Roche Switzerland
A leader around the world and at home.
Innovation is a tradition here
Rooted in Switzerland and active throughout the world, we have been a Basel-based family company since the foundation in 1896. To this day, our founding families still hold the majority of our shares. Hardly any other company in the world has such a strong and stable ownership structure. Today we have four sites in Switzerland, with around 13,600 employees from over 100 nations.
Roche’s founder Fritz Hoffmann was a committed entrepreneur, convinced that the future belonged to branded pharmaceutical products.
This is Roche
By numbers
1896
13,600
We spend 25%
We are local
Discover where we are and what we do
We are one big team
With 13,600 employees from over 100 nations, we are among the largest private employers and training operations in Switzerland. Every year, more than 400 young people begin apprenticeships with us in 14 different professions.
Roche brings together people from all over the world and from diverse cultures. And - eventually - something good and great emerges.
By numbers
13,600
>400
41%
Our quest for progress
Switzerland is acknowledged to be one of the most innovative countries in the world, and we want to make sure it stays that way. Major research and development functions for Pharma and Diagnostics are located right here. A new research and development centre will be created in Basel by 2023. About a quarter of our global research and development budget is invested in Switzerland.
Roche is always looking for new ways to find good medicines – good active substances that will in turn help patients afterwards.
We at Roche concentrate on discovering and developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that offer significant advantages over existing products and solutions. Today, we are Switzerland’s largest pharmaceutical company, and number one in biotechnology, cancer therapy and in vitro diagnostics.
Research & Development
Personalized Healthcare
By numbers
4,600
2.4
45
Our contribution to society
We have been working to improve people’s lives for more than 120 years. Our commitment goes far beyond the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic products. We meet our responsibility to people, society and the environment with various national, regional and local projects and initiatives.
I think Roche has understood that sustainability also means considering future generations. Children are our future. They are the ones who have to make it in the world of tomorrow. I think it's a very good thing that we're acting in this way.
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The word “sustainability” keeps coming up in this connection. But what does it actually mean? Find out what contribution Roche is making to a sustainable future.
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Roche Children’s Walk: a charity walk held in collaboration with the European Coalition of Positive People (ECPP) and UNICEF Switzerland. More than 220,000 employees in 70 countries take part in the Roche Children’s Walk every year and collect donations for children in need in countries like Malawi, and Roche matches the total donated.
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We support the Swiss Youth in Science and SimplyScience foundations, as well as the Zug Chamber of Commerce's Faszination Technik programme.
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Our post-doctoral Fellowship Programme is just one of our major contributions to the promotion of science and young talent.
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On the occasion of the company’s centenary in 1996 we presented the Museum Tinguely to the city of Basel, and we have been funding its operation ever since.
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Roche Commissions awards composition commissions to contemporary composers for the Lucerne Festival.
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We support the Roche’n’Jazz concerts in the Museum Tinguely in collaboration with the Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel
By numbers
20
540,000
Building 1
17
10