globegarden strengthens quality, talent development, and leadership
globegarden, one of Switzerland’s leading family-run childcare networks, looks back on 2025 as a year of sustainable advancement. Over the course of the year, nine new centers opened, with most of the growth occurring organically. The network now employs well over 1,000 professionals.
Zurich, November 2025 – As an independent Swiss family-owned company in the childcare sector, globegarden has always focused on educational quality, stable relationships, and a lived culture of collaboration—values that have shaped the organization for many years. At the same time, globegarden has actively contributed to the increasing professionalization of the childcare industry and has itself undergone a phase of sustainable development in recent years.
Predominantly organic growth
In an increasingly demanding market environment, the organization has grown steadily: The number of employees has continuously increased in recent years and now includes well over 1,000 professionals. The network of locations has also continued to expand and today comprises 87 childcare centers, including nine new sites added in 2025. Most of this growth results from organic expansion through new openings.
In addition, more than 25 existing facilities have joined the network in recent years through succession solutions—each time when shared values, high quality standards, and a long-term perspective aligned. More childcare centers are now approaching globegarden to become part of the network—whether for stable succession planning, quality development, or integration into a professionally managed organization. Christina Mair, co-owner and managing director, confirms the rising number of such inquiries: “We receive a large number of requests from existing childcare centers seeking a stable succession solution or professional continuation. But we only take over when the shared values and quality expectations are aligned.”
Work–family balance as a driver of growth
The growth is not pursued for its own sake but is driven by consistently strong demand from families, municipalities, and employers for reliable, high-quality childcare services. The offering is developed further in close coordination with local partners wherever a clear need exists. While birth rates are declining, more and more parents are choosing active employment—often in near-full-time or flexible models. This trend has long shaped globegarden’s development and remains clearly visible today: Many families consciously choose the organization’s services because they provide reliable structures and support parents in balancing work and family life.
For more than 16 years, globegarden has combined growth with continuity, regularly attracting interest from investors. Co-owner Christina Mair explains: “globegarden is and will remain a family-run company, 100% family-owned. We focus on long-term development, invest step by step in new locations, and manage each center with an emphasis on quality and stability. Our approach has always been sustainable—and that is precisely the foundation of our strength.” globegarden was founded by Christina Mair, Caroline Staehlin, and Kristina Rebsamen. All three founders continue to lead the organization operationally today.
A leader in apprenticeship training
A key element of this stability is the staff: More than half of all employees have been with globegarden for an average of around four years, more than one in ten for nearly a decade—and roughly five percent have been with the company for well over ten years. Such continuity is far from common in the education and childcare sector and demonstrates how much professionals value the development opportunities within a large network—whether through diverse career paths, different roles, or cross-location perspectives.
At the same time, globegarden is deeply committed to nurturing new talent. With more than 300 apprentices, the network is one of the largest training providers in early education. Under the leadership of Michael Rütimann, who has significantly shaped this area in recent years, apprentices are professionally supported and receive clear development pathways.
By training many young professionals, globegarden also contributes meaningfully to addressing the ongoing talent shortage in the sector. The goal is to attract well-qualified individuals to early childhood education, retain them in the field, and offer long-term career opportunities. This summer, more than 85% of apprentices completing their training accepted a permanent position at globegarden. Many begin in pedagogical roles and later grow into specialized roles, project responsibilities, or eventually leadership positions.
A more broadly supported executive team
To meet the increasing complexity in the education and childcare sector and to further strengthen internal development, globegarden will broaden its executive leadership team in the coming year. The current management team—made up of the three founders and Silke Bührmann, Director of Education and Pedagogy—will be strategically expanded.
The new structure will help distribute responsibilities more clearly and deepen expertise in key areas. Going forward, the focus will be particularly on solutions for families and employers, the strategic evolution of operational processes, and finance and accounting. With this step, globegarden lays the foundation for safeguarding quality and innovation over the long term and for aligning its services even more closely with the needs of families and businesses.
globegarden is also increasing its engagement in public dialogue. At the end of October 2025, the organization participated in Culture Summit 2025—a forum bringing together leading voices from business, academia, government, and society. Participants included, among others, Janina Kugel, former Siemens CHRO; Thomas Süssli, Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces; and Prof. Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Head of ETH Zurich Space and former NASA Science Director.
globegarden contributed insights on the theme “Culture follows Strategy” and presented content from its own book publication “Brave, not perfect – On the courage not to be perfect.” In the book, figures from politics, science, business, media, childcare, culture, and other sectors—from the arts to the opera—share their experiences as working women and families. The publication is aimed especially at working parents and explores diverse perspectives on navigating everyday life between work and family.
High quality and recognition for workplace culture
The organization’s ongoing quality work was once again acknowledged externally: In fall 2025, globegarden’s quality management system was successfully recertified under ISO 9001. In addition, the company was once again ranked among the Top 11 “Great Large Workplaces™ Switzerland” by Great Place to Work™ in 2025.
“For working parents, reliable and educationally high-quality childcare is essential,” says Managing Director Christina Mair. “We grow where we are needed and invest in quality, collaboration, and strong teams. Our work with families, municipalities, and apprentices reinforces our commitment to continuing this path.”
About globegarden
Globegarden is a leading provider of childcare in Switzerland and has been dedicated for more than 16 years to promoting early childhood education and development, as well as improving the compatibility of work and family life. The company has well over 1,000 employees and operates more than 85 centers in German-speaking Switzerland.
Press contact:
globegarden Media Office
c/o KMES Partner
+41 76 370 3770
