Tenth video interview in the series “Flashes of Life & Roots”: featuring Klem Fritschi, a “pioneer” entrepreneur of the Economy of Communion
The interviews from the “Flashes of Life & Roots” project are back: we decided to interview a series of “pioneers of the EoC” to gather the “precious pearls” contained in the experiences of those people who, in different parts of the world and in different cultural contexts, have responded in a radical way to a common vocation: that of giving life—with their own lives—to the Economy of Communion.
The tenth protagonist of our series of interviews is the Swiss entrepreneur, who has been living in Italy for many years, Klem Fritschi, founder of Ridix Spa. He is accompanied in the interview by his wife Margherita and Michele Michelotti, CEO of Ridix. Klemens Fritschi was born in Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Constance, into a large and modest family, where work and prayer marked the daily routine. After his studies and a period in London, where he met his future wife Margherita, he moved to Italy. Their family life, marked by moments of profound joy and the tragic loss of their eldest son, was transformed by their encounter with the spirituality of unity of the Focolare Movement. This ideal became the foundation of a new vision of life, where even pain can be overcome and transformed into love and service.
The birth of Ridix Spa and the commitment to inclusion
Ridix Spa immediately stood out for its human and inclusive approach. The company is not only a place of production, 
but also a space of welcome and rebirth. Emblematic is the case of a young woman in difficulty, referred by a social worker: initially welcomed without pay, she is then hired on a permanent basis, on the very day she announces that she is expecting a child. The entire company team mobilizes to support her, demonstrating that the company can also be a community, capable of generating trust and hope.
A corporate climate based on relationships
At Ridix, work is intertwined with caring for relationships. Moments of sharing, such as dinners with agents and suppliers where everyone brings a specialty from their region, or hot air balloon trips organized with the supplier Blaser 
Swisslube, convey a climate of celebration and authentic friendship. The corporate culture promoted by Fritschi is based on trust, sincerity, and listening, values that have contributed decisively to the growth of the company and the enhancement of its people.
Economy of Communion: a project that generates future
Joining the Economy of Communion has allowed Ridix to allocate part of its profits to social projects, both local and international. From Argentina to Burundi, via Brazil, the company has supported microcredit, vocational training, and fair trade tourism initiatives, in collaboration with AMU – Action for a United World and Casa do Menor. In Italy, it collaborates with SERMIG – Servizio Missionario Giovani (Youth Missionary Service), offering free medical care and educational courses for children and adolescents. The company thus becomes a concrete instrument of social transformation, capable of generating a positive impact far beyond its corporate boundaries.
A vision for the future: focusing on the essential
For Klem Fritschi, entrepreneurship has never been just about profit. His dream for the future of the Economy of Communion is one of profound change, where wealth is not an end but a means, and where every young person can choose to put what really matters at the center of their lives: authentic relationships, self-giving, and a vision of work as service.
“What is the purpose of your life?” Klem asks. His answer is clear: “to build a more humane world, where the economy is at the service of fraternity.”
Listen to the interview and become part of this movement too!
Find previous interviews in the Flashes of Life and Roots series on this page
