The Assembly of Delegates of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FCM) has clearly decided to reduce the number of members of the Board of Directors from 23 to 13.
The approximately 100 delegates present also approved the basis for the establishment of the new company Migros Supermercati SA (MSM SA).
The Administration of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FCM) will reduce the number of its members from 23 to 13 starting from 1 July 2024. This was decided in Zurich today, Saturday 11 November 2023, by the Assembly of Delegates of the FCM. “The Assembly of Delegates approves and supports the Administration’s efforts towards greater agility and effectiveness, so that it can adapt more quickly to market developments,” says Marianne Meyer, President of the Assembly of Delegates.
In addition to the president of the Administration and two staff representatives, the body in the future must be made up of five other external members and five members of the regional cooperatives. The president of the FCM General Management will participate in the sessions with a consultative vote.
In this way, each regional cooperative will in future have a representative either within the administration of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FCM) or on the board of directors of the future Migros Supermarkets SA.
Ursula Nold, President of the FCM Management, underlines: «The reduction of the members of the FCM Management reflects the clear vision that a body that acts in an agile way can contribute more effectively to the future development of the Migros Group».
The delegates are in favor of the Swiss variety
In addition to experience and expertise, the composition of the FCM Administration must take into account regional diversity. The delegates therefore established in the statute that at least one of the external members must come from French-speaking or Italian-speaking Switzerland.
In doing so, a request made during the Extraordinary Assembly of Delegates in September was taken into account. Due to the expiration of their mandate, the following four members will leave the FCM Administration at the end of June 2024: Hans A. Wüthrich, Dominique Biedermann, Paola Ghillani and Jean-René Germanier. Furthermore, Marianne Janik has decided to leave the Administration at the end of her mandate to make room for a new external member from Italian-speaking or French-speaking Switzerland.
The delegates support the establishment of Migros Supermercati SA
Elsewhere on the agenda, the approximately 100 delegates present approved the basis for the establishment of the new company Migros Supermercati SA. This will require the modification of the contracts between the FCM, the Cooperatives and the future MSM SA. Starting from mid-November, the competent committees of the regional cooperatives will also decide on the matter.
With the new company, Migros intends to offer its products and services more effectively along the entire value chain. “The delegates believe that Migros Supermercati SA represents a right and important step to strengthen Migros’ core business for the benefit of customers,” says Marianne Meyer.
Migros adapts the retirement age to Swiss AVS provisions
The FCM delegates also decided – subject to further work by the various bodies – to gradually raise the retirement age up to the new reference age of 65, in line with the AVS 21 pension reform. Currently the age The reference age for all employees insured by the Migros Pension Fund is 64 years.
Thanks to this adjustment, starting from 2028 the previous transition period with a Migros AVS replacement pension will no longer apply and all employees will receive an AVS pension directly upon reaching the reference age required by law. The current supplement given by the Migros annuity replacing the AVS will no longer be valid.
The generous benefits of the 2nd pillar remain unchanged and benefit all pensioners, regardless of their reference age. All employees insured with the Migros Pension Fund can benefit from the flexible retirement age. In fact, there is the possibility of retiring from the age of 58.