GEWA

The beginnings

Martin L. Ryser founded GEWA in 1986. He was supported by the Association for Job Creation (VfA). Driven by a private initiative to offer unemployed and socially disadvantaged people a job and thus an income and social security, the Association for Job Creation (VfA) has founded various socially oriented companies and participated in job creation projects during its more than 100 years of activity.
As early as 1895, it founded its first job creation project with a second-hand store. In the 1930s, the "Schreibstube für Stellenlose" (writing office for the unemployed) was launched, the precursor to what would later become AWZ. This developed into a successful direct marketing company that made handsome profits in its heyday. These profits were invested in the VfA and thus in various areas of job creation, including a loan to GEWA and à fond perdu contributions during the start-up phase. René Bill, then director of AWZ (AWZ's activities were taken over by Swiss Post in 2012 and the AG was liquidated), also made a decisive contribution to the establishment of GEWA.
Three members of the VfA took seats on the first board of the GEWA association, chaired by Dr. jur. Richard von Wattenwyl. On October 24, 1986, the Association for the Vocational and Employment Center for People with Mental Disabilities in the Bern Region (GEWA) was founded. GEWA started with a carpentry workshop that produced and sold wooden toys and the horticulture department, which still exists today.
 

Development

In 1990, the administrative department was opened with an office service center in the Breitenrain district of Bern. This also marked the start of the integration department.

In 1993, the Brockenhaus was taken over by the VfA on Hochfeldstrasse.

In 1995, the Bärner Brocki moved to Pappelweg.

In 1998, the office services moved to Tannholzstrasse in Zollikofen.

In 1998, the carpentry workshop's shipping department developed into a logistics department.

2000 The multimedia division is launched.

2001: The VfA decides to withdraw from its long-standing commitment to GEWA. This is taken as an opportunity to liquidate the association and transfer it to the newly founded GEWA Foundation for Professional Integration. Since then, GEWA has stood for "gemeinsam wagen" (dare to do it together). The VfA became the founder and transferred the original loan of CHF 1.5 million to the newly established foundation as foundation capital. The then president of the board, Daniel Berthoud, oversees the transition and becomes the first president of the foundation board.

In 2001, the Chlätterbär cooperative was integrated into GEWA.

2003 Closure of the carpentry workshop

2004 Ruedi Thut takes over the presidency of the foundation board from Daniel Berthoud

In 2006, the property at Alpenstrasse 58 is purchased and the cooperative moves there within four months.

2007 The Esperanza restaurant opens.

2010 Founder and CEO Martin L. Ryser retires and is succeeded by Samuel Schmid

2011 The 25th anniversary is celebrated in the Bernexpo festival hall

2012 The premises at Grubenstrasse 11 in Schönbühl are rented and the technical assembly department is relocated there. In addition, the second restaurant, Aliento, opens in Schönbühl

In 2016, Elisabeth Limbach takes over as chair of the foundation board from Ruedi Thut

2016 Sale of Chlätterbär to Spielkiste

In 2016, Bärner Brocki moves to Hofweg 5.

2017 Takeover of the activities of the Pluspunkt Foundation and continuation under the name startIN

2019 Closure of startIN

 

Today

Thanks to continuous growth, GEWA now has a workforce of around 850 people: 430 in adapted workplaces, 220 in integration programs, and 200 in the management team.
GEWA offers a wide range of services and operates two restaurants and two shops.

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