At the heart of every Swiss banknote series are a set of requirements: the notes must not only meet high security standards and be easy to use, but they must also satisfy aesthetic criteria. These requirements are the bedrock on which any new banknote series is developed (Development).

Once the development phase has been completed, the life cycle of a new banknote begins: from the production of the paper and the ink through to the production of the banknote; from the quality control of the banknote upon its arrival at the SNB through to its public issuance; and from the return (Issuance and return) and sorting of banknotes through to their destruction (Sorting and destruction). The final stage in the life cycle sees the banknote being shredded and consigned to the waste incinerator.

Each banknote thus generates financial costs and has an impact on the environment.