WHAT is ZEWO certification?

Zewo has been an independent foundation since 2001. To this day, its seal of approval is a unique sign of quality for non-profit NPOs that collect donations in Switzerland. The signet serves as an orientation aid for donors. It was first officially registered in 1940. Zewo is the certification body for non-profit NPOs that collect donations in Switzerland. It ensures clarity and trust when it comes to donations.

Look for the Zewo seal of approval when donating. It recognizes non-profit NPOs that meet Zewo’s 21 standards. Zewo regularly audits and checks these NPOs. This way, donors know that their donation is in good hands with a certified NPO. Only NPOs that allow themselves to be put through their paces by Zewo and meet the 21 Zewo standards receive the coveted quality mark. The effort is worthwhile. Because NPOs that allow themselves to be audited for compliance with the Zewo standards are credible.

At the 4th Foundation Board meeting in spring 2020, we had already decided to conduct a preliminary audit at ZEWO to find out whether our foundation would qualify for the very strict ZEWO certification. No sooner said than done! In August 2020, we received a very positive feedback: our foundation would definitely be suitable for ZEWO certification! We then spent the whole of 2021 working on the elaborate certification process. This included a complete audit of our foundation documents and organization, an hour-long interview and, in the end, some new requirements that we had to fulfill, such as expanding the foundation board once again: now we have equal numbers of 4 Tibetans and 4 non-Tibetans (see “About us”). Further details of the extensive certification work in 2021 can be found under “Achievements 2021”.

With this and some other additions to the statutes, we then received the hoped-for ZEWO certification on May 9, 2022 and are proud of it. It just means that you can be sure to give money to a thoroughly reputable society when donating!