SOC 2 attestation in Switzerland

SOC 2 attestation in Switzerland at a glance

A Swiss software or fintech firm often meets SOC 2 in a customer's security questionnaire before it meets it in a contract. The AICPA describes the SOC suite as service offerings that CPAs provide on controls of service organisations, so the output is an attestation report from a licensed CPA firm, not a certificate and not something Sterling issues. No Swiss statute asks for it. The revised FADP does require controllers to satisfy themselves that processors can guarantee data security, and the Information Security Act's cyberattack reporting duty for banks, insurers, hospitals and other listed organisations makes their suppliers' controls a live topic. Finance and ICT are both core industries for Switzerland Global Enterprise, and buyers there are used to asking for independent assurance. Sterling's Frankfurt office helps Swiss service organisations build the controls and evidence before the CPA firm starts, with Effivity software and Sterling Academy training included with the engagement.

Who needs SOC 2 in Switzerland, and what happens without it

In Switzerland the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.

• Swiss SaaS and cloud providers selling to US customersCustomers that rely on outsourced services may ask for assurance reports, and the AICPA's SOC suite is what CPAs provide in that role.
• Fintech and financial-service providersSwiss finance is a core industry for Switzerland Global Enterprise, and banks and insurers want assurance over the services they outsource.
• Processors acting for Swiss and foreign controllersThe FADP requires a controller to satisfy itself that its processor can guarantee data security, so processors are asked for independent assurance.
• Health-data and electronic patient record suppliersCommunities in the electronic patient record are certified by accredited bodies, and their suppliers face questions about controls.

SOC 2 requirements in Switzerland

Strip away the vocabulary and SOC 2 asks a service organisation to report on six things about the controls behind its service.

In Switzerland these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: SOC 2 explained →

How to get a SOC 2 report in Switzerland

One team from the Frankfurt office carries the work from scoping to report. Clients across Switzerland are served from Sterling's Frankfurt office, on-site where the work needs it and remotely otherwise.

1. Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
2. Gap assessment against SOC 2 and the Swiss requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
3. Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
4. Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before any external review.
5. The independent examination and reportA licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the report. Sterling supports the examination.

The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.

• SOC 2 gap analysis
• SOC 2 implementation plan

How long does SOC 2 attestation take in Switzerland?

There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In Switzerland these are the factors that set the timeline.

• Whether a Type 1 or Type 2 report is sought and the review period
• Number of systems, locations and sub-service organisations
• Maturity of policies, access control and monitoring evidence
• CPA firm scheduling

Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.

• What drives the SOC 2 timeline
• Scope and timeline estimator

How much does SOC 2 attestation cost in Switzerland?

The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the CPA firm’s fees, which are quoted separately. In Switzerland these factors move both.

• Trust services criteria selected
• Scale of the in-scope environment
• CPA firm fees quoted separately from readiness consulting
• Tooling for evidence collection and monitoring

Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.

• What makes up the cost of SOC 2

SOC 2 consultants and auditors in Switzerland

Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; a licensed CPA firm then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.

• Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers SOC 2 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
• Ask the consultant how the local requirements in Switzerland are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
• Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
• Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.

SOC 2 in Switzerland: questions clients ask

More on SOC 2 for Swiss organisations

• SOC 2: the complete guide
• Watch: How to implement SOC 2
• Accounting and professional services: SOC 2 for the sector
• BPO and shared services: SOC 2 for the sector
• Fintech and payments: SOC 2 for the sector
• Healthcare IT and health BPO: SOC 2 for the sector
• HR, payroll and staffing: SOC 2 for the sector
• MSPs and data centres: SOC 2 for the sector
• SaaS and technology: SOC 2 for the sector
• SOC 2 attestation in Switzerland and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards Swiss businesses ask Sterling for

Organisations in Switzerland often combine SOC 2 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in Switzerland →