On 3 November 2025, Building Bridges participated in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Working Group on Financial Services seminar on “Stability & Sustainability” in Geneva. Organised by EFTA, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF), the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), and the Swiss National Bank, the event gathered policymakers, regulators, and financial leaders to discuss how stability and sustainability reinforce one another in today’s evolving financial system.

Representing Building Bridges, Marie-Laure Schaufelberger, Vice-Chair of our Foundation, Chief Sustainability Officer at Pictet Group and President of Sustainable Finance Geneva, outlined how sustainable finance has become an essential driver of transparency, resilience, and opportunity. She noted that the financial sector is moving from voluntary action to integration where climate, nature, and social considerations are embedded in investment and risk decisions.

Marie-Laure highlighted three key opportunity areas in sustainable finance:

  • Solutions-based investing: directing capital toward companies providing solutions to accelerate the transition.
  • Transition finance: investing in issuers with credible plans to decarbonise and adapt business models.
  • Active engagement: dialogue and partner with issuers, clients and stakeholders.

These themes formed the core of her message: sustainable finance is not a moral choice, but a strategic pathway to resilience and long-term prosperity. She emphasised that these areas are not just policy priorities but also growth opportunities, as investors increasingly recognise that sustainable finance drives competitiveness and portfolio resilience.

Marie-Laure also referenced recent science on the planetary boundaries, noting that 7 of the 9 planetary boundaries have already been crossed, which makes the case for accelerating investment in climate, nature and resource efficiency rather than delaying it.

We thank EFTA, SECO, SIF, FINMA, and the Swiss National Bank for convening this timely discussion, and our Founding Partner SECO for the invitation to participate.