four professions: Chef (EFZ), Gastronomy Specialist (EFZ), Hotel Communications Specialist (EFZ) and Hotel, Catering and Tourism Business Administrator (EFZ). Dedicated vocational trainers support the next generation of staff on their path to becoming qualified professionals. Dolder Hotel AG was certified by HotellerieSuisse in 2024 as a ‘Top Ausbildungsbetrieb – Level Two’ and is part of the talent promotion programme ‘Talentförderung Plus’.
Our objectives as an employer focus on three key areas:
Corporate culture and diversity – strengthening commitment and creating space for diversity. Measurement: employee survey and turnover KPI (2026/27).
Employability and resilience – supporting individual employability and increasing organisational adaptability. Measurement: reducing sick days by 10% by 2027.
Supporting young talent – further developing our training programmes and enhancing our appeal as a training provider, as well as talent management within the industry. Measurement: 50% of employees have digital development plans.
Health and working environment. New formats to strengthen resilience are being developed. In parallel, a concept for healthy open-plan offices is being developed – featuring noise protection, a greenery scheme, hygiene standards and quiet retreat areas.
Inclusion and development. The process for creating inclusive workplaces is being standardised. The general training programme is being revised to specifically promote up-to-date skills. HR monitoring is being expanded to include KPIs to measure the effectiveness of the measures.
Training: Roast & Host. From 2026, Dolder Hotel AG will be a partner of Roast & Host – an innovative training programme run by the Zurich Hospitality Training Association. Young talents complete a two- or three-year EFZ/EBA training course in kitchen or service and, through a rotation system, gain experience across various Zurich gastronomic establishments. The programme promotes practical relevance and diversity, while reducing the workload on individual establishments.
| Key figure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of employees (as at 31 December 2025) | 453 | 615 |
| – of whom are women (%) | 49% | 51% |
| – of whom are men (%) | 51% | 49% |
| Full-time equivalents (FTE, total) | 422 | 454 |
| Permanent employment contracts (number) | 409 | 589 |
| Apprentices in training | 23 | |
| Staff turnover rate (%) | 31.87% |
| Key figure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Reportable work-related accidents (number) | 23 | 41 |
| Deaths resulting from work-related injuries or illnesses | 0 | 0 |
Dolder Hotel AG has a documented occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) that is embedded within the integrated management system in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 and is regularly audited by the Swiss Safety Centre. In 2025, over 50 managers attended nine training sessions on their responsibilities in the area of occupational health and safety – a direct measure resulting from the 2024 audit. In addition, regular training sessions on evacuation, first aid, violence prevention and fire safety take place. The establishment of a Business Continuity Management (BCM) system is planned for 2026 and 2027.
| Key figure | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Remuneration at least at the level of the L-GAV / statutory minimum wage | Yes |
| Proportion of women’s wages above the minimum wage | 95.88% |
| Proportion of men’s wages above the minimum wage | 95.58% |
| Proportion of employees offered a pension fund | 100.00% |
| Average hours of further training per employee / employees offered education and training | 52.00% |
Dolder Hotel AG is committed to fair and competitive wages and is subject to the National Collective Labour Agreement for the Hospitality Industry (L-GAV). The L-GAV is a collective labour agreement that is binding throughout Switzerland and sets out the minimum working conditions for the entire hospitality sector. Among other things, it sets out minimum wages, working hours, holiday entitlements, overtime regulations and rights to further training for all employees in the hospitality sector, and applies equally to employers and employees. In 2025, more than 95% of wages were above the minimum wages set by the L-GAV.
Equal pay B10, §42b
In 2021, Dolder Hotel AG conducted a pay equality analysis using the federal government’s standard analysis tool (Logib). The result: the remaining pay difference, which cannot be explained by either personal qualifications or job-related characteristics, is statistically not significantly different from zero – according to Logib, there is no gender pay effect. The analysis required by law under the Gender Equality Act (GlG, Art. 13a) has thus been fulfilled. Once pay equality has been confirmed, the law does not require the analysis to be repeated.
Proportion of women and men in management positions
| Key figure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of managers* | 53 | 59 |
| of whom are female | 27 (51%) | 30 (51%) |
| of whom are male | 26 (49%) | 29 (49%) |
* Management roles are defined as positions up to and including deputy head of department.
Respect for human rights is a non-negotiable principle for Dolder Hotel AG. The double materiality analysis has confirmed that protection against discrimination in particular is a key issue for our company: as an internationally oriented business with guests and staff from over 87 nations, we encounter a wide variety of cultural influences and expectations. Particularly in a service-intensive environment where personal interaction is central, a clear stance against any form of discrimination is crucial – towards guests as well as towards our employees.
Code of Conduct C6, §61a
Dolder Hotel AG has a comprehensive internal Code of Conduct (‘Rights and Duties A to Z’), which applies to the entire group. In addition, there are two specific policies: a policy against harassment and discrimination in the workplace, which addresses sexual harassment and any form of gender-based, ethnic or origin-related discrimination, and a policy against bullying at work, which defines systematic misconduct in the workplace and sets out clear procedures. Both guidelines contain binding standards of conduct, defined points of contact and graduated sanctions, up to and including summary dismissal. The policy against harassment and discrimination expressly includes incidents involving external parties – such as guests or suppliers – and provides for a graduated approach in such cases, up to and including a ban from the premises.
| Subject (§61b) | Covered | Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Child labour | Indirect | Supplier Code of Conduct (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) applies to workers in the value chain |
| Forced labour | Indirect | Supplier Code of Conduct (protection against exploitation) applies to workers in the value chain |
| Human trafficking | No | Not explicitly addressed |
| Discrimination | Yes | Policy on harassment and discrimination in the workplace |
| Accident prevention | Yes | ASGS system, Swiss Safety Centre audit |
| Other | Yes | Policy against bullying at work |
Complaints-handling mechanism C6, §61c
Employees can contact their line managers or Human Resources directly in the event of harassment, discrimination or bullying. A formal reporting form is available. Confidentiality is guaranteed to the extent permitted by law. Sanctions range from a written warning to termination without notice, depending on the severity of the offence.
In addition to the formal complaints procedure, employees have access to counselling services as part of the workplace health promotion programme, including mediation and confidential counselling provided by the Human Resources Development department.
Human rights related incidents C7, §62a
Dolder Hotel AG systematically records and assesses all reported incidents relating to labour and human rights within its own workforce – and takes every single case seriously. In the 2025 reporting year, no incidents were recorded in the areas of child labour, forced labour or human trafficking. Incidents were reported in the area of harassment and discrimination. These were investigated immediately, dealt with in accordance with our internal guidelines and addressed with appropriate measures. For reasons of privacy protection, no details of individual cases are disclosed. No fines were recorded for violations of labour rights.
Dealing with human rights related incidents – harassment and discrimination C7, §62a
Dolder Hotel AG does not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace. This commitment is an integral part of our corporate culture and is underpinned by clear guidelines, reporting procedures and consequences. Dolder Hotel AG will take disciplinary action in the event of any breach of this principle. Depending on the severity of the incident, sanctions range from a formal warning to a transfer or even summary dismissal. In addition to internal measures, incidents may also have legal consequences.
Affected employees are expressly urged to report incidents immediately. The primary point of contact is the immediate line manager. If reporting via this channel is not possible or appropriate, the Human Resources Department and two mediators are available as neutral and confidential points of contact. In addition, the internal form ‘Reporting Harassment or Discrimination’ must be completed.
The detailed regulations are set out in the ‘Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace’ policy.