The Swiss Trading & Shipping Association distinguishes between several membership categories. Sponsor and Corporate members are the only membership categories with voting rights.
Any company engaged in international commodity trading, shipping and its finance, as well as service companies of a certain size related to such activities can apply to become a Member of STSA.
Corporate Members must be a legal entity registered in Switzerland with an actual business operation in the country.
Following our Articles of Association, every new candidate for membership shall be presented by two existing Members, of which one is a Sponsor Member. All candidacies are submitted to the approval of the Executive Board.
Sponsor members are typically large companies.
They are business entreprises with a significant presence in Switzerland. Sponsor Members pay an additional yearly fee over the basic membership fee, depending on the Association's budget.
Corporate members are commodity trading firms or shipping companies and form the core constituency of STSA. Corporate Members pay a yearly membership fee, currently set at CHF 6,000, which is fixed on an annual basis by the Executive Board.
Associate members provide services to the commodity trading and shipping industry, such as insurance and consulting.
Associate members are service companies of a certain size in the Geneva region that can justify a specific activity related to the trading, shipping or to the financing of these activities.
The Executive Board may accept services to STSA in exchange for the membership fee.
Institutional members comprise partner organisations that are active in shaping the future of the commodity trading and shipping industry.
These are typically organisations with which STSA entertains strong relationships and develops cross-synergies.