Investigative reporters around the world know how to work together since a long time. They know how much time, efficiency and credibility you can gain by sharing competences. Facing globalisation and new communication tools, investigation in journalism is facing as well new challenges and new opportunities.

In may 2003, more than 400 investigative reporters from around the world held their second Global Conference in Copenhague. For the first time on this scale, journalists had a chance to share their methods, their problems and their challenges. There was a rich contribution by organisations from the Nordic States, and the United States, who both have a long experience of investigative journalism organisations. During the 4 days workshops, discussions were of very high quality, focusing on the "need to know", rather than the "nice to know". In a spirit of transparency and passion for our profession, our professional and informal exchanges made us sure that the experience was to be continued.

On the 4th May 2003, this Conference launched the Global Investigative Journalism Network, a group of 35 independent journalism organizations and national working groups. These are the objectives which were decided:

1. Help organize and promote regional and international conferences and workshops
2. Assist in the formation and continuation of journalism organizations involved in investigative reporting and computer assisted reporting in all countries.
3. Support and promote methods of best practices in investigative journalism and computer assisted reporting.
4. Support and promote efforts to ensure free access to public documents and data in every country.
5. Provide resources and networking services for participating groups and for investigative journalists.

Only non-profit journalism organizations that support investigative or computer assisted reporting can become members of the Global Investigative Journalism Network. The network is guided by a steering-committee composed of one representative from each participating organization. The network works through consensus, it will take no political, religious, or ideological stances. It will encourage and coordinate training and networking services. It will not do investigations. In 2013, the Global Network has decided to set up a Permanent Secretariat in Washington. The Consultative body is the Volunteers Group, of which, Swissinvestigation is member.

Following the Copenhague Conference, a working group was set up in Switzerland, thanks to a group of journalists from the French speaking and the German speaking regions. This website is the first initiative organised by the Swiss network, with the support of the TŽlevision Suisse Romande, Ringier and the Center for journalism education in Lausanne.

The network objective is to facilitate access to the world network, by providing a directory of investigative reporters. This directory will allow foreign colleagues to contact efficiently and quickly a Swiss counterpart with whom they could work. Swiss investigative reporters will find on this website links and resources who may help them to get access to the world network. We do encourage our colleagues to mention any resource which could be of benefit to this website.

The Swiss investigative network is a service to the journalists and it will grow with the directory. It aims as well to invite its members once a year to share the objectives of the international network. It works with transparency and the common share of competences. The Swiss network is opened to any professional journalist who bears a press card, and who thinks he or she holds a specific competence, which could be profitable to our foreign colleagues.

In April 2010, Swissinvestigation has organised the Global Investigative Journalism Conference, which has been a tremendous succcess. Since 2012, we have also a very dynamic sister organization in the German part of Switzerland, Investigativ.ch.