Sponsorship of projects and events in the region

Genève Aéroport pursues an active sponsorship policy by supporting regional projects and events to a level of some 900,000 CHF per year, across three areas: sponsorship, support for local communities, and patronage.

The Patronage fund offers Genève Aéroport's employees the opportunity to choose, every two years, through an internal vote, three charities for Genève Aéroport to support. Each chosen association receives the sum of 25,000 CHF. In addition, Genève Aéroport supports other associations, with 25,000CHF per year, including the Geneva Red Cross, which helps people in difficulty living in Geneva.

The year 2019 was marked by a strong commitment to local events, through the support of some fifty projects. This commitment is demonstrated in the patronage to a host of activities and initiatives in neighbouring municipalities, across the cultural, association and sporting fields.

In all cases, the support is carefully considered, based on well-defined criteria, including respect for the environment and local significance.

Genève Aéroport is particularly involved in sports sponsorship, in particular through its support to the « Lions de Genève » basketball team, as well as the organisation of the « 20 km de Genève by Genève Aéroport ». The company also has either a presence or is involved in other fields, including economics (support of the « Forum des 100 ») and cultural projects (support for the Geneva Chamber Orchestra).

Number of beneficiaries by geographical distribution

Sponsorship, amounts distributed by type

Partnerships with the academic world 

Genève Aéroport regularly collaborates with universities (UNIGE, EPFL, HEG, HEPIA, etc.) in the fields of innovation and sustainable development, in order to establish partnerships and share experiences which can help, on the one hand, in the guidance of students as well as providing Genève Aéroport with drive and energy, on the other. In 2018, Genève Aéroport offered three study subjects and accompanied students from the University of Geneva’s Master's degree in Innovation, Human Development and Sustainability. 

Since 2019, Genève Aéroport has been collaborating on applied research projects supported by Innosuisse and involving academic partners such as the EPFL and the University of Geneva. The Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts (HES) are also important stakeholders and are involved in innovative collaborations within the framework of HEG Geneva’s EMBA programme and with the training of students in nature management at Hepia. The design of Genève Aéroport’s 100th anniversary logo was created in the course of a competition organised in partnership with the HEAD Geneva. 

Supporting Social-Solidarity Economy enterprises

According to the continued objective of improving waste management, Genève Aéroport pursues partnerships with associations active in the field of vocational reintegration, such as the Coordination of Geneva’s mutual aid associations (Coordination des œuvres d’entraide genevoises, for textiles), the Public Institutions for Integration (Établissements publics pour l’intégration) as well as Terre des hommes (for electronic equipment). A new partnership with REALISE was established in 2019 for the recovery of IT equipment. Moreover, the PRO Foundation collaborates with Genève Aéroport to carry out certain types of work.  

Developing entrepreneurial spirit 

In 2019, Genève Aéroport collaborated with a range of local stakeholders to organise the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2019, a world wide event which, each year, brings together nearly 160 countries to discuss business creation. The goal is to gather and unite initiatives in the area of entrepreneurship advice and promotion. The Geneva event was entitled « Free up your ideas » and aimed at creating a platform of support and exchange for project promoters. 

« 126 people, including 68 employees, took part in the Give Blood campaign. » 

Blood donation campaign 

Several times a year, Genève Aéroport hosts the Geneva University Hospital (HUG) as part of a blood donation campaign. Practical information is sent by mail to each registered donor, whether they are employees at Genève Aéroport, employees of a partner company at the airport or they are simply on the donor list.  

« 2,573 external interventions were carried out by Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting. » 

External interventions of airport firefighters and paramedics

Employees of Genève Aéroport's Security, Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (SSLIA) regularly attend sports events and festivals in the region to support rescue partners. They also provide sanitary and logistical facilities. In particular, in 2019, they became involved with Geneva’s Fireworks, the Bol d'Or and Genève-Rolle regattas, the Geneva International Motor Show and the Supercross at Palexpo, as well as at the open doors at Vernets military compound. The SSLIA also supported the cantonal services during the severe weather conditions in June 2019.  

As regards, specifically, aeronautics, upon the mandate of Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), the SSLIA provides instructions for the airports/aerodromes of French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland, officiating during their mandatory emergency exercises. The SSLIA ensures an operational response on the airport site 24 hours a day throughout the year. Paramedics operate throughout the cantonal territory, as well as through parts of Canton Vaud, upon direct request by dialling 144.