We foster an environment of equal opportunity, trust, and professional growth. Our commitment extends to all employees, regardless of gender, age, religion or ethnicity. In 2024, 52% of our employees were women and 48% men. Legal experts (excluding partners) are almost equally distributed, with 49,2% female and 50,8% male. Among partners, 16% were women, and we continue to work towards increasing female representation in leadership roles.

As part of our membership in Advance, we participate in a cross-company mentoring program that supports high-potential female talent. Each year, two Senior Associates join as mentees and two senior leaders serve as mentors. This program, along with skill-building courses offered by Advance for Senior and Managing Associates, fosters professional and personal growth and strengthens leadership capabilities.

Our workforce spans all age groups, with predominantly young profile: 72,5% of employees are under 45, and the largest cohort in the 25-34 age group. In 2024, women made up 57,3% of employees under 45, while men were more represented in the older age groups (women 38,4% in 45+). This demonstrates strong gender balance among younger professionals and highlights an opportunity to further strengthen female representation at senior level.

Split of regular members of staff by job category as of 31 December 2024:

At Walder Wyss, we are committed to fair and equitable compensation across all employee categories. In February 2023, we conducted an equal pay analysis using the Swiss Confideration’s Logib tool, with November 2022 as the reference month.

The analysis revealed that, on average, women earn 17,3% less than man. However, when differences in qualification characteristics and job-related factors are taken into account, the adjusted pay gap narrows to 2,6%. The remaining difference is statistically insignificant, indicating no evidence of an unexplained gender pay gap based on the standard analysis model.

We are committed to regularly monitoring pay equity and will continue to conduct follow-up analyses to ensure transparency, fairness, and continuous improvement.

Professional growth is fundamental to our success. In 2024, each legal professional completed an average of 12,6 hours of paid external legal training. We also offer regular internal educational programs and frequent training sessions within our business and practice groups.

We support flexible working arrangements, such as part-time options and up to two days of home office and provide access to sports facilities to promote a balanced work-life environment. Employees may also take unpaid leave, and our maternity and paternity leave policies exceed statutory requirements.

To promote well-being, we provide personal training opportunities in selected offices, fresh fruit baskets, and ergonomically designed workstations.

Looking ahead, we are committed to enhancing our feedback culture and refining career development pathways. Our new HR system, featuring a qualification tool and 360-degree reviews, will pay a crucial role in supporting long-term growth. We also foster an open-door culture to encourage transparent and constructive feedback.