Bernard Group AG structures and arranges the issuance of documentary bank instruments — Standby Letters of Credit (SBLC), Demand Bank Guarantees (BG) and Documentary Letters of Credit (LC) — to secure payment, contractual and performance obligations in international trade and project finance.
Financing rarely fails for lack of commercial merit — it fails for lack of acceptable collateral. Bernard Group removes precisely this constraint by providing cash collateral from its own capital, on the basis of which a partner bank issues the required instrument in favour of the beneficiary. In doing so, we act as a structuring counterparty assuming the collateral of the transaction on our own balance sheet — not as a deposit-taking institution, and not as an intermediary introducing parties.
Each instrument is issued, advised and, where required, confirmed in strict accordance with the rulesets of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC):
| Instrument | Applicable ruleset |
|---|---|
| Documentary Letter of Credit (LC) | UCP 600 (ICC Publication No. 600) |
| Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) | ISP98 (ICC Publication No. 590); UCP 600 where applicable |
| Demand Bank Guarantee (BG) | URDG 758 (ICC Publication No. 758) |
| Interbank reimbursement | URR 725, where applicable |
Transmission is effected over the SWIFT network in accordance with ISO 15022 messaging standards (MT700, MT760, MT799 pre-advice). The structure, operative wording, tenor and terms of performance of each instrument are agreed individually, taking into account the requirements of the issuing bank and the beneficiary's advising bank, so as to ensure acceptance without reservation.
01 · Engagement and identification. Receipt of enquiry and client onboarding; identification under AML / KYC standards, verification of the underlying commercial transaction and confirmation of the origin of funds.
02 · Due diligence. Preparation and review of documentation against the requirements of the issuing bank and applicable compliance standards.
03 · Structuring and mandate. Agreement of the instrument type, operative wording, applicable ruleset, tenor and collateral structure; execution of the mandate with commercial terms committed to writing.
04 · Issuance. Issuance of the instrument by the partner bank and transmission over the SWIFT network (MT760 / MT700; MT799 pre-advice where required).
05 · Verification and settlement. Authentication of the instrument by the beneficiary's advising bank; settlement of fees strictly on the agreed terms.
Every engagement is conducted under AML / KYC standards with source-of-funds verification, in accordance with the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA, SR 955.0). Transactions that cannot be fully evidenced and documented are not accepted.