The foundation guarantees the financial, content-related and organizational basis of the Swiss Press Council. The latter is intended to be available to the public and journalists as a complaints body (appeal) for media ethics issues; to contribute to the reflection on fundamental problems of media ethics and to stimulate the discussion on media ethics within editorial offices. The Swiss Press Council takes a position, upon complaint or on its own initiative, on issues related to the professional ethics of journalists. Anyone is entitled to file a complaint. The Swiss Press Council defends freedom of the press and opinion. The positions taken by the Swiss Press Council are based on the 'Declaration of the Duties of Journalists', the guidelines of the Swiss Press Council and the practice of the Swiss Press Council. In its positions, the Swiss Press Council may also be based on foreign and international media ethics codes. The foundation has a public utility character and does not pursue a profit-making purpose.