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Post-employment benefits for associates (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Employee Benefits [Abstract]

Summary of funded and unfunded defined benefit obligations and reconciliation of net liability

The below table summarizes the funded and unfunded DBO for pension and other post-employment benefit plans of Alcon associates at December 31, 2024 and 2023.

			Pension plans												Other post-employment benefit plans
($ millions)			2024						2023						2024						2023
Benefit obligation at January 1			638						563						213						221
Current service cost			16						16						5						5
Interest cost			18						20						10						11
Past service costs and settlements			—						(1)						—						—
Administrative expenses			1						2						—						—
Remeasurement (gains)/losses arising from changes in financial assumptions			(14)						46						(6)						6
Remeasurement (gains) arising from changes in demographic assumptions			—						(2)						—						—
Remeasurement losses/(gains) arising from experience-related changes			5						16						1						(16)
Currency translation effects			(30)						22						—						—
Benefit payments			(47)						(49)						(19)						(18)
Contributions of associates			5						5						4						4
Benefit obligation at December 31			592						638						208						213
Fair value of plan assets at January 1			448						417						—						—
Interest income			11						14						—						—
Return on plan assets excluding interest income			13						15						—						—
Currency translation effects			(23)						16						—						—
Employer contributions			23						31						15						14
Contributions of associates			5						5						4						4
Settlements			—						(1)						—						—
Benefit payments			(47)						(49)						(19)						(18)
Fair value of plan assets at December 31			430						448						—						—
Funded status			(162)						(190)						(208)						(213)
Limitation on recognition of fund surplus at January 1			(25)						(21)
Change in limitation on recognition of fund surplus			(8)						(4)
Currency translation effects			3						—
Limitation on recognition of fund surplus at December 31			(30)						(25)
Net liability in the balance sheet at December 31			(192)						(215)						(208)						(213)

The reconciliation of the net liability from January 1 to December 31 is as follows:

			Pension plans												Other post-employment benefit plans
($ millions)			2024						2023						2024						2023
Net liability at January 1			(215)						(167)						(213)						(221)
Current service cost			(16)						(16)						(5)						(5)
Net interest expense			(7)						(6)						(10)						(11)
Administrative expenses			(1)						(2)						—						—
Remeasurements			22						(45)						5						10
Currency translation effects			10						(6)						—						—
Employer contributions			23						31						15						14
Change in limitation on recognition of fund surplus			(8)						(4)						—						—
Net liability at December 31			(192)						(215)						(208)						(213)
Amounts recognized in the balance sheet
Prepaid benefit cost			6						6						—						—
Accrued benefit liability			(198)						(221)						(208)						(213)

Breakdown of DBO for pension plans by geography and type of member

The below tables provide detail of the DBO for pension plans by geography and type of member and of plan assets based on the geographical locations in which they are held.

			2024
($ millions)			Switzerland						United States						Germany						United Kingdom						Rest of the world						Total
By type of member
Active			(226)						(25)						(42)						—						(75)						(368)
Deferred pensioners			(8)						(29)						(16)						(26)						(14)						(93)
Pensioners			(33)						(38)						(26)						(27)						(7)						(131)
Benefit obligation at December 31			(267)						(92)						(84)						(53)						(96)						(592)
Thereof: unfunded plans			43						21						—						—						20						84
Thereof: unfunded portion of funded plans			43						1						63						—						7						114
Prepaid benefit costs and assets subject to limitation on recognition of fund surplus			—						—						—						(4)						(32)						(36)
Fair value of plan assets at December 31			181						70						21						57						101						430
Funded status			(86)						(22)						(63)						4						5						(162)

			2023
($ millions)			Switzerland						United States						Germany						United Kingdom						Rest of the world						Total
By type of member
Active			(241)						(31)						(47)						—						(80)						(399)
Deferred pensioners			(8)						(31)						(19)						(31)						(15)						(104)
Pensioners			(33)						(37)						(27)						(31)						(7)						(135)
Benefit obligation at December 31			(282)						(99)						(93)						(62)						(102)						(638)
Thereof: unfunded plans			49						22						—						—						17						88
Thereof: unfunded portion of funded plans			42						3						74						—						14						133
Prepaid benefit costs and assets subject to limitation on recognition of fund surplus			—						—						—						(5)						(26)						(31)
Fair value of plan assets at December 31			191						74						19						67						97						448
Funded status			(91)						(25)						(74)						5						(5)						(190)

Defined benefit plans assumptions

The below table shows the principal weighted average actuarial assumptions used for calculating defined benefit plans and other post-employment benefits of Alcon associates.

