Global Sustainability Ski Alliance: LAAX and other leading ski resorts join forces for sustainable tourism

Innsbruck, May 7, 2025 – Leading ski resorts, including Compagnie des Alpes (France), KitzSki (Austria), Kronplatz (Italy), LAAX (Switzerland), Levi Ski Resorts (Finland), NZSki (New Zealand), Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal Bergbahnen (Germany), and SkiStar (Sweden, Norway), together operate more than 800 ski lifts and record around 25 million skier days. On May 7, 2025, the Global Sustainability Ski Alliance was officially launched at Interalpin in Innsbruck – the first initiative of its kind in the ski industry. By joining forces, the members are now strengthening their individual efforts and pooling resources and expertise to achieve even greater progress in reducing CO2 emissions and promoting sustainable innovation in ski tourism.

A shared commitment to sustainability

The newly founded Global Sustainability Ski Alliance sees itself as a driving force for sustainable tourism in the face of climate change. All participating companies have already implemented their own sustainability initiatives in recent years – now they are pooling their expertise. "As an industry that plays a key role in maintaining stable winter conditions, it is our responsibility to help shape change and take a leading role. We are focusing our efforts on the emission reductions necessary to comply with the Paris Agreement in our own operations, and we must now work together to increasingly involve our supply chains as well," says Dominique Thillaud, CEO of Compagnie des Alpes.

"We are proud to have taken the initiative to establish the Global Sustainability Ski Alliance, which brings together some of the world's leading ski resorts to work together to make progress towards a more sustainable industry. By sharing insights, data, and innovations, we can accelerate the necessary measures to address the climate challenges facing ski tourism today," adds Stefan Sjöstrand, CEO of SkiStar.

"At Levi Ski Resort, we are strongly committed to ensuring that we continue to have white winters in the future. With the Global Sustainability Ski Alliance, the industry is strengthening international cooperation, sharing best practices, and jointly developing sustainable solutions to secure the future of winter sports," says Jouni Palosaari, CEO of Levi Ski Resort.

Key measures for change

In light of the urgent climate crisis, Allianz has recognized that the transition involves not only reducing its environmental footprint, but also requires profound changes in business processes – from infrastructure to supply chain management. "We are working with our suppliers to prioritize measures that address decarbonization needs and support them in developing low-carbon innovations. International cooperation with leading partners from the cable car and tourism industries in the areas of mobility, energy consumption, sustainability, and research and development is crucial for us as a company to ensure positive and successful development for the future," explain Anton Bodner and Christian Wörister, members of the KitzSki Executive Board.

"Through the standardization of environmental data and the development of performance indicators, the environmental footprint of the alliance and its supply chains is continuously monitored," explains Andreas Dorfmann, CEO of Kronplatz. Another focus of the members is the modernization of infrastructure: "We are driving forward electrification, maximizing energy efficiency, and relying entirely on renewable energies—always in harmony with nature," adds Reto Gurtner, President of the Weisse Arena Group, which operates the LAAX ski resort. These measures contribute to reducing emissions and ensure the long-term sustainability of operations.

Supporting local communities

The alliance is also committed to strengthening local communities and assuming social and regional responsibility in addition to environmental protection. Tourism providers see themselves as an integral part of local communities, with a direct impact on jobs, economic cycles, and quality of life in the region. To make this contribution measurable and comparable, members exchange best practices on how their commitment can be measured and communicated. "We want to show how sustainable tourism works in practice – economically viable, environmentally effective, and socially responsible," emphasizes Henrik Volpert, CEO of OK Bergbahnen.

Innovation and collaboration as pillars of success

"The true strength of our alliance lies in our shared ambition to transform the industry in a sustainable way through collective responsibility and groundbreaking innovation," says Paul Anderson, CEO of NZSki. Coordinated knowledge sharing, joint prioritization of measures, and technical cooperation not only accelerate progress but also make it scalable.

With their structured, data-driven approach and broad coalition, the members of the Global Sustainability Ski Alliance want to send a clear signal that sustainable tourism is achievable, measurable, and economically viable.