Responsible employer
The Zurich Airport Group employs 2,376 employees in more than 70 professions. They are the company’s most important resource and their skills and commitment provide the basis for its success.
Relevance
As an employer, the Zurich Airport Group assumes its share of responsibility for the well-being of its employees, regardless of their background and type of employment. Progressive working conditions, an open, appreciative and collaborative corporate culture and workplace safety are among the basic prerequisites for employees to achieve their full potential. The company also invests heavily in the training and further development of its employees. Furthermore, the decisions of the Zurich Airport Group also have an impact on the working conditions of employees at the partner companies, for example in relation to workplace safety or working hours.
Approach
Values and leadership development
In 2022, Zurich Airport Ltd. introduced five corporate values with the acronym “COACH” at the Zurich site. COACH stands for Collaborative, Open, Agile, Committed and Human. These values strengthen the sense of community, promote respectful and constructive dialogue and support a culture of openness and a willingness to change. They form the foundation for the ongoing development of teams, managers and employees.
An important element for dialogue on the corporate values is the twice-yearly employee survey, in which more than 70% of employees take part. In this eight-question survey called the team barometer, employees rate how the values are put into practice in the team and their general satisfaction with their role and with management. Instead of making general comments on the questions or feedback, employees are encouraged to provide what are known as feedforwards. These are forward-looking comments aimed at goal-driven development. The results of the team barometer are immediately visible to all employees once the survey is completed. The teams discuss their results and feedforwards within a few weeks and use them to derive measures for improvement. This also applies to the Management Board. It additionally evaluates the overall results of the company, identifies overarching areas for action and initiates appropriate improvement measures.
Satisfaction with the recommendation rate is also recorded and measured in a standardised manner in the employee survey. The value achieved is compared to the target KPI. The degree of target achievement is a factor in determining the variable remuneration of the Management Board and of management employees.
The leadership programme was also launched at the Zurich site during the reporting year. With this substantial investment in leadership development, the company is empowering its managers to tackle the challenges of the future. Over the course of three modules, all management personnel and specialist project managers have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Zurich Airport Ltd. leadership philosophy, which is based on the corporate values, and to engage deeply with their role as a leader. They also learn how to create an environment in which employees can perform their duties efficiently, continuously develop and take responsibility in a world that is changing at a rapid pace.
Safeguarding rights
The Zurich Airport Group observes the core conventions of the ILO (International Labour Organization) and all labour laws applicable locally at its airports. It offers fair pay, higher than the respective minimum wage, and guarantees that no child labour or forced labour is used in its companies. Measures and precautions relating to the observance of human rights, including in the value chain, are described in a separate section.
Employee representation
Employees of Zurich Airport Ltd. at the Zurich site have a statutory guaranteed right of participation, which the staff representation council (PeV) exercise on behalf of all staff. Participation of the PeV in all matters that directly affect employees is a keystone of the company’s social partnership. It covers topics such as occupational health and safety, working time arrangements, business transfers (parts or whole), mass redundancies as defined by the Swiss Code of Obligations and collective pay bargaining.
The PeV is committed to the rights and well-being of employees and maintains a regular and constructive dialogue with the Management Board. During the reporting year, it was involved in issues such as the revision of the profit share for lower function levels and the integration of employees for PRM services (services for people with reduced mobility or other disabilities), which had previously been taken over by a third-party company.
At the start of the reporting year, the seven members of the PeV elected in December 2024 – five of them current and two new – began their four-year term of office. Throughout the year, employees of Zurich Airport Ltd. have the opportunity to contact these members verbally, in writing or in person at their office.
Collective bargaining agreements
Collective bargaining agreements exist neither for employees of the Zurich Airport Group at the Zurich site nor for those in India or Chile. At the Zurich site, however, the PeV will further strengthen employees’ participation rights. In Brazil, all employees with a local contract of employment are legally entitled to the conditions negotiated by the union each year under collective bargaining agreements.