			Pension plans												Other post-employment benefit plans
			2024						2023						2024						2023
Discount rate			3.2		%				3.0		%				5.5		%				5.0		%
Expected rate of pension increase			1.0		%				1.1		%
Expected rate of salary increase			2.6		%				2.7		%
Interest on savings account			2.0		%				2.2		%
Current average life expectancy for a 65-year-old male (in years)			20						20						21						21
Current average life expectancy for a 65-year-old female (in years)			22						22						23						23

The below table shows additional details related to the weighted average discount rates for pension and other post-employment benefit plans for each significant country.

			Pension plans												Other post-employment benefit plans
			2024						2023						2024						2023
Switzerland			1.6		%				1.9		%
United States			5.4		%				5.0		%				5.5		%				5.0		%
Germany			3.5		%				3.1		%
United Kingdom			5.5		%				4.5		%

The below table summarizes the healthcare cost trend rate assumptions used for other post-employment benefits.

			2024						2023						2022
Healthcare cost trend rate assumed for next year			7.0		%				6.0		%				6.3		%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline			4.5		%				4.5		%				4.5		%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate			2035						2030						2030

Disclosure of sensitivity analysis for actuarial assumptions

The below table shows the sensitivity of the defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefit obligations to the principal actuarial assumptions as of December 31, 2024.

($ millions)			(Decrease)/increase in 2024 year-end liability
25 basis point increase in discount rate			(23)
25 basis point decrease in discount rate			25
1 year increase in life expectancy			12
25 basis point increase in rate of pension increase			8
25 basis point decrease in rate of pension increase(1)			(4)
25 basis point increase of interest on savings account			3
25 basis point decrease of interest on savings account			(3)
25 basis point increase in rate of salary increase			3
25 basis point decrease in rate of salary increase			(3)

(1)Decrease in rate of pension increase is limited to zero.

Fair value of plan assets and asset allocation

The below table shows the weighted average plan asset allocation of funded defined benefit pension plans at December 31, 2024, and 2023.

			Pension plans
(as a percentage)			Long-term target minimum						Long-term target maximum						2024						2023
Equity securities			15						40						33						33
Debt securities			20						60						40						41
Real estate			5						20						11						11
Alternative investments			—						20						13						13
Cash and other investments			—						15						3						2
Total															100						100

Schedule of expected future cash flows for benefit plans

The below table summarizes expected employer contributions for one year and expected future benefit payments for ten years for pension and other post-employment benefit plans as of December 31, 2024.

($ millions)			Pension plans						Other post-employment benefit plans
Employer contributions
2025 (estimated)			10						—
Expected future benefit payments
2025			38						16
2026			34						18
2027			35						19
2028			35						20
2029			38						20
2030-2034			200						93

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The disclosure of an analysis of the present value of a defined benefit obligation that distinguishes the nature, characteristics and risks of the obligation. Such a disclosure could distinguish: (a) between amounts owing to active members, deferred members, and pensioners; (b) between vested benefits and accrued but not vested benefits; and (c) between conditional benefits, amounts attributable to future salary increases and other benefits. [Refer: Defined benefit obligation, at present value]

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The disclosure of information about the maturity profile of a defined benefit obligation. This will include the weighted average duration of the defined benefit obligation and may include other information about the distribution of the timing of benefit payments, such as a maturity analysis of the benefit payments. [Refer: Defined benefit obligation, at present value]

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The disclosure of a net defined benefit liability (asset). [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)]

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The disclosure of a sensitivity analysis for significant actuarial assumptions used to determine the present value of a defined benefit obligation. [Refer: Actuarial assumptions [domain]; Defined benefit obligation, at present value]

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