Alterra, Boyne, POWDR and Vail Unite

The leadership of some of the largest ski resorts at Mountain Towns 2030 (MT2030) Photo: POWDR Corp.

DENVER, Colo. — With the formation of the Climate Collaborative Charter, the four largest ski industry leaders unite to combat climate change. They also humbly and urgently ask that all-mountain resorts commit to taking similar action.

Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, POWDR, and Vail Resorts have combined forces to combat climate change with the announcement of the Climate Collaborative Charter. It is the ski industry’s first unified effort to combat climate change with shared commitments around sustainability and advocacy, through a pledge.

Mayor, Andy Beerman referenced Park City’s Mountain Towns 2030 in a Facebook post and said, “MT2030 [Mountain Towns 2030] brought together mountain communities and the ski industry to inspire climate action. This newly announced alignment of the major ski resort operators is a direct result of MT2030’s galvanizing role.”

Alterra, Vail, Boyne, and POWDR collectively own and operate 71 mountain resorts throughout North America.

All four ski industry leaders have agreed to operate their resorts with sustainability at the forefront and use their collective voice to advocate for effective public policy on climate action in order to leave a positive legacy for future generations of skiers and snowboarders. This will translate to further implementation of sustainable practices, including elements from NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes platform, across the combined 71 North American resorts.

As part of the Climate Collaborative Charter, each organization announces a set of commitments and pledges.

As business leaders, the resort companies commit to:

• Reduce energy use wherever possible and aggressively pursue renewable energy sources to be carbon neutral
• Climate action and advocacy for effective public policy to accelerate the shift to a renewable energy economy
• Strong efforts and goals to reduce waste
• Be responsible stewards of the environment – the land, forests, watersheds, and habitats that provide the pristine locations where we live, work, and host guests
• Share best practices to accelerate change in their respective companies and communities
• Support the National Ski Areas Association’s Sustainable Slopes platform

As stewards of the environment, the resort companies pledge to:

• Incorporate sustainability into all aspects of their owned and operated mountain resorts
• Lead by example and educate employees and guests about sustainability
• Place collaboration over competition when it comes to sustainability
• Advocate for climate protection

“It is through bold environmental commitments and ongoing collaboration that we will have the most impact on protecting and preserving the great outdoors,” said Kate Wilson, senior director of sustainability at Vail Resorts. “We announced Commitment to Zero in 2017, our goal to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030 across all our 37 resorts, and we are proud to have already made substantial progress toward that goal.”

“As part of POWDR’s Play Forever commitment to protect the environment and support our community, the importance of collaboration to drive both action and inspiration at scale is paramount,” said Laura Schaffer, POWDR Director of Corporate Responsibility. “We all must reach across the chairlift to work together.”

More information can be found at Climate Collaborative Charter.