Most businesses are small or medium-sized. In 2001, more than 99% of enterprises had fewer than 250 full-time workers, employing about two-thirds of the total work force. About 88% were micro-enterprises, with fewer than 10 employees: they provided more than a quarter of all jobs.

The largest company is Nestlé, the biggest food company in the world. It has around 250,000 employees, more than 97% of them outside Switzerland.

Businesses in Switzerland have for many years been accused of cronyism by left wing groups. A very restricted number of people - estimated at about 100 - sit on the boards of many different companies, taking decisions with little reference to ordinary shareholders. With the growth of new communication technology and increasing globalisation, companies themselves have started to accept that their administration must become more credible and transparent.

A survey conducted in 2002 showed the impact of globalisation on large firms: it found 40% of board members and 26% of managers were non-Swiss, mostly from Germany, the UK and France. However, there were still few foreign managers in medium and small businesses.