Under the name "Foundation Helene Arnold" a foundation is formed which is governed by the Article 80 of the Swiss Civil Code.
The registered office of the Foundation is located in Zermatt – Switzerland.
The foundation aims to fight poverty by supporting people in straitened economic or social conditions, sick, fragile or disabled people, or people in distress in physical, psychological or material terms, in Switzerland and abroad. The Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations through implementing the Foundation’s own projects and through direct assistance to the needy. The resources available cannot be used for any purposes other than those mentioned above.
The founders of the Foundation devote an initial capital of CHF 50'000 (fifty thousand Swiss francs). They shall also undertake to transfer at least another CHF 40’000 per founder during the first 10 years of the foundation's establishment, totaling a minimum sum dedicated to the Foundation of CHF 200'000.
Voluntary donations from third parties can also be accepted.
Liabilities of the Foundation shall be covered exclusively by the Foundation’s assets.
The Foundation organs are the Board of Trustees and the statutory external auditors.
The Board of Trustees consists of one or more individual persons elected by the founders the day of the Foundation’s creation.
Once the Foundation is established, new board members are elected through existing Trustees (co-option).
The Board appoints and completes itself (be elected by co-optation). The Board represents the Foundation and designates those individuals who represent the Foundation for all legal matters and also designates the level in which representatives may enter into commitments.
The term of office of each Trustee is four years. Re-election is possible.
The Board has a quorum if the majority of members are present. Decisions are taken by simple majority. If there is no majority, the chairman’s vote will count double.
For all meetings, minutes have to be taken and a protocol has to be established.
Decision taking and elections can also be done in the form of a circular as long as no Trustee requests oral deliberation.
The Board of Trustees can delegate specific responsibilities to one or more of its members or to third parties.
The Foundation commissions independent external auditors with the annual audit of management, of financial statements and of the Foundation’s accounting, assets and investments. The auditors prepare an audit report for the Board of Trustees with their findings. The external auditors are requested to communicate to the Board of Trustee any possible shortcomings.
The external auditors are elected by the Board of Trustees for a term of two years.
Applications for changes of the organization and purpose of the Foundation pursuant to Art 85 and 86 under the Swiss Civil Code shall be submitted by the Board of Trustees to the competent Swiss Federal supervisory authority (Swiss Interior Ministry). The Deed may be amended only by the Board of Trustee’s unanimous decision.
LThe duration of the Foundation is unlimited.