Case Studies - Ski resorts run by corporate companiesIn many places of the world, skiing is managed by corporate companies separate to the local community. The company has often developed the pistes and lifts themselves and is now managing them, together with snowmaking, base lodges and equipment rental. Sometimes their responsibility extends to transport and accommodation. They employ a large number of people. They are generally answerable to shareholders elsewhere. There are some companies that are really setting the standard in managing ski operations well - here are some of them...
| Do you know of any other case studies?
Tell us about them in the discussion forum |
Aspen, ColoradoThe skiing in Aspen is run by the Aspen Skiing Company (ASC). They have been working hard on the environmental side of the management of the ski resort and have a number of achievements. They were the first ski resort in the United States to be certified ISO 14001 and to be committed to purchasing only renewable energy (wind power) for their operations. They have committed to legally binding annual reductions in CO2 emissions and have invested in the largest photovoltaic system in the ski industry and also built a hydroelectric plant.
They have developed their own climate policy and established their own Environment Foundation to give to local environmental causes. The Aspen Ski Company developed a set of green building guidelines and is building new facilities such as mountain restaurants in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED) utilising passive solar design, mostly recycled interior floors and furnishings and powered by renewables. The grooming machines use B20 biodiesel, a mixture comprised of 20% biodiesel and 80% conventional diesel. Biodiesel reduces black tailpipe smoke and cuts hydrocarbon emissions by 20%, and carbon monoxide and particulate emissions by 10%. |  |
Vail Resorts, United StatesVail Resorts Management Company owns and runs the resorts of Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Beaver Creek and has set a high standard in the wide range of activities it undertakes and, recently, they have all been compiled into a programme called Vail Echo. Their programme of activities is grouped under three main areas; Environmental Stewardship, Charitable Giving and Employees in Action and at the same time as achieving real results – it is also spreading the word and educating.
Within the area of Environmental stewardship they have made efficiency upgrades to snowmaking equipment that resulted in 50% savings in electricity and water consumption, they have built an 8.4kw solar panel system that powers an entire building, composting large amounts of food waste, recycling extensively, employing LEED green building regulations in all new buildings and are well on their way to reducing their energy use by 10% in just two years. They have improved, restored or preserved tens of thousands of acres of forest through their forest health initiative. Within their resorts they get guests involved through interpretation centres, ranger ski tours and volunteering activities. They are working with community youth groups to teach environmental stewardship and their staff go out into the community volunteering and spreading the word. As well as overall corporate goals individual resorts have their own projects and initiatives. A really good example of a corporate company leading the way and changing the image of its resorts and achieving real results. |  |
