The tobacco industry’s self-interested generosity in Switzerland

Taking advantage of permissive legislation, the tobacco industry has forged a large number of partnerships with cultural and social organisations in Switzerland in the form of sponsorships. Theatres, museums, humanitarian and environmental associations receive donations that appear to be offered generously and without any strings attached.

This report exposes the false pretenses and strategy behind these “philanthropic” activities. While tobacco companies claim that their goal is to provide selfless support to the communities where they operate, their internal documents and scientific literature show that they actually reap significant benefits in terms of image, access to policymakers, and normalization. These phenomena represent obstacles that are incompatible with public health. It is time for Switzerland to implement the measures recommended by the WHO and ban these practices.

The “Transparency and Truth” initiative is being implemented by OxySuisse on behalf of the Tobacco Prevention Fund. You can read the full report at: https://transparencyandtruth.ch/en/ressource/sponsorship-and-philanthropy-the-self-serving-generosity-of-the-tobacco-industry-in-switzerland/