Consistent, independent and responsible

FINMA focuses its activities on three core values: being consistent in its supervisory activities, independent in its decision-making and responsible in its actions.

These three core values set out the way in which FINMA supervises the financial industry, its position as an authority and the requirements it places on its staff.

Consistent supervisory activities

In its role as regulator, FINMA seeks to protect financial market clients and ensure the proper functioning of the Swiss financial centre. It performs its supervisory tasks using the instruments of licensing, monitoring, enforcement and regulation to a subordinate level. It adopts a risk-oriented approach to supervision that ensures continuity and predictability. FINMA fosters dialogue with supervised institutions, authorities, professional associations and other key institutions at the national and international level.

Independent decision-making

Acting as supervisor in the public interest, FINMA is functionally, institutionally and financially independent. It operates in an environment characterised by the diverging interests of various stakeholders. It preserves its autonomy and acts on the basis of its statutory mandate. It reaches its decisions independently and in line with the specific circumstances.

Responsible staff

FINMA staff combine responsibility, integrity and the ability to deliver results. They are skilled, flexible and can handle challenging situations. FINMA's employees are competent and are also able to deal with opposition and challenging situations. They take account of changes in their operating environment and respond with concrete measures that are timely and appropriate.