You can pay into your Pando provisions by bank transfer or transfer your previous pension plan assets to us free of charge. We are working intensively on further transfer options.

Deposit, transfer of funds, withdrawal

If you have opened an account with Pando, you can transfer your previous pension plan assets to Pando at any time. We will provide you with the relevant form, which you can send to your existing 3a provider. You will find the form in the app under Deposits/Transfer Account. We will cover the costs of the transfer for you. Please send the receipt to us at support@pando.swisslife.info.

No. You decide whether and how much you wish to pay in. Pando has no insurance component: there is therefore no obligation to make regular monthly or annual payments, nor is there any minimum investment. 

It is normally possible to withdraw money from pillar 3a five years before reaching OASI retirement age at the earliest. However, there are special cases in which it is possible to withdraw money early. These include becoming self-employed, financing an owner-occupied home, repaying a mortgage, moving abroad, disability or death.

A total of 35 different investment strategies are available, based on the selected sustainability topics and your investment profile.

Investment strategy and sustainability topics

Credits are issued once a month and only initial payments of over CHF 100 are taken into account, i.e. each person can redeem a maximum of one voucher code. This cannot be combined with other voucher codes. Credits are treated as taxable income and may not exceed the maximum amount. If you pay in the maximum annual amount, the amount will be credited to you in the following year. The voucher is forfeited in the event of account closure. 

Returns depend on the selected investment strategy and the equity market and can vary greatly.

This is how it works: 1. In the Pando app, under Profile, click Invite friends now. 2. Share your recommendation code and download link directly from the Pando app with your friends. 3. Your friends must download the Pando app, enter the code received in the app and make an initial deposit of at least CHF 100. 4. You will receive CHF 50 credit for each successful referral and your friends will receive CHF 100 credit. We will notify you via push notification in the app or by email as soon as the amount has been credited to you. Please make sure that notifications are activated. The credit will also be shown in your payment history under Profile.

We will store the data already entered in accordance with the usual statutory periods and then delete it. Further details can be found in our data protection provisions and the Pando Terms and Conditions of Use.

Security and protection

Credits are issued once a month and only initial payments are taken into account, i.e. each person can redeem a maximum of one recommendation code, which cannot be combined with other voucher codes. Credits are treated as taxable income and may not exceed the maximum amount. If you have already paid in the maximum amount, the amount will be credited to you in the following year. In the event of account closure prior to receipt of the credit, the voucher will be forfeited.

The 3rd pillar is voluntary but recommended. It enables you to increase your pension and close any income gaps so that you can continue to maintain your accustomed standard of living after retirement. The third pillar is divided into 3a (tax-qualified provisions) and 3b (non tax-qualified provisions).

3a provisions explained simply

Not for deposits; withdrawals incur fees depending on the reason for withdrawal.

Fees and costs

No, for the sake of the environment we are foregoing this completely. All documents can be downloaded directly from the app in PDF format. 

Behind the selected sustainability topics are the three impact funds specifically created for Pando with which investors invest globally in hand-picked companies that (i) offer solutions to achieve the respective environmental targets; (ii) support the achievement of the selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and (iii) behave in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Sustainability at Pando: ESG and impact

Pando offers you a solution that pays off for you and the planet. We wish to fundamentally change the way our provisions are invested. We believe that we can use our investments to create a world worth living in that treats nature, living beings and our resources with respect. We therefore only invest in sustainable ESG investments. In addition, you can select from up to three environmental sustainability topics with particularly stringent requirements. At the same time, Pando by Swiss Life offers you first-class quality for your investments.

Getting started with Pando

No. With us you are free to decide whether and how much you wish to pay in.

We will need a valid passport, a valid identity card (ID) or a valid residence permit for foreign nationals. You must be domiciled in Switzerland and have a valid mobile phone number.      

With the Pando app you can set up your 3rd pillar quickly and easily in just a few minutes. Entirely digitally and transparently.

We focus on sustainability and have strict selection criteria for the companies you invest in. With Pando, you can specifically support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by choosing the environmental sustainability topics Climate, Environment & Biodiversity and Green Buildings & Infrastructure. We visualise the impact of your investments with selected key figures. 

“Sustainable” investing is still a relatively young discipline, and market standards are still in development. The three impact funds contain fewer securities than conventional equity funds and the companies selected are often smaller and newer. Based on their respective focal topics, the funds also focus on specific sectors. As we are talking about retirement provisions, the security and stability of the investment are just as important to us as sustainability. Profitability and sustainable investing are not mutually exclusive, but when it comes to diversification, we prefer to take less risk.

