The foundation's purpose is to provide care for Swissmem personnel in cases of old age, disability, death (survivor protection), and unforseen hardship or other cases of hardship, as well as to implement and promote measures that serve the welfare of personnel in general. To this end, the foundation may also make contributions to the Swissmem pension fund to improve generally or individually inadequate insurance benefits or to increase the coverage funds. The foundation may also establish supplementary insurance for Swissmem's management personnel. To achieve the foundation's purpose or parts thereof, the foundation may conclude insurance contracts for the benefit of the beneficiaries or a part thereof. By decision of the foundation board, with the consent of Swissmem, the foundation's scope of activity may also be extended to the personnel of organizations closely related to Swissmem, provided that these organizations allocate corresponding funds to the foundation. The foundation board determines, at its discretion, in consideration of the respective circumstances, the scope of the foundation's welfare activities within the framework of the purposes mentioned in paragraph 1, by decision or regulation. The foundation may not be called upon to provide benefits for which Swissmem or organizations affiliated with the foundation are legally obligated, or which have a character similar to wages (such as bonuses, cost-of-living allowances, anniversary gifts, etc.).