The 2007 Spring meeting of the Swiss Chemical Society was held at the University of Geneva on Friday March 9th. The general theme was catalysis and the different speakers covered various aspects of the field. Karl Anker Jørgensen discussed organic catalysis, and Robert Schlögl heterogeneous catalysis. Martyn Poliakoff presented the use of supercritical solvents in catalysis and Richard Schrock discussed the homogeneous catalytic reduction of nitrogen to ammonia. Finally Sir John Meurig Thomas illustrated the many ways in which catalysis contributes to modern life.