Snow of Tomorrow | Ski Industry Climate Summit 2024

A summit for the future of winter sports

Originally launched to address the pressing challenges of climate change, the Ski Industry Climate Summit has now established itself as a central platform. Supported by organisations such as Protect Our Winters (POW), the Winter Sports Sustainability Network (WSN) and the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), the two-day event brought together leading ski and snowboard brands, suppliers, retailers and sustainability experts. The agenda included specialist presentations, discussion panels and practice-oriented workshops on key topics such as recycling, the circular economy, data standardisation and decarbonisation of the value chain.

We conducted an interview for you with Denis Dietrich from Atomic.

Salu: "Hi Denis, as Global PR Manager at Atomic, you were once again instrumental in the planning and realisation of the Climate Summit. The event was also praised by many voices in this round. We are delighted to be able to ask you a few questions to give our readers some exciting insights behind the scenes.
First of all, what was the main motivation for Atomic to initiate or participate in the Climate Summit?"

Denis: "Atomic launched the Ski Industry Climate Summit because we realised that although we can reduce our footprint as a company, this is not nearly enough. In addition, when developing our sustainability strategy, it quickly became clear that many areas of the ski industry's transformation can only be achieved together. The event is an important driver for us to collaborate with our competitors, suppliers, retailers and organisations."

Salu: "The Climate Summit took place for the second time in 2024. How is this Summit different from last year's premiere? What lessons were learnt from the first summit and how did these influence planning and implementation in 2024?"

Denis: "The first Summit 2023 was initially quite an uncertain endeavour for us. We couldn't predict whether our competitors would even sit down at the same table with us. After all, at least the ski brands are rivals on the race track and in the shops. However, it turned out that the competition can be put to one side when it comes to climate protection. All the major ski brands came to Salzburg for the first summit and we had more registrations than we had planned for participants. After this response, we were naturally more optimistic when planning the second edition in Munich last December. We knew that the brands wanted to "commit" to climate protection. Now it was time to turn this commitment into action. Hence the title of the second summit "From Commitment to Action."

Salu: "What new topics or focal points were at the forefront of the
Climate Summit 2024?"

Denis: "After the first summit, many topics with great potential had already crystallised. There is also the Wintersports Sustainability Network (WSN), a platform in which we have continued to work on topics such as the circular economy, materials and suppliers, life cycle assessments (LCAs) and decarbonisation since the first summit. We have also intensively discussed (EU) legislation and the legal framework."

Salu: "What challenges for the industry to contribute to climate protection became particularly clear at the Climate Summit 2024? Is there predominantly a consensus or more disagreement about what the solution can be?"

Denis: "The challenges for the transformation of ski and snowboard brands are numerous. However, one could emphasise the circular economy, which can only be achieved with the cooperation of a wide range of representatives (brands, retailers, take-back systems, recyclers). The availability of data (you first have to understand the environmental impact of materials in order to make products more climate-friendly) is also still a major issue for some suppliers. The solutions require a lot of coordination, investment and hard work, and they don't happen overnight. However, as climate change is putting us under pressure, we are working at full speed and with the necessary determination. Learning from each other also creates synergies that help. Not every (smaller) fire has the same resources and possibilities."

Salu: "How is the collaboration between Atomic, other participating manufacturers and NGOs in the industry organised outside of the Climate Summit?"

Denis: "Our partner Protect Our Winters Europe is initially also an important "patron" for us. The independent NGO ensures that nobody at our Climate Summit has the feeling of being a guest at Atomic. We see ourselves as an incubator and driver, not as a brand that wants to play itself into the limelight. Responsibility is the key, and everyone has to take it. Then cooperation works. For example, when it comes to sharing data or agreeing on common standards for LCAs. As soon as a consensus is reached here, greenwashing as a supposed competitive advantage no longer plays a role."

A look ahead

The Ski Industry Climate Summit 2024 was an inspiring step towards more sustainable winter sports. Participants praised the comprehensive agenda and the practical content. The path from "Commitment to Action", as the motto of the summit was, has been taken - now it is up to the industry to turn the findings into action.

Atomic, as one of the pioneers, has already defined clear goals and invites the industry to work together on a climate-friendly future. The next Summit 2025 promises to build on this momentum.

"We are very grateful for the success of the second Ski Industry Climate Summit. Kudos to Atomic for its leadership and to all the companies involved for their tireless commitment to making a difference year after year. Protect Our Winters is proud to play a central role in driving this important work forward. We look forward to the next steps on this journey from commitment to action."

Jonas Schneider, Managing Director POW Europe