{"id":17488,"date":"2026-01-12T11:40:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T10:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spheriq.ch\/blog\/?p=17488"},"modified":"2026-05-19T15:26:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T13:26:01","slug":"what-is-the-third-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spheriq.ch\/blog\/en\/what-is-the-third-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the third sector?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In addition to the state and the market, the third sector also makes a decisive contribution to social cohesion in Switzerland. These organizations act on private initiative, assume responsibility and take action where state or economic logic reaches its limits. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\tInhaltsverzeichnis\t<\/div>\n\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
  1. \n\t\t\tThe three-sector model: state, market and civil society<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t
  2. \n\t\t\tThird sector or non-profit sector?<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t
  3. \n\t\t\tWhen does an organization belong to the third sector?<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t
  4. \n\t\t\tHow big is the third sector in Switzerland?<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t
  5. \n\t\t\tWhy is the third sector central to Switzerland?<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

    In Switzerland, the third sector refers to organizations that cannot be clearly assigned to either the state or the profit-oriented market. It includes NPOs or NGOs such as foundations and associations that combine private initiative with social objectives and thus play a central role between the public and private sectors. In Switzerland, a dense network of civil society organizations has developed that still characterizes the third sector today. <\/p>\n\n

    The three-sector model: state, market and civil society<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

    The three-sector model is often used to categorize the third sector. describes how social tasks and services are fundamentally distributed across different institutional logics: <\/p>\n\n

    First sector: State<\/strong>Public bodies such as the federal government, cantons and municipalities. They act in a sovereign capacity and are primarily financed through taxes and levies. <\/p>\n\n

    Second sector: Market<\/strong>Private companies that are profit-oriented and finance their services via prices on the market.<\/p>\n\n

    Third sector<\/strong>: NPOs<\/strong>Organizations that do not primarily pursue commercial goals. They act out of a sense of social responsibility and are based on voluntary commitment, solidarity and trust. <\/p>\n\n

    The third sector is located between the first two areas. It attempts to circumvent typical weaknesses of the state (e.g. bureaucracy) and the market (e.g. profit maximization) while combining their strengths such as reliability and social control. This allows NPOs to respond flexibly to the needs of the population that are difficult or impossible for the state to meet. <\/p>\n\n

    Third sector or non-profit sector?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

    In Swiss usage, the terms “third sector”<\/strong> and ” non-profit sector”<\/strong> are often used interchangeably. However, there is no clear, generally applicable definition. According to researchers Salamon and Sokolowski (2016), the third sector is one of the most complex constructs in modern social and political discourse. <\/p>\n\n

    Depending on the professional perspective, different emphases are placed on the choice of terms: <\/p>\n\n