In order to achieve our sustainability goals, Pando invests in impact funds that make “impact-oriented investments”: these invest in companies whose business activities make a positive contribution to achieving our goals. With the “Swiss Life Funds (LUX) Equity Climate Impact” impact fund these may, for example, be companies that produce renewable energy or offer emission-free mobility. These investments reward efforts already made and create incentives for all listed companies to become more sustainable. For example, for the invested companies, the fund can measure how much renewable energy (in kWh) they produce with the invested capital, how much CO2 they emit and how much they contribute to achieving the SDGs. These key figures can also be viewed in absolute terms above all in comparison with other companies in the same industry or investment universe. And we will make these key figures prominently available to Pando investors in the app in future.

To prevent greenwashing, we follow a reliable and transparent investment process in which we combine core ESG funds and sustainable satellites (the three new impact funds launched for Pando) based on the risk appetite and preferences of our clients. This enables us to guarantee a well diversified and responsible portfolio. All the target funds of the ESG core have to meet the requirements of the EU Regulation according to at least Art. 8 SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation) or an equivalent standard. In addition, all the target funds of the satellites (impact funds) have to comply with Art. 9 SFDR. This gives our clients the assurance that a rigorous approach is pursued for the investment types.

Companies are selected for the impact funds that offer solutions for a sustainable transition, generate a high proportion of their revenues from products and services that support selected SDGs (6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13) and apply the following exclusion criteria: production of controversial weapons (nuclear, biological, chemical, anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, etc.); over 10% of revenues derived from thermal coal; companies from countries on the FATF blacklist (Financial Action Task Force); ESG rating B or below; red or orange controversy flag in an environmental controversy; violation of UN Global Compact principles. A quantitative selection of companies is combined with a fundamental assessment by the portfolio managers. For ESG funds, the equities ESG funds and corporate bond ESG funds integrate sustainability criteria by combining exclusion criteria, ESG integration and active engagement. The following exclusion criteria apply: production of controversial weapons (nuclear, biological, chemical, anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, etc.); over 10% of revenues derived from thermal coal; companies from countries on the FATF blacklist (Financial Action Task Force); ESG rating CCC and red controversy flag; violation of UN Global Compact principles. Exceptions may be approved for the latter two exclusion criteria if the company participates in an active stewardship process (see Swiss Life Asset Managers Engagement Policy). ESG integration aims to improve the sustainability characteristics of the portfolio compared to a benchmark. The focus here is on the following four indicators: Portfolio ESG score (0-10): this score assesses the sustainability characteristics of each company in comparison with its peers in terms of environmental, social and governance criteria. CO2 emission intensity (tCO2/mln USD sales): measures greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1+2) per revenue, taking into account all greenhouse gases of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3) in their CO2 equivalents. Human capital score (0-10): assesses each company in terms of how it deals with employees, health and safety, employee development, labour standards throughout the supply chain.Corporate behaviour score (1-10): assesses each company with regard to fraud, management misconduct, corruption, money laundering, anti-trust violations, tax avoidance.These sustainability criteria and objectives supplement the assessment of the company’s financial aspects.The UBS ETF on the SPI ESG Weighted Index tracks this index and thus applies its sustainability criteria. These combine exclusion criteria with an over/underweighting based on the ESG score. The Emerging Markets Sovereign ESG Bond Fund combines exclusion criteria and ESG integration. To this end, Swiss Life Asset Managers has developed its own ESG score for emerging markets, which includes the following criteria: Environmental: water quality, air quality, CO2 emissions, biodiversity Social: nutrition and basic medical care, access to clean water and sanitation, affordable housing, personal security, access to education, access to information, health, personal freedom, inclusion Governance: right to participate and responsibility, political stability and non-violence, efficiency of state institutions, quality of regulation, rule of law, corruption control The 25% of countries with the worst ESG scores are excluded. The portfolio weights countries with a high ESG score higher. Here you can find a detailed overview of all funds in which you can invest at Pando.

The core-satellite approach applies at Pando: the core share of your investment consists of ESG funds and a fixed income component, which is complemented by three sustainability topics (satellites). For the satellites, Pando focuses on impact-oriented investments corresponding to the highest sustainable asset class (Art. 9 SFDR). In future, the key figures for the achievement of the SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) will be displayed in the app. Where possible and meaningful, concrete figures about the real impact of the companies in which clients invest via the impact funds will also be presented. This sustained positive effect of the investments will be transparently shown as a KPI in the app for both the individual user and the entire Pando community.

