Financial Statements Geneva - Switzerland | CO, RPC, IFRS | DHAC
Reliable financial statements to drive your business forward
In Switzerland, Geneva and across multiple jurisdictions, annual financial statements are far more than a legal obligation. They provide a true reflection of your company's financial health and serve as the foundation for strategic decisions, investor relations, and tax compliance.
DHAC supports you in preparing your annual accounts Geneva - Switzerland, applying the accounting framework that best fits your situation: Swiss Code of Obligations (CO), Swiss GAAP RPC, or IFRS standards. Our expertise also covers consolidated financial statements for corporate groups. These services are part of our comprehensive accounting approach (more details).
Contact usOur financial statements services
Our process begins with your trial balance and concludes with the delivery of complete financial statements, accompanied by structured documentation that will serve as the foundation for subsequent years.
Starting from your trial balance to produce the balance sheet, income statement, and notes compliant with your chosen framework (CO, Swiss GAAP RPC, or IFRS). Each closing adjustment is transparently documented: depreciation calculated, provisions assessed, accruals recorded, reclassification and valuations performed according to applicable standards.
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Which accounting framework for your company?
The choice of accounting framework depends on your legal structure, growth ambitions, and regulatory obligations. DHAC guides you through this strategic decision.
Swiss Code of Obligations (CO)
Mandatory for all Swiss companies, Financial statements under the Swiss Code of Obligations (art. 957-963 CO) are required for all Swiss legal entities (AG, GmbH, etc.). They form the basis for taxation and must be approved by the General Assembly.
Ruled by the Swiss code of obligations and its interpretations, starting at the art. 957 CO, the minimal component set includes : Balance sheet (art. 959a CO), Income statement (art. 959b CO), Notes to accounts (art. 959 c).
The requirements increase for larger company (turnover above 40 mio CHF, total assets/liabilities greater than 20mio or 250 FTE - art. 727 and art. 961 CO). The requirements increase further for listed company (art. 962 CO).
Finally important to mentioned also few logical exits door to these requirements if the company is part of a group publishing already financials statements as per Swiss RPC, US Gaap or IFRS (art. 962a CO).
Ideal for : Swiss SMEs, family businesses, holding companies, startups in early stages, companies without stock exchange listing ambitions.
Swiss GAAP RPC (Swiss Accounting and Reporting Recommendations)
Launched in the 1980s by EXPERTsuisse, the initiative aimed to offer a Swiss accounting framework providing greater transparency and comparability than the CO.
The goal was to enhance the quality of financial information and align with international standards, while maintaining the ambition to give a true and fair view of assets and financial position.
Since 2005, this standard has been recognized as the minimum requirement for all companies listed on the SIX. On a voluntary basis, any other company may comply with it
Ideal for : Swiss listed companies, high-growth SMEs, companies seeking investors, non-profit organizations (ZEWO certification), companies wanting quality financial communication.
IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards)
The global standard and The international accounting reference, IFRS standards are mandatory for listed companies in the European Union and widely used internationally. They guarantee maximum comparability of financial statements worldwide, at the cost of higher complexity and implementation costs.
Ideal for: Multinational corporations, listed companies, subsidiaries of international groups required to report under IFRS, international investors, and organizations seeking global credibility and consistency in financial reporting.
IFRS for SMEs
Ideal for: Unlisted SMEs, private companies with international stakeholders, subsidiaries of groups reporting under IFRS (when permitted), and organizations seeking an internationally recognized yet simplified reporting framework.
DHAC approach
With in-depth experience in Swiss and international practice, our approach will always consist into start understanding your needs (expectations from readers and General assembly, closing timeline), ensure you are not missing any obligation and adapting our approach to your business reality.
Contact us to start reviewing your needs and establish our action plan
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about our company.
Statutory financial statements are those prepared according to the Swiss Code of Obligations, mandatory for all Swiss companies and serving as the basis for taxation. Normative financial statements (Swiss GAAP RPC or IFRS) are voluntary and aim to provide a true and fair view of the financial position, often required by investors or for stock exchange listings. A company can prepare both: statutory CO accounts for tax authorities and normative accounts for financial communication.
The audit obligation depends on your company's size. Since 2008, small companies can opt for a limited statutory examination or completely waive audit if all shareholders consent (opting-out). Ordinary audit remains mandatory if you exceed 2 of 3 criteria: balance sheet total CHF 20M, revenue CHF 40M, 250 employees (art. 727 CO)
DHAC prepares compliant financial statements, facilitating your auditor's work.
Financial statements must be prepared within 6 months following the fiscal year-end and approved by the ordinary general assembly. Most companies close on December 31, requiring an AGM before end of June. We recommend starting preparation in January-February to comfortably meet this deadline and allow for audit if applicable.
Yes, but with precautions. Transitioning from one framework to another requires retrospective restatements to ensure comparability. For example, moving from CO to Swiss GAAP RPC involves releasing hidden reserves and restating the previous year. DHAC supports you through this transition by preparing opening financial statements and documenting all adjustments.
The cost depends on several factors: company size, transaction complexity, chosen framework (CO < RPC < IFRS), source accounting quality, and consolidation needs. For a personalized quote, contact us with some information about your company. As an indication, expect a 30-50% premium for Swiss GAAP RPC vs CO, and 100-200% for IFRS vs CO.
Failing to meet the 6-month deadline can result in sanctions: shareholders may convene the AGM themselves or even go to court. Additionally, tax authorities may proceed with taxation by assessment if you don't file your return on time. DHAC commits to meeting your schedule to avoid these complications.