Employees on call
In the reporting year, 88 part-time employees (see Key data) of Zurich Airport Ltd. were paid on an hourly basis without a guaranteed minimum number of hours. At the Zurich site, these are mainly people who work for VIP services or at service points and info desks, along with tour guides, the majority of whom have already retired.
Attractive jobs
The working environment at the airport is attractive and offers interesting positions for people with a wide range of qualifications. In total, around 35,000 employees work at more than 300 companies at Zurich Airport.
In order to make Zurich Airport Ltd. even more attractive to employees, the comprehensive measures on employer attractiveness adopted in the previous year were implemented with effect from 1 January 2025. They include, among other measures, a reduction in weekly working hours to 41 hours, an increase in supplements for working at night, on weekends and on public holidays, and an increase in vouchers for discounted lunches.
The airports in Brazil that are majority-owned by Zurich Airport Ltd. conduct regular surveys on work culture. Measures are continuously implemented using these insights to further increase the attractiveness of the workplaces for employees.
Remuneration and equal pay
The Zurich Airport Group attaches importance to offering fair, market-based remuneration: At the Zurich site, it therefore pays bonuses above the statutory minimum requirements for working at night and over weekends and holidays. It also pays bonuses for work in especially unpleasant, dirty or noisy environments. All the above-mentioned bonuses were increased with effect from 1 January 2025, and at the same time a new allowance was introduced to compensate employees in the event of service deferral.
The Zurich Airport Group upholds the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. For this reason, Zurich Airport Ltd. compares pay disparity between men and women at the Zurich site each year. The difference in total remuneration excluding bonuses is currently 2.7% (previous year: 2.6%), to the disadvantage of women. However, if the bonuses for particularly unpleasant, dirty or noisy jobs were included, the gap would be greater because there is a higher share of men who work in these types of job.
Compensation ratio
At the Zurich site, the ratio of the annual total remuneration (salary including variable remuneration plus pension/social insurance contributions) for the highest-paid individual (CEO) to the median annual total remuneration for all other employees was 9.0x (2024: 8.8x). For the entire Group, the ratio of the annual total remuneration for the highest-paid individual (CEO) to the median annual total remuneration for all other employees in the Group was 10.2x (2024: 9.8x). Given the different levels of pay and costs in Switzerland in comparison with Brazil and India especially, the pay ratio for the Group is only meaningful to a limited extent. To make the pay ratio figure more meaningful, the pay of the Board of Directors, apprentices, interns, trainees and hourly-paid workers was excluded. Likewise, only employees who were employed for the entire year were taken into account. Remuneration for part-time employees has been converted to full-time employment.
Pension fund and health insurance
Through the BVK pension fund, Zurich Airport Ltd. offers its Zurich-based employees a retirement plan with above-average benefits and individual savings options. The company pays 60% of contributions, 10% more than required by law, and also provides support in the form of seminars during the transition to retirement. In the reporting year, 24 employees and their partners (previous year: 29) attended these seminars, which teach financial skills and answer personal questions. More information on the BVK pension fund can be found in Note 22, Employee benefits.
The Zurich Airport Group also seeks to provide good pension provision for employees of its majority-owned subsidiaries abroad. In Brazil, contributions by employees to the private pension fund in excess of the minimum are matched by the company. Chile does not provide for direct employer contributions to private pension plans. The legally required portion of pension benefits for private individuals is deducted from the salary, however, and paid out directly by the company to the private pension accounts of the employees. India has a similar system, where the employer likewise pays the pension portion of remuneration directly into its employees’ accounts.
While health insurance at the Zurich site is a private matter of the employees, at the sites in Latin America, the company contributes to the premiums for employees’ health insurance. Arranging and paying for health insurance policies for workers is mandatory in Brazil, while the subsidiary in Chile voluntarily pays 70% of these costs. In India, the employees of the subsidiary are insured by the employer in the event of illness and occupational and non-occupational accidents.
