Save Our Snow

Our Sustainability Policy

At iGOSKI Ltd and Alpine Elements we believe that climate change remains an existential threat to winter. Whilst ski resorts are doing their utmost to mitigate the impact of warming winters through developments in artificial snow creation, snow harvesting and conservation, the cost of these measures and the processes used to achieve them are significant, and paradoxically, have an impact on our environment.

Protect Our Winters

We have teamed up with POW, Protect Our Winters as a supporting partner. POW is an organisation to help passionate outdoors people protect the places and lifestyles we love from climate change. A community of athletes, scientists, creatives, and business leaders advancing non-partisan policies that protect our world today and for future generations.

Our Aim

We recognise that our activities in the UK and France, such as staff / guest travel, procurement, plastic merchandise,  energy consumption in our chalets and hotels and use of ski resort facilities all have an impact. 

With this in mind we are developing a comprehensive plan to improve our sustainability, starting with how we can make changes here in the UK and in France.We acknowledge that these are small steps to begin with, but we are aiming high. The plans outlined in this policy represent our first step towards helping to protect the mountains and Save our Snow.

Short term:

Improve sustainability across all business areas:

1. A reduction in staff travel to the office in the UK and France.
2. Actively encourage guests and staff to use less linen/towels, switch off lights, heating, equipment and appliances when not in use. A gradual phase-in of more energy efficient alternatives.
3. Encourage guests not to ski or ride over saplings or drop litter on the mountain.
4. A reduction in our levels of procurement and ‘less essential’ merchandise.
5. The phasing out of plastic-consumables in our hotels and chalets - such as plastic drinking glasses, drinking straws, cocktail mixers, plastic wrapped soaps and over-packaged food and drink.
6. Using local suppliers and standardising supply lines where possible.
7. Centrally ordering food and cleaning product in measured portions to reduce waste.
8. The promotion of low-carbon holidays, such as by travelling to the Alps by train or by car, with specific focus on electric vehicles (EV’s). In 2022 we increased the number of self drive holidays by 42%.
9. In 2021 we stopped chartering aircraft and managing our own flights. Charter planes operate lower load factors whereby many seats are often flown empty.
10. In 2021 we introduced Complimentary Airport Transfers to encourage guests to travel from Geneva to resort on one bus rather than several hire cars, taxis or smaller mini-buses. It also encourages guests to travel using scheduled airlines where empty seats are less common.
11. Following strict recycling procedures with all recyclable material.
12. We will ensure all of our merchandise is sustainable, useful and necessary and if possible made from recycled materials.
13. We have reduced the level of printed literature*. Instead of Welcome Books you will see our My Holiday Website for holiday information.
14. We have moved to more paperless administration: Electronic forms, confirmation letters, invoicing and disclaimers.
15. Encourage our staff, guests, partners and suppliers to be aware of our Sustainability Policy.
16. We now give each of our summer alpine guests a reusable plastic water bottle.

Long term:

1. Reduce the environmental and carbon footprint of iGOSKI Ltd.
2. Gain sustainability benchmarking and certification from a recognised organisation and build on this year on year to reduce our impacts.
3. Reduce the impacts of our holiday programme and offer to cleaner, greener holidays. I.e. The installation of charging pods for EV’s.
4. We are researching options to offset all flight carbon emissions, eg Tree-Flights.