What began two years ago as a focused industry conversation has evolved into a broader ecosystem forum, bringing together brands, suppliers, federations, resorts, NGOs and policy experts. The message was clear: the environmental challenges facing winter sports cannot be solved in silos.

Collaboration Beyond Competition

Across two days, speakers emphasised the growing need for alignment across the value chain as regulatory frameworks and technical standards continue to evolve. While competition remains central to the industry, climate action was repeatedly framed as a pre-competitive space, one where transparency, shared learning and collaboration are essential.

Participants shared practical examples of how joint action on emissions reduction and sustainability strategy can strengthen resilience across the sector. Organisers warned against losing momentum amid complexity, stressing the need for clarity, cooperation and decisive action.

Advocacy in a Warming World

A sobering tone was set by climate activist and author Auden Schendler, who reminded attendees that the joy of the outdoors, the foundation of winter sports, is increasingly fragile. Schendler cautioned that a world four degrees warmer would be incompatible with a stable global society, reinforcing the urgency of action.

Advocacy emerged as a central theme. Speakers highlighted the influence brands hold through athlete partnerships, storytelling and cultural relevance, and how these platforms can help drive systemic change. Integrating advocacy through employee engagement, coordinated campaigns and leadership commitment was positioned not only as a moral imperative, but as a driver of trust and long-term relevance.

Navigating Industry Complexity

Day one also delivered a reality check on the operating environment. Updates from industry associations, economists and regulatory experts highlighted mounting complexity across European and North American markets.

Insights from organisations such as the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), alongside perspectives from Decathlon and resort operator Compagnie des Alpes, illustrated how policy, participation trends and long-term strategy are increasingly interconnected. While some regulatory timelines have shifted, issues including PFAS, extended producer responsibility, digital product passports and climate disclosure are already shaping business decisions.

From Ambition to Execution

The summit’s second day focused firmly on implementation, with circularity emerging as a core pathway to progress. Contributions from Intersport International and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation demonstrated how circular models — including rental, repair, resale and remanufacturing — are moving from concept to scalable practice.

Initiatives such as Arc’teryx’s ReBIRD™ programme were cited as evidence that circularity can reduce environmental impact while strengthening customer relationships.

Speakers also called for greater alignment on standards, from lifecycle assessment methodologies to digital product passports, to lower barriers and accelerate progress. As one participant noted, “Comparing yourself to others is sometimes the best trigger to act.”

The third Ski Industry Climate Summit showed an industry increasingly focused on turning shared ambition into tangible outcomes. While challenges remain, the collective momentum on display in Bolzano suggests winter sports is beginning to match the scale of the climate challenge with coordinated, practical action.