Additional perks
All Zurich staff enjoy discounts at cafés, restaurants and shops at the airport. In addition, for employees who work more than 50% of full-time hours, Zurich Airport Ltd. pays the full cost of a public transport card for the Canton of Zurich, or contributes to the costs of a cross-zone or general travel card.
Similarly, employees in Chile and Brazil enjoy discounts in stores at the airports. Certain deals for employees in Brazil have also been negotiated with schools, shops, pharmacies, etc.
Annual leave
Employees at the Zurich site are entitled to at least 25 days of holiday. Up to the age of 49, the general entitlement is 25 days; it later increases to 28 days (50 to 59 years of age) and from the age of 60 to 31 days. Apprentices are entitled to 27 days of holiday.
Employer branding and recruitment
The Zurich Airport Group also wants to be able to attract the right employees in the future. The company therefore employs innovative recruitment methods including a simplified application process and making quick contact. At job fairs, career and graduate days and local trade fairs, Zurich Airport Ltd. seeks to converse with potential future employees and provides information on current vacancies, training programmes and development opportunities.
To strengthen Zurich Airport’s position as an attractive place to work offering an exciting variety of careers, the Career Days event was held for the second time in the autumn and enjoyed even greater appeal. Organised together with ten other partner companies, around 1,700 guests and potential future employees attended the event, which included more than 70 different programme items such as exclusive guided tours, information sessions and live discussions at the careers meet-and-greet.
Flexible working hours and remote working
Zurich Airport Ltd. employees based in Zurich benefit from an annual hours working time model with flexible working hours. This enables employees to work around family commitments, devote time to public or political office, have time for further education, or pursue social activities.
Working outside the office (remote work) is a given for the professional groups for whom this arrangement is possible due to their positions. Zurich Airport Ltd. provides the necessary equipment and organisational structures to facilitate this. Meeting face-to-face and opportunities for on-site discussions remain important.
Work-life balance
The ability to combine work with family life is especially important to the Zurich Airport Group. In addition to the enhanced flexibility options outlined above, at the Zurich site new mothers therefore receive 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, two weeks more than the statutory minimum. Upon request and where organisationally possible, maternity leave can be extended to six months with two months of unpaid leave. Fathers and spouses of women who have given birth are entitled to the statutory 10-day leave for the other parent on a full salary.
The proportion of part-time employees with permanent contracts at the Zurich site increased slightly in the reporting year to 35% (previous year: 34%). To further promote part-time work at the Zurich site, working hours can be reduced for twelve months on a trial basis. The company also supports the option of unpaid leave for longer periods of study or training, extended maternity/paternity leave and to fulfil life wishes such as a trip around the world. Zurich Airport Ltd. is convinced that employees taking such personal time-outs will expand their skills and return to the workplace with greater motivation and performance.
Public offices and secondary occupations
Zurich Airport Ltd. supports its employees in the performance of public service. This is because it is essential for the Swiss militia system that employers ensure the compatibility of militia service with work life. The company grants paid leave, for example, depending on the type of public office. Secondary occupations are also possible, but must be disclosed to the employer to avoid conflicts of interest.
Diversity
The Zurich Airport Group considers the diversity of its occupations and employees to be a strength. People from 65 different nations work for the company at Zurich Airport. The company seeks to provide equal opportunities to all employees and create understanding and acceptance for their breadth of knowledge, different ways of thinking, origin, age, lifestyles and gender.
In the recruitment process, the focus is always on applicants’ qualifications and their attitude towards the company’s values. However, criteria such as ethnic origin, age, lifestyle or gender must not lead to any discrimination. At the Zurich site, the majority of positions advertised flexibly with a workload of between 80 and 100% also promote working models such as part-time or job sharing.
