The main focus of GfS was opinion research in close cooperation with universities. The institute built up unique expertise in this area early on in its history. Political trend analyses, citizen opinion polls, the anxiety and concerns barometer, the pioneering VOX analyses on federal referendums and the Univox studies for universities made the institute the national bellwether of opinion and political research.
The operational research unit was set up as a distinct organisation to cope with the growing diversity of projects. This resulted in the modern GfS Research Institute, which was converted into a shareholder company in 1986. Even in the early days, the findings published by the GfS Research Institute on opinion forming trends in Switzerland and in direct democratic processes were considered groundbreaking.
From 1992, the GfS research institute had an independent office in Bern in the form of gfs.bern. In 1998, the institute was divided into two independent business units, gfs-zürich and gfs.bern. Since then, gfs-zürich has specialised in image research, opinion polls and customer satisfaction, while gfs.bern focuses on political, communications and social research.
With the founding of gfs.bern, gfs-zürich and the gfs-Befragungsdienst (a telephone polling service) as independent corporations in 2004, the structure was finally adapted to modern market needs. This structure allowed the institutes to operate independently of one another under the shared historical umbrella of the GfS association.
gfs.bern continues to focus on political and communications research. Another focus of its activities is the support of strategic, evidence-based communication. The company has established itself as a leading provider of political analysis, strategic communication and public affairs monitoring. Thanks to its analytical strength and social anchoring, gfs.bern counts parties, associations, private companies, cities and municipalities, cantons, the SRG SRR and civil society organisations among its clients.
gfs-zürich, on the other hand, offers recognised and reliable market and social research with a focus on population and target group surveys. gfs-zürich asks the right questions for valuable insights and has strong links with science, business and society.
The year 2009, the 50th anniversary of the GfS, marked a strategic turning point and a new beginning. The anniversary event with an expert audience, media and stakeholders marked the beginning of an era of independent institutes. The separation of the research areas into gfs.bern and gfs-zürich was thus also publicly implemented. Subsequently, the gfs association was gradually reduced in size and later dissolved altogether – a clear step towards entrepreneurial clarity, thematic focus and market independence. In terms of content, a groundbreaking project was launched with the Racism Monitoring Switzerland. This project represented a milestone in discrimination-sensitive social research. It is an expression of the socio-political aspiration that continues to shape the GfS today.
With its strong analytical skills and solid social anchoring, gfs.bern provides empirical and evidence-based answers to a wide range of social, political and economic questions. The company is today known for scientifically sound, practical and strategically useful opinion research in Switzerland. As a data partner for federal votes (SRG projections), operator of the concern barometer and developer of monitors and indices on politics, health and society, gfs.bern combines analytical excellence with public impact.
With gfs.digital and gfs.insights, gfs.bern is expanding its service portfolio to include targeted digital solutions: from intelligent dashboards and API-supported data access to interactive reports and modules for digital citizen participation or automated analyses, gfs.digital offers new tools for data-driven decisions – quickly, accessibly and tailored to the target group.