With Pando you invest globally. Foreign currency risks of bonds are systematically hedged. However, this is not the case for equities. This is because equities are ownership interests in companies that generally operate globally and have income and costs in different currencies. The currency in which an equity is traded is not equivalent to the currency risk of the company. It is therefore not hedged for foreign equities. You may accordingly have foreign currency risks in your equity exposure. The currency in which a fund is traded says nothing about the foreign currency risk of the investment. The investment funds used by Pando are all traded in Swiss francs, so that you do not incur any currency trading costs when buying and selling. Here you can find an overview of the funds you invest in with Pando.

The flat fee for your pension fund assets is charged quarterly and amounts to 0.84% per year. The fund costs (TER) are incurred in addition to the flat fee and amount to 0.15% per year. The fund costs are deducted from the performance.

You can improve your pension and close any income gaps. You can deduct the sums paid in from your taxable income. And you decide yourself whether and how much you wish to pay in annually up to the maximum amount. You can withdraw your money in special cases, for example to finance your own home. 

As an employee with a pension fund you can pay in a maximum of CHF 6883 for 2022. As a self-employed person (without a pension fund) you can pay in 20% of your net income up to a maximum of CHF 34 416.

We make a recommendation in the Pando app based on your financial details, your age and your investment horizon. You can also override this.

You can adjust your investment strategy at any time at no extra cost.

Signing does not oblige you to make any payments. As a new customer you are activated straight away after registration, after which a custody account is opened immediately for you at Lienhardt & Partner Privatbank (LPZ).

Your money is secure with us and depositor protection is guaranteed.

We work in accordance with established and up-to-date security standards that we continuously develop further. More details can be found in our data protection provisions and in the Pando Terms and Conditions of Use.

We use an up-to-date, cutting-edge IT infrastructure with state-of-the-art security standards that are continuously updated and developed. Your e-mail address and mobile phone number must be verified by you, and the login always requires your personal password. It is also possible to log in using FaceID or fingerprint.

Yes, you can pay in until the time of your retirement up to the current maximum amount.

Technical issues and problems

Yes. The more fund units you hold and the more dividends you receive, the higher the compound interest. This is because dividends are always reinvested in fund assets.

We are a diverse team of experts within Swiss Life driven by the same motivation: the way we invest should not have a negative impact on our environment. In the best case, it should even have a positive one. We therefore work hard every day to further develop our entirely digital offering that safeguards your provisions while at the same time protecting nature.

For security reasons, there are certain minimum requirements for your smartphone to use Pando. If your smartphone is no longer compatible or it is not possible to update to the necessary operating system, we recommend switching to a more up-to-date smartphone.

Your pension fund assets are held in custody by Swiss Life Employee Benefits Foundation and deposited at Lienhardt & Partner Privatbank (LPZ) in Zurich.

Custody account opening, custody account management, investments and sales, trading commissions and administration fees. Not included in the flat fee: third-party expenses, duties and taxes are passed on. The cost burden of the investment funds used (TER) is already included in the performance of the funds and is not part of the flat fee.

Make sure your mobile phone software is up-to-date. If you are still unable to download/view the document, please contact Pando Support.

Our app will soon also be available in English and French. Notre application sera bientôt également disponible en anglais et en français.

You will actively invest in your retirement provisions, save taxes and benefit from returns. By investing your money in companies that act sustainably or even work actively on the solution of environmental problems, you can help to solve global problems.

Install the Pando app on your new phone. You will then have to register again. If you enter your existing mobile number when registering, you will be automatically redirected to login and can log in with your previous details. If you have a new phone number or your mobile phone has been stolen, please contact our support team.

We recommend that you turn on automatic updating of the app to keep you up-to-date and secure.

It is normally possible to withdraw money from pillar 3a five years before reaching OASI retirement age at the earliest. However, there are also some special cases in which it is possible to withdraw money early. These include becoming self-employed, financing an owner-occupied home, repaying a mortgage, moving abroad, disability or death.

This depends on where you live. Some cantonal tax authorities limit the number of 3a accounts. In general, however, you are allowed – and it even makes sense – to have several accounts. It is a good idea to withdraw the assets in different tax years to avoid progressive taxation.

No, our namesake is also a living creature, albeit from the area of flora. It is a clonal colony of the American Poplar in Utah (USA). All the trees in this stand are genetically identical and share the same root system. The pando is considered to be the oldest and heaviest living creature on earth.

Frequently asked questions

Scan the QR code and download the Pando app directly to your smartphone.