Ski Industry Continues Sustainability Efforts at 2nd Industry Summit

The second edition of the Ski Industry Climate Summit, held last week during ISPO Munich, reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to sustainability through collaboration and innovation. Organized by Atomic, the two-day event brought together over 180 industry professionals and sustainability experts from major ski and snowboard brands, suppliers, retailers, and organizations. The 25% increase in attendance compared to the inaugural summit in 2023 highlighted the industry’s growing dedication to climate action.
Supported by Protect Our Winters (POW), the Winter Sports Sustainability Network (WSN), and the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), experts from various backgrounds led critical discussions and delivered presentations on advancing sustainability practices within the winter sports equipment industry.

Participants from leading ski and snowboard brands, suppliers, and retailers engaged in a comprehensive program of presentations and workshops covering topics such as recycling, the circular economy, and data standardization, guided by experts from both within and outside the ski industry.

Key Outcomes

1. Recycling and Circular Economy
   While promising recycling technologies are emerging, the summit highlighted that large-scale implementation requires partnerships with third-party recyclers. Connecting recycling efforts with sustainable business models was identified as a critical step toward economic viability.
2. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) & Data Standardization
   LCA methodologies are advancing rapidly, but the industry still faces challenges in standardization and data-sharing protocols. Participants committed to developing common LCA communication to ensure comparability and transparency.
3. Regulatory Preparedness
   With evolving environmental legislation in the EU and North America, stakeholders agreed on the need for proactive advocacy. Staying ahead of compliance requirements such as the European Green Deal and emerging green claims standards is now a shared responsibility.
4. Decarbonizing the Value Chain
   Industry leaders recognized the potential of decarbonizing the value chain through renewable energy procurement and strengthened collaboration with suppliers. Expanding logistics decarbonization emerged as a top priority for future action.

Attendants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising the event’s insightful discussions, actionable outcomes, and opportunities for collaboration.

“We are deeply grateful for the success of the second Ski Climate Summit. Huge credit goes to Atomic for their leadership, as well as to all the companies involved, for their unwavering commitment to driving progress year after year. Protect Our Winters is proud to play a key role in advancing this critical mission. We look forward to seeing the next steps on this journey from commitment to action.”
— Jonas Schneider, Executive Director POW Europe

“We were very impressed with the agenda and the extensive content offered here at the summit. The vast array of presentations and seminars demonstrated concrete commitments from industry brands to meeting urgent sustainability milestones in the years ahead.”
— Ammi Bornstein, Snaplinc Consulting/Snow Sports Industries of America

“The 2nd annual Ski Industry Climate Summit, held at ISPO, again demonstrated the progress that snow sports are making to address climate change while underlining the crucial importance of cooperation. Hats off to the leadership of Atomic & Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry in bringing the Summit to live with the support of Peak 63, Protect Our Winters Europe. International Biathlon Union is proud to be a member of the Winter Sports Sustainability Network”
— Riika Rakic, Head of Strategy, Sustainability & Governance at IBU

Looking Ahead

The Ski Industry Climate Summit 2024 concluded with a continued commitment for collaborative action and industry responsibility. Attendees emphasized the need for continuous progress toward circular economy models, data transparency, and legislative advocacy.

Organizer Atomic has already set its sights on 2025, expanding collaborations and working groups, as well as pilot projects to drive sustainability across the entire winter sports industry.