Assembly of Delegates
The Assembly of Delegates met twice in 2022. In addition to the statutory business, the main items on the agenda included the Migros Group’s social commitment.
At the meeting of the Assembly of Delegates on 26 March 2022, the statutory business was approved. The delegates also received information about the communication strategy for the alcohol vote. The debate on the issue of alcohol was initiated by the Assembly of Delegates: In 2020, five delegates submitted a proposal to clarify whether Migros should sell alcohol in the future. In the subsequent ballot, the members of the Migros Cooperatives had the opportunity to vote “Oui” or “Non”. “Oui” stood for lifting the alcohol ban at Migros, “Non” for maintaining the status quo. The members of the ten regional Migros Cooperatives clearly voted in favour of retaining the ban on the sale of alcohol, which has been in place since 1928 and is incorporated in Migros’ statutes. This demonstrates Migros’ strong democratic culture.
The meeting of the Assembly of Delegates took place on 12 November 2022 in Martigny (Valais). The Assembly of Delegates approved new activities relating to the Migros Group’s social commitment and in the area of social inclusion. In addition, the innovative coffee capsule system “CoffeeB” was introduced.
Composition & electoral procedure
In accordance with the statutes, the Assembly of Delegates of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FMC) comprises a total of 111 members. A hundred delegates are elected by the regional Cooperatives on the basis of a prescribed quota. Each Cooperative is allocated at least five seats, and the remaining seats are distributed based on the number of members in the two calendar years preceding the election. In addition, each Cooperative designates an ad-hoc representative from its Board of Directors for each assembly meeting. The committee is led by an external independent chair.
The number of delegate votes for each Cooperative is distributed as follows (elected delegates per Cooperative):
|
Regional cooperative |
Elected delegates |
|
Migros Cooperative Aare (MCAA) |
17 |
|
Migros Cooperative Eastern Switzerland (MCES) |
14 |
|
Migros Cooperative Zurich (MCZ) |
13 |
|
Migros Cooperative Basel (MCBS) |
9 |
|
Migros Cooperative Lucerne (MCLU) |
9 |
|
Migros Cooperative Vaud (MCVD) |
8 |
|
Migros Cooperative Neuchâtel-Fribourg (MCNE-FR) |
8 |
|
Migros Cooperative Geneva (MCGE) |
8 |
|
Migros Cooperative Ticino (MCTI) |
7 |
|
Migros Cooperative Valais (MCVS) |
7 |
Working methods & powers
The Assembly of Delegates has an Office (Office of the Assembly of Delegates) and also operates the permanent working groups Migros Aid Fund and Annual Report of the Board of Directors, whose duties and organisation are regulated in the organisational rules of the Assembly of Delegates and in mandates. There is also a facility for setting up ad-hoc working groups for temporary assignments.
The principal powers of the Assembly of Delegates include defining and amending the statutes, electing and dismissing members of the Board of Directors, passing resolutions on defining and amending Migros’ basic business policy, taking the decision to dissolve the FMC, approving the Annual Report and financial statements of the FMC, deciding on the appropriation of the profit for the year, ratifying the actions of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board, and selecting and appointing the Board of Control.
Members of the Assembly of Delegates
The 100 delegates were elected by the bodies of the regional Cooperatives for the term of office 2020 to 2024. With the ten representatives of the regional boards of directors of the Cooperatives and the President, they make up the 111-strong Assembly of Delegates.
Office of the Assembly of Delegates
The Office of the FMC Assembly of Delegates met six times in 2022. It prepares the agenda of the Assembly of Delegates and acts as a central interface between the Board of Directors and the Assembly of Delegates.
President of the FMC Assembly of Delegates (since 2020, elected until 2024)
Executive MBA Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, specialisation: general management and leadership (postgraduate course)
Major mandates
1998 – present
Swiss Marketing: examination expert for the federal professional examination for marketing and sales specialists with federal diploma
2019 – present
Examination board for exam component PT6 presentation/technical discussion with sales specialists
2022 – present
Herbamed AG (Board of Directors)
Professional experience/career path
2005 – 2008
Head of Food Marketing and Sales, Mifa AG, Frenkendorf
2008 – 2011
Head of International Sales, Mibelle Cosmetics AG, Buchs
2012 – 2016
Head of Marketing and Sales International Personal and Home Care, Mibelle Group, Mifa AG, member of the Executive Board, Frenkendorf
2017 – 2020
Head of Marketing and Sales, Hänseler AG, Swiss Pharma, member of the Executive Board, Herisau
2021 – 2022
CMO & CSO private clients, Forster Swiss Home AG, Schweizer Stahlküchen, member of the Executive Board, Arbon
Members of the Office of the FMC Assembly of Delegates
Irmgard Flörchinger (MCGE)
Vice President of the FMC Assembly of Delegates (since 2015)
Nadia Bregoli (MCTI)
Member of the Office of the FMC Assembly of Delegates (since 2020)
Marlies Brenn-Stolz (MCZ)
Member of the Office of the FMC Assembly of Delegates (since 2016)
Patrik Seiz (MCES)
Member of the Office of the FMC Assembly of Delegates (since 2020)
Migros Aid Fund working group
The Migros Aid Fund working group held four meetings in the reporting year to advise on applications and allocate funding contributions.
Members of the Migros Aid Fund working group
Ines Wolfisberg (MCGE), Chairwoman of the Working Group (since 2016)
Peter Bill (MCAA)
Karl Linder (MCBS)
Katharina Luginbühl (MCLU)
Edith Spillmann (MCZ)
Sabine Spring (MCNE-FR)
Claudia Zen-Ruffinen (MCVS)
Annual Report of the Board of Directors working group
The Annual Report of the Board of Directors working group held two meetings to discuss the Annual Report of the Board of Directors and the financial statements 2021, and delivered an opinion to the Assembly of Delegates.
Members of the Annual Report of the Board of Directors working group
Karin Helfenstein (MCLU), Chairwoman of the Working Group (since 2016)
Renata Georg Preiswerk (MCZ)
Dora Gysin (MCBS)
Adrien Sovrano (MCVD)