Not-for-Profit Culture - Aiglon College

As a community-owned school, Aiglon stands apart from its peers. Our not-for-profit status allows every member of our team, from a Board Member to the football coach, to share a single priority; student experience.

But being a not-for-profit does not mean that we do not generate profit –it just means we have a responsibility to reinvest our operational surplus into the school. Allowing us to benefit our students today, and ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of Aiglon for future generations of students.

Our Annual Review

Read the annual in-depth analysis of our year's achievements, both students' successes and a key look at our financial information and not-for-profit status.

Read the Report

"It was exactly what we wanted to move our family towards: a whole education of mind, body and spirit. But we wanted to understand, during the application process, that those principles were alive and protected. The not-for-profit status gave me that reassurance.”
Susan & Chuck Willis Current Parents

History

We all feel a great sense of responsibility to carry forward the vision of our Founder, John Corlette. His desire to protect the school from ever being “owned” led to the creation of the Aiglon College Association (ACA).

This ACA is made up of an ever-changing volunteer group of alumni, parents and friends. It was founded in 1975 to ensure that the school is being governed properly and that the funds are being used for the right purposes.

The ACA is the single shareholder of the school's operating company, Aiglon College Services SA (ACSSA).

Responsibility

70th Anniversary Gala Dinner Presentation

So, what does it mean to be a truly independent, not-for-profit school in the 21st century? For Patricia Bremner Gadotti, Aiglon’s COO/ CFO, it means stewardship. “We have a moral accountability to ensure we are good stewards of those resources,” she says. “We must allocate them wisely and do that in a way that safeguards the school’s future and our Founder’s vision. Being a not-for-profit doesn’t mean that we make no profit. It just means that the profit we generate goes back into the school itself, rather than to shareholders or an owner.”

Today, Aiglon is a highly professional organisation employing 240 people, with a turnover approaching 50 million Swiss francs. It is audited by PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers), has a longstanding relationship with its bank, and works with external experts to ensure all processes are first rate.

Impact

Our financial efficiency enables the school to direct an even greater share of resources into the student experience.

We are investing heavily in classroom design, with a whole new suite of English classrooms just finished and science labs undergoing a multi-phase refurbishment. Over the next few years, we aim to regenerate and improve every learning environment in the school.

The school’s not-for-profit status comes up frequently when interviewing candidates for teaching roles. Being a not-for-profit is important on a fundamental level for the ethos and attitude of the school. We are not attached to any wider institutions, but we are world-renowned. That says something about the nature of Aiglon and the high quality of staff we attract. And that analysis extends into why being not-for-profit is beneficial to the classroom and curriculum development.

Philanthropic Culture

Our five-year strategy is driven by a clear ambition to protect our unique heritage, perfect our educational excellence, and project our influence as a global leader. Within these pillars, philanthropy serves as a catalyst, allowing Aiglon to accelerate our most transformative goals and achieve greater impact together, faster than ever before.Learn More

Governance Structure

No single person or group runs Aiglon. Thanks to the bequest of our Founder, John Corlette, the school is wholly owned and overseen by a non-profit association, the Aiglon College Association (ACA).

Learn More

Global Community

Aiglon alumni and families are part of a remarkable community with a unique shared experience that doesn't end after graduation. There are many ways our community stays involved — often over multiple generations!

Learn More