Obtaining B Corp Certification for Centre Assal

Press release dated 20.02.2023

To be the first B Corp™ certified healthcare institution in Switzerland? The ASSAL Center did it!

Geneva, 20.02.2023 – The ASSAL Centre obtains B Corporation (B Corp™) certification. This distinction rewards the deployment of a long-term CSR strategy and is part of the center's DNA. The sustainable services and practices implemented within the structure result from a philosophy advocating responsible medicine throughout the chain of care, underpinned by benevolent economic, social and environmental values.

B CORP™ CERTIFICATION: REVEALING VALUES, FEDERATING ACTIONS

Visualizing the company as a force of collective interest resonates all the more strongly in a sector with a significant environmental impact, where there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of CSR. In a highly regulated industry like medicine, obtaining this distinction is disruptive! It is important to prove that obtaining such certification, which is among the most demanding in the world, is not "greenwashing" or "labelwashing" and we are extremely proud to be the first medical institution in Switzerland to have achieved this.

Dr. Lisca Drittenbass, at the origin of this initiative

We will continue to go beyond the requirements of this certification. Obtaining a label like B Corp means that we see its implementation in the long term and that we are therefore part of a continuous progression process. ™ It is also necessary to be aware that this approach generates significant costs for the company.

PD Dr Mathieu Assal, CEO of the centre

SUSTAINABILITY: MEDICINE MUST DO BETTER!

Aware of the sustainability issues directly related to medical practice, but also more broadly to the management of a health company, the center imposes rigor on the societal and environmental objectives of its activities. This vision is reflected in a sustainable and caring approach to so-called "smarter medicine", evidence-based medicine involving targeted care, protecting patients from unnecessary and ineffective, even dangerous examinations or treatments. With regard to the general conduct of the centre's activities, Swiss suppliers are preferred, waste is minimised and the environmental footprint is controlled. The ASSAL Center thus challenges the somewhat rigid health ecosystem in which it evolves and hopes to move the lines.

EXPERTS ALONG THE ENTIRE CARE CHAIN

"Each member of the team therefore has a role to play in avoiding unnecessary examinations, systematically favouring conservative treatments and guaranteeing quality surgical care in the event of an intervention, in order to achieve a minimum complication rate. This is where we really make a difference for the patient and society as a whole," says PD Dr. Mathieu Assal. Treatment decisions are based on internal studies written and published in leading scientific journals and are supported by rigorous processes, analytical symposia and monitoring of patient satisfaction. Every year, the ASSAL Centre invests considerably in continuous training for its employees, offering them a field for personal and professional development, with the aim of strengthening their expertise.

SUSTAINABILITY... IT IS ALSO THE TRANSMISSION OF EXPERTISE

Medical research and training are two of the foundations on which the activity of the ASSAL Centre is based. It has been recognized as a training institution by the ISFM since 2015 and organizes numerous training courses for medical professionals throughout French-speaking Switzerland, a rather unusual concept for a private center of this size. This commitment took on a new form in 2021 with the creation of the FORTĒ Foundation, which aims to support research, the organization of the aforementioned training courses and the provision of scholarships for doctors wishing to improve their skills in the field of foot and ankle surgery, both in Switzerland and abroad. The foundation also supports the humanitarian commitment of the doctors of the center, in which they are directly involved.

Sébastien Chahidi, Head of Certification at B Lab Switzerland comments: "In the healthcare sector, where progress in terms of CSR is complex due to rigid regulations, the ASSAL Centre proves to us that this sector of activity can also be sustainable and we congratulate it for being the first in Switzerland to obtain B Corp™ certification. Others will certainly follow. »

THE ASSAL CENTRE FOR FOOT MEDICINE AND SURGERY

Founded in 2012, the ASSAL Centre for Foot Medicine and Surgery has around 30 employees, making it one of the largest institutes specialising in the treatment of foot and ankle conditions in Switzerland. It is led by three physicians, experts in their field: PD Dr. Mathieu Assal (CEO), Dr. Lisca Drittenbass and Dr. Victor Dubois-Ferrière. The centre's multidisciplinary team is made up of surgeons and sports doctors, but also researchers, chiropodists and specialist nurses.