As part of its ongoing climate initiative, Snowsports Industries America (SIA) launched the ClimateUnited Lab, an online resource that provides the framework, tools, resources and guidance for every company – large or small – to build its climate strategy.
The ClimateUnited Lab is accessible to all SIA members, free with their annual membership. Climate change is the apex issue facing the winter outdoor industry. The winter season already has shortened by 34 days since 1982 (AGU, 2018), and the last eight years have been the warmest on record (NASA).
Meanwhile, consumers are demanding action. Forty-one percent of Americans say that over the next 12 months, they intend to reward companies that are taking steps to reduce global warming more frequently than they do now. (Consumer Activism on Global Warming: September 2021).
For these reasons, SIA has made addressing climate change within the winter outdoor industry one of its core priorities. SIA-member businesses that want guidance building and executing a meaningful climate action plan can access the ClimateUnited Lab.
The lab is built on a collaborative sharing platform that enables industry colleagues to work with each other – sharing ideas and best practices, solving tough challenges and mentoring others. With this opportunity to interact directly with peers, SIA hopes to unite the community and accelerate the industry’s collective progress.
The key elements of SIA’s ClimateUnited Lab include:
ClimateUnited Academy – A library of masterclass-style videos featuring short conversations with outdoor industry peers who are leading the way on various aspects of climate action. These videos provide approachable and relevant information, quickly bringing the user from climate novice to climate professional.
The 1.5C Business Playbook – Developed by the Exponential Roadmap Initiative and currently being used by companies to provide a focused yet flexible roadmap with action steps and key reduction measures centering on four key pillars: emissions reductions, value chain reductions, integrating climate into your business strategy, and influencing climate action in society. The 1.5C Business Playbook is built on speed and simplicity, giving businesses the flexibility to design the best approach using a broad set of solutions.
Essential Tools, Resources and Guidance – The ClimateUnited Lab is full of vital resources and tools, vetted consultants and nonprofit partners, essential reading, and a calendar of peer-led workshops each month to help businesses tackle the action items in the 1.5C Business Playbook.
- Advocacy Opportunities – Through ClimateUnited, businesses will have opportunities to be a consistent presence on Capitol Hill and at the state level, engaging with policymakers on climate and energy policies.
“It is time that our industry comes together to address climate change and takes real and urgent action,” said SIA’s president, Nick Sargent. “The ClimateUnited Lab is the platform that fosters progress and industry-wide collaboration, and we appreciate all the industry leaders who came together to lend their expertise and insights to this project. We are excited to be providing this valuable tool to our members.” SIA’s climate initiative began last year with the ClimateUnited Pact, which unites the industry and aligns businesses on a set of achievable principles. Every business is invited to join the ClimateUnited Pact. To date, 53 businesses have joined, signifying their leadership and a commitment to tackling climate change at the speed and scale it demands.
The ClimateUnited Lab is free to SIA members. For more details, visit https://snowsports.org/climateunited/.