Diversity in governance bodies and management
At the end of the reporting year, the Board of Directors of Zurich Airport Ltd. consisted of four women and four men, while the Management Board was made up of two women and five men. The requirements for listed companies regarding gender balance were thus fulfilled. At the Zurich site, the proportion of women in management during the year under review was 22.5%.
Training and professional development
Zurich Airport Ltd. invests in the professional development of its employees at all its locations. It is important for the company both to train people just embarking on their careers and to foster the professional, social and leadership skills of existing employees. At least once a year, all personnel in Zurich and Brazil are entitled to a personal performance review and a discussion about their career development with their line managers. As yet, the introduction of an annual performance review for all employees has not been fully implemented at the majority-owned subsidiary in Chile. In India, the appraisal and development programme is available to all employees on a voluntary basis.
Training
The Zurich Airport Group considers basic vocational training to be both an economic necessity and a social duty. It consequently takes responsibility for providing professional vocational training. In the reporting period, the company employed 46 apprentices in 13 different occupations as well as an average of 5 newly qualified apprentices in a one-year follow-on programme (maximum twelve months) after completing their apprenticeships at the Zurich site. Moreover, a total of 15 interns (university placement) and graduate trainees completed work experience over several months. As at the cut-off date at the end of the year, around 3% of all employees were in vocational education, a work placement or a trainee programme at Zurich Airport Ltd.
When taking on new apprentices, trainees and interns at the Zurich site, Zurich Airport Ltd. seeks to recruit applicants from a wide range of educational backgrounds and school qualifications. For instance, it offers basic training leading to the Swiss Federal Vocational Training Certificate (with or without a federal vocational baccalaureate) or Diploma, which can also accommodate trainees with prior qualifications at various different levels. In addition, the company helps people in various occupations to integrate into the world of work. This includes, for example, providing integration pre-apprenticeships for refugees or people temporarily admitted to the country. In the reporting year, for example, three employees from the facility cleaning department successfully started their adult training as a cleaning technology specialist in accordance with Article 32 of the Vocational Education and Training Ordinance. This represents an important step towards obtaining a professional qualification recognised in Switzerland. In addition, an apprentice with protection status (Permit S) completed vocational training at the company. Moreover, the company employed three apprentices with physical disabilities in the reporting year.
Apprentices, trainees and interns are assimilated in regular work processes and are given tasks and responsibilities appropriate to their level of training. Wherever possible, the continued employment of young professionals within the company is promoted with suitable job offers. Zurich Airport Ltd. ensures that its training staff are suitably qualified by providing further training courses along with the resources, expertise and assistance needed to ensure that training is a success. In the reporting year, the quarterly “Lunch & Learn” format was introduced, in which the responsible trainers can exchange ideas, give advice and obtain further training on selected topics. This promotes the continuous transfer of knowledge and further strengthens the quality of professional support in both a professional and methodical manner.
Career training is also important at international sites. In Brazil, 24-month internships are offered for students at the airports in Florianópolis and Vitória. There were 15 people on this programme in the reporting year. Student employees are also employed in Noida, India, for four-month internships.
Professional development
Zurich Airport Ltd. offers a large number of continuing education courses. Employees and managers can deepen or extend their technical, personal and social competencies in a variety of seminars and training courses. In total, approximately 570 courses are offered at the Zurich site. While a considerable number of training courses are mandatory for certain groups to enable them to continue practising their professions, there are also a wide variety of other learning and development opportunities. In addition to face-to-face learning, around 180 purely digital self-study modules are available. From these courses, employees can count two modules per year as working hours. On average, employees completed internal continuing education programmes totalling 16.1 hours in the year under review. Zurich Airport Ltd. also makes a contribution in terms of financing or hours to specific external courses. In the reporting year, 65 further training courses involving a company contribution of over CHF 3,000 each were supported.
Suitable employees also have the option of taking on jobs at another company site. This gives them the opportunity to develop in an international environment.
