Industry News
Path to Net Zero Carbon Emissions and Clean Electricity Goals Mapped
Boyne Resorts today introduced its Master Plan for reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2030–a goal to which the company is deeply committed, and that was the catalyst to forming ForeverProject, Boyne Resorts’ long-term pledge to sustainable practices. Primarily structured around collective action, the 2030 Master Plan includes property-specific plans that allow and require independent initiative among the company’s resorts and facilities across North America. The mapped pathway enables Boyne Resorts to reduce its carbon footprint while closely balancing environmental and economic sustainability.
“Our 75-year journey as a resort company defines and demonstrates a heritage of stewardship, leadership, creativity, and innovation. Today, as Boyne Resorts endeavors to transform the North American four-season resort experience, we must also aim to help lead our industry and communities toward a sustainable tomorrow, ensuring our next 75 years and future generations are afforded the same quality of life we have and that our resorts represent. The ForeverProject 2030 Master Plan will help guide us in this mission and reflects our culture of embracing new technologies and ways of doing business.”
– Stephen Kircher, Boyne Resorts president and chief executive officer
Boyne Resorts committed in early 2020 to its aggressive goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions within ten years. They followed it with a commitment to power the company’s operations with 100% clean electricity, also by 2030. Boyne contracted Colorado-based Brendle Group to develop a plan to reach these goals. The Plan defines twelve “Big Moves” to propel operations toward net zero and identifies energy audits and maximizing the efficiency of current and future buildings as near-term priorities.
Advocacy at the local, regional, and national levels to help drive the transition to a clean energy economy is highlighted in the Master Plan as a foundational and ongoing priority. Furthering intentions to execute the Plan, the company recently added a vice president of sustainability position and expects to fill it by June. Boyne boldly progressed toward clean electricity in January 2021 by entirely offsetting its collective electric energy consumption with renewable energy credits, not otherwise met with grid-supplied renewable energy from resort utility providers. As accounted for in the Master Plan, the offsets continue to be necessary, yet reduced consumption and increased efficiencies and local renewable supply are expected to decrease offset/credit purchases steadily.
“I know Boyne Resorts will be successful thanks to their visionary leadership, motivated and skilled team, and a running start from decades of environmental stewardship. Boyne’s efforts to understand their greenhouse gas emissions and willingness to innovate and invest to lay a better path forward is an inspiration to us at Brendle Group and hopefully a model for other ski resorts and mountain communities.”
– Judy Dorsey, Brendle Group founding president and principal engineer
Earth Day 2023 was chosen by Boyne Resorts as a fitting time to introduce its 2030 Master Plan. The goals set forth are the most tenacious of any company’s history and align with the purpose of Earth Day’s global celebration. Since 2019, Boyne Resorts has been partnered with Mountain Towns 2030 and is a part of Mountain Collaborative for Climate Action, a unified initiative among North America’s four largest ski resort companies. Starting in 2020, the company’s mountain resorts signed on to participate in the National Ski Area Association’s Sustainable Slopes and Climate Challenge programs and were honored by the Association in 2021 with the Golden Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence.
Innovative collaboration is a guiding principle of Boyne Resorts’ ForeverProject and continues to be explored within and beyond the 2030 Master Plan. Boyne recognizes unwavering partnerships with the towns where its resorts and facilities exist–the communities in which its team members live, work, and play are integral to its business success and overall sustainability. Mitigating climate risk is critical to community success. The company intends to maintain transparency in progress reporting and mindfully allocate resources and support to its resort communities to enable their achievement of similar goals.
While the 2030 Master Plan drives the momentum needed to hit timely environmental sustainability goals, Boyne Resorts’ ForeverProject directs sights and intentions far beyond 2030. Local programs and ongoing education for team members, community members and guests, workforce diversity, and team member housing remain current and long-term commitments. For more information about Boyne Resorts and the company’s ForeverProject 2030 Master Plan, please visit boyneresorts.com.
