29. Employee benefits
The employee benefit plans of the Group are based on legal requirements in the respective countries. Beyond these regulatory requirements, the Group provides meals, housing, education and access to medical care according to the local operating group’s policy.
Provisions for employee benefit plans
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current employee benefits – defined benefit plans | – | 67 | ||
| Non-current employee benefits – defined benefit plans | 1 996 | 2 210 | ||
| Non-current employee benefits – defined contribution plans | 1 112 | 986 | ||
| Non-current employee benefits – jubilee provisions | 257 | 268 | ||
| Total liabilities due to employees | 3 365 | 3 531 | ||
The pension plan for employees in Switzerland is a defined benefit plan and covers the risks of age, death and disability. Financing occurs by means of employer and employee contributions, defined in the pension fund rules in terms of an age-related sliding scale of percentages of salary, as well as returns from the investments made by the pension fund. The pension fund guarantees the vested benefit amount as confirmed annually to members, as regulated by Swiss law. Interests may be added to member balances at the discretion of the Board of Trustees. At retirement date, members have the right to take their retirement benefit as a lump sum or as an annuity. No curtailment or settlement has occurred during the year.
Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defined benefit obligation at 1 January | 8 390 | 6 275 | ||
| Current service costs | 346 | 290 | ||
| Interest costs | 101 | 148 | ||
| Contribution by plan participants | 96 | 115 | ||
| Actuarial losses/(gains) | 580 | 847 | ||
| Experience (gains)/losses | –640 | – | ||
| Benefits paid in/transferred | –2 594 | 224 | ||
| Currency effects | –129 | 491 | ||
| 31 December | 6 150 | 8 390 | ||
| Plans wholly or partly funded | 6 150 | 8 390 | ||
| Plans wholly unfunded | – | – | ||
The discount rate used for the valuation of the obligations decreased from 1.45 % in 2023 to 1.00 % in 2024.
Movement in the fair value of the plan assets
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening fair value of plan assets | 6 180 | 4 779 | ||
| Interest income | 71 | 116 | ||
| Return on plan assets excluding interest income | 276 | 312 | ||
| Contributions by the employers | 225 | 269 | ||
| Contributions by plan participants | 96 | 115 | ||
| Benefits paid in/transferred | –2 594 | 224 | ||
| Currency effects | –99 | 365 | ||
| 31 December | 4 155 | 6 180 | ||
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present value of obligations | 6 150 | 8 390 | ||
| Fair value of plan assets | 4 155 | 6 180 | ||
| Net liability | 1 996 | 2 210 | ||
Changes in net liability
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening net liability | 2 210 | 1 496 | ||
| Pension cost recognized in profit or loss | 376 | 321 | ||
| Pension cost recognized in other comprehensive income | –336 | 535 | ||
| Employer contributions | –225 | –269 | ||
| Currency effects | –29 | 127 | ||
| Recognized in balance sheet | 1 996 | 2 210 | ||
Amounts recognized in profit or loss in respect of the defined benefit plan are as follows:
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current service costs | 346 | 290 | ||
| Net interest costs | 30 | 31 | ||
| Recognized in profit or loss | 376 | 321 | ||
Amounts recognized in other comprehensive income in respect of the defined benefit plan are as follows:
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return of plan assets excluding interest income | 276 | 312 | ||
| Changes in assumptions | –580 | –1 089 | ||
| Experience adjustments | 640 | 242 | ||
| Recognized in other comprehensive income | 336 | –535 | ||
Principal actuarial assumptions used
| 2024 | 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expected employer contributions | 202 650 | 283 030 | ||
| Discount rates | 1.45% | 1.45% | ||
| Expected salary increases | 1.50% | 1.50% | ||
| Expected long-term increase of pensions | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
| Mortality table | BVG 2020 GT | BVG 2020 GT | ||
| Weighted average duration | 13.7 | 13.7 | ||
Sensitivity to changes in the principal assumptions
| in thousand EUR | DBO | Effect | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuarial assumption 31 December 2024 | 6 150 | |||
| Discount rate +0.25% | 5 928 | –3.7% | ||
| Discount rate –0.25% | 6 387 | 3.9% | ||
| Salary increase rate +0.25% | 6 168 | 0.3% | ||
| Salary increase rate –0.25% | 6 132 | –0.3% | ||
| in thousand EUR | DBO | Effect | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuarial assumption 31 December 2023 | 8 390 | |||
| Discount rate +0.5% | 8 082 | –3.7% | ||
| Discount rate –0.5% | 8 717 | 3.9% | ||
| Salary increase rate +0.5% | 8 415 | 0.3% | ||
| Salary increase rate –0.5% | 8 365 | –0.3% | ||
Plan asset allocation
| in thousand EUR | 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares | 35.2% | 33.6% | ||
| Bonds | 29.5% | 29.6% | ||
| Real estate investments | 23.8% | 24.9% | ||
| Mortgages | 4.2% | 4.0% | ||
| Alternative investments | 4.6% | 4.0% | ||
| Liquidity | 1.5% | 3.1% | ||
| Infrastruktur | 1.2% | 0.8% | ||
| Total plan assets | 100.0% | 100.0% | ||
Accounting policies
The Group has both defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans. The obligation and costs of pension benefits are determined using the projected unit credit method.