Health management
Occupational health management at the Zurich site protects and promotes the health of employees in the workplace and also in their private lives. It is divided into three areas. Firstly, this includes the area of occupational safety (see the section entitled Occupational and aviation safety), i.e. the prevention of accidents and other adverse health effects caused by professional activity. Secondly, Zurich Airport Ltd. offers employees an extensive range of opportunities to improve their physical and mental health. For example, the company offers free or discounted sports programmes and free vaccinations against influenza, as well as vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis, hepatitis A and hepatitis B for exposed personnel and specific travel vaccinations for employees posted abroad. The third area is attendance and case management. It is used to identify absences at an early stage, to support the return to work and to boost the attendance rate and the health of employees through targeted measures.
If they have any personal issues or work problems, employees at the Zurich site also have the option of contacting an external advice center for free and confidential advice. The center can be contacted 24/7 and maintains complete confidentiality – the employer cannot determine who has made use of this service.
At the airports in Brazil, employees must be allowed to participate in a forum called CIPA (Comissão Interna de Prevenção de Acidentes de Trabalho), which promotes good health and seeks to prevent workplace accidents and occupational illnesses. Employees elect the members of this body themselves.
Workers in an employment-like relationship
The Zurich Airport Group also has workers who are not employees and who therefore do not have a direct contract of employment with the company. This applies in particular to people working as cleaners and individuals working in ICT at the Zurich site.
Cleaning workers in an employment-like relationship are used to cover peak periods, mostly during the summer months. These workers are employed by an agency, but are treated the same as Zurich Airport Ltd.’s own employees in relation to working hours and bonuses. In ICT, this type of hiring makes it possible to procure the necessary skills and manage short-term capacity constraints. These workers are often employees of specialist IT companies, for example.
At the international majority-owned subsidiaries in Brazil and Chile, it is very rare for workers not to be direct employees. There are no such employment-like relationships in India at all.
Key data (as at 31 December 2025)
Employees
Zurich Airport Group | ||||||||||||
Employee composition | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||
No. of employees (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 1,915 | 2,105 | 2,163 | 2,376 | 2,7461 | ||||||
No. of employees in FTEs (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Full-time equivalents (FTE) | 1,694 | 1,886 | 1,934 | 2,130 | 2,479 | ||||||
Non-guaranteed hours employees | Number of people | 77 | 85 | 95 | 92 | 88 | ||||||
Apprentices | Number of people | 43 | 49 | 54 | 61 | 54 | ||||||
Interns/trainees | Number of people | 3 | 22 | 23 | 33 | 21 | ||||||
Employees by employment contract | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||
Permanent (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 1,856 | 1,901 | 2,113 | 2,295 | 2,657 | ||||||
Female | Number of people | 596 | 613 | 680 | 728 | 824 | ||||||
Male | Number of people | 1,260 | 1,288 | 1,433 | 1,567 | 1,833 | ||||||
Other | Number of people | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Temporary (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 59 | 204 | 50 | 81 | 89 | ||||||
Female | Number of people | 18 | 46 | 17 | 26 | 22 | ||||||
Male | Number of people | 41 | 158 | 33 | 55 | 67 | ||||||
Other | Number of people | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Permanent employees by employment type | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||
Full-time (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 1,378 | 1,420 | 1,584 | 1,764 | 2,046 | ||||||
Female | Number of people | 271 | 304 | 349 | 382 | 443 | ||||||
Male | Number of people | 1,107 | 1,116 | 1,235 | 1,382 | 1,603 | ||||||
Other | Number of people | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Part-time (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 478 | 481 | 529 | 588 | 671 | ||||||
Female | Number of people | 325 | 309 | 331 | 361 | 395 | ||||||
Male | Number of people | 153 | 172 | 198 | 227 | 276 | ||||||
Other | Number of people | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Employees by region | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||||
Switzerland | Number of people | 1,534 | 1,553 | 1,662 | 1,793 | 1,984 | ||||||
Permanent (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 1,501 | 1,521 | 1,650 | 1,736 | 1,924 | ||||||
Temporary (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 33 | 32 | 12 | 57 | 60 | ||||||
Latin America | Number of people | 330 | 481 | 401 | 415 | 428 | ||||||
Permanent (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 309 | 314 | 369 | 397 | 406 | ||||||
Temporary (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 21 | 167 | 32 | 18 | 22 | ||||||
Asia | Number of people | 51 | 71 | 100 | 168 | 334 | ||||||
Permanent (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 46 | 66 | 94 | 162 | 327 | ||||||
Temporary (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
1Incl. 132 people from insourcing for the PRM service.
