Banking Monitor 2021 – Banks are perceived as an important support for SMEs and businesses.
Swiss voters regard Switzerland’s position, even in times of crisis, as a financial hub as financially and economically sound. It is therefore not surprising that, during the coronavirus pandemic, banks are increasingly perceived as an important pillar of funding for SMEs and businesses.
In the ongoing Corona pandemic, Swiss banks enjoy an increasingly positive image in 2021. Three quarters of voters have a positive perception of the Swiss banking world in 2021.
Drivers of this positive perception are the banks’ contribution to environmental protection and sustainability, the importance of the financial sector for Switzerland’s tax revenue and positive experiences with their own credit and financial institution. Thus, they continue to convince on the dimensions of performance image and social image – ideal for a company in external perception: banks are perceived to be economically potent and use this strength to make relevant contributions to society.
From the point of view of Swiss voters, the Swiss financial centre is in a solid financial and economic position, even in times of crisis. Accordingly, it is not surprising that during the Corona pandemic the banks are perceived even more strongly as an important pillar of financing for SMEs and commerce.
The joint emergency credit programme of the Confederation and the Swiss banks enjoys almost widespread attention, with 88 percent of voters aware of it. The role of the banks in the programme is praised, as a majority of 84 percent of voters who are aware of the credit programme have a positive opinion of the banks’ contribution to the success of the programme.
For more information, see the final report (in German).