Turnover 1
Zurich Airport Ltd., Zurich Site | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Newly hired employees (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees) | Number of people | 278 | 343 | 3392 | ||||
of which female | Number of people | 94 | 128 | 116 | ||||
of which male | Number of people | 184 | 215 | 223 | ||||
of which employees aged up to 30 years | Number of people | 74 | 113 | 65 | ||||
of which employees aged between 31 and 50 years | Number of people | 149 | 162 | 196 | ||||
of which employees aged above 50 years | Number of people | 55 | 68 | 78 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.0 | ||||
of which female | Number of people | 40 | 39 | 46 | ||||
of which male | Number of people | 76 | 71 | 83 | ||||
of which employees aged up to 30 years | Number of people | 18 | 16 | 18 | ||||
of which employees aged between 31 and 50 years | Number of people | 66 | 74 | 70 | ||||
of which employees aged above 50 years | Number of people | 32 | 20 | 41 | ||||
Florianópolis Airport, Brazil | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | n/a | n/a | 9 | ||||
Vitória/Macaé Airports, Brazil | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | n/a | n/a | 5 | ||||
Natal Airport, Brazil | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | n/a | n/a | 13 | ||||
Antofagasta Airport, Chile | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | 1 | 32 | 19 | ||||
Iquique Airport, Chile | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | 102 | 18 | 29 | ||||
Noida Airport, India | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Employee turnover rate3 | in % | 14 | 12 | 9 |
1Table excl. regional offices in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Santiago de Chile (Chile).
2Incl. 132 people from insourcing for the PRM service.
3No. of notices of termination over last 12 months (excl. apprentices/interns/trainees, retirees/early retirees, people on zero-hours or temporary contracts).
Diversity
Zurich Airport Ltd., Zurich site | Unit | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
Percentage of following categories on Board of Directors | ||||||||
Women | in % | 50 | 50 | 50 | ||||
Men | in % | 50 | 50 | 50 | ||||
Age | ||||||||
30-50 | in % | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||||
> 50 | in % | 100 | 88 | 100 | ||||
Gender proportions per category | ||||||||
Management Board | ||||||||
Women | in % | 29 | 29 | 29 | ||||
Men | in % | 71 | 71 | 71 | ||||
Management personnel (FS1-3) | ||||||||
Women | in % | 21 | 22 | 23 | ||||
Men | in % | 79 | 78 | 77 | ||||
Employees without management function (FS4-6) | ||||||||
Women | in % | 37 | 37 | 35 | ||||
Men | in % | 63 | 63 | 65 | ||||
Proportion of age groups per category | ||||||||
Management Board | ||||||||
< 30 | in % | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
30-50 | in % | 57 | 43 | 43 | ||||
> 50 | in % | 43 | 57 | 57 | ||||
Management personnel (FS1-3) | ||||||||
< 30 | in % | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||
30-50 | in % | 62 | 63 | 63 | ||||
> 50 | in % | 33 | 32 | 32 | ||||
Employees without management function (FS4-6) | ||||||||
< 30 | in % | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||||
30-50 | in % | 46 | 45 | 46 | ||||
> 50 | in % | 44 | 44 | 42 |
