Sustainability

Sep 17, 2000·Inside FIS

2024-25 facts and figures

3 major partnerships with international organizations: WMO, ESA and Prince Albert II the Monaco Foundation

251 attendees from 30 countries at the environmental sustainability training course

22 webinars organized in 2024

8 Nordic Combined LOCs engaged in sustainability initiatives in #CombinedForChange

3 sustainability guides to support the work of NSAs, LOCs, and ski resorts

58,600 tCO₂e was the total emissions for events of the 2023/24 FIS World Cup season, calculated through an enhanced methodology

1 CO₂Calculator made available free of charge to NSAs and World Cup and Championships LOCs

WMO and ESA: partnerships to bring science to FIS’ sustainability efforts

FIS has always made a clear point about its commitment to the environment and the planet: action must be grounded on scientifical facts. For such a critical issue, true impact is the only indicator that matters.

In 2024, the level of knowledge at the service of FIS’ commitment to sustainability took a major step forward through two new partnerships: with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – the first ever collaboration between a UN agency and a sports federation – and with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The five-year agreement with the WMO and its National Meteorological and Hydrological Services is centered on initiatives that connect climate science with winter sports to highlight the impact of climate change on snow and ice cover.

The Memorandum of Intent with the ESA, on the other hand, is focused specifically on how to harness the advanced technologies of space applications to drive sustainability in snow sports. The goal is to develop and innovate space technology to address climate change, protect biodiversity, reduce pollution, and promote the circular economy.

Read more about the partnership with the WMO and with ESA, as well as with the Human-Wildlife Initiative at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Q&A with Susanna Sieff, FIS Sustainability Director

What are the aspects from 2024/25 of which you are the most proud?

FIS has taken several remarkable steps, most of which converge towards one single idea: collaboration. Sustainability is a crucial area for our existence, of the whole planet, and as such it should benefit from all the knowledge and collective action we can assemble.

The partnerships with the WMO and the ESA illustrate that very vividly, and so does #CombinedForChange, which is essentially a platform to exchange knowledge and best practices. Between that and the resources that we are making available to the entire snow sports ecosystem – the CO₂ Calculator, the guides and courses – I really believe we have paved the way for many truly impactful initiatives.

What else is on the horizon?

We are looking to expand the idea of partnering and collaborating − there are a few other fascinating opportunities that are already coming to fruition.

Also, 2025 should be a year in which we further improve the process of reporting on the progress of our sustainability-related activities. At the moment, our Impact Report follows the blueprint set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is a remarkable milestone for an organization that achieved so little until 2021, but it’s not our final goal.

The plan is to enhance the depth and quality of our reporting, with the goal of publishing a full-fledged sustainability report – guided by internationally recognized standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) – in the upcoming years.

Enhanced CO₂ calculation: more precise and available to the whole snow sports ecosystem

The importance of understanding the concrete impact of events on the environment was at the heart of the project that resulted in the FIS CO ₂ Calculator: a tool tailor-made for snow sports events that FIS is making available free of charge to all NSAs, as well as the Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) of all FIS events.

By using the calculator, LOCs and NSAs can have a clearer understanding of the emissions generated by their events and activities. This information can then be used in environmental analysis and in the planning of future events.

Built on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the FIS CO₂ Calculator aims to simplify the process of reducing carbon emissions in a cost-effective manner, promoting consistency, transparency in reported data, and long-term comparability across events.

The calculator was launched in October 2024 with a webinar and four training events. The FIS Help Desk was also established to help users get the best out of the calculator. Out of 196 registered organizations (NSAs and LOCs), 53 events – accounting for 30% – are already making extensive use of the tool.

Knowledge exchange as a force for good

To drive sustainability in snow sports, FIS’ efforts have been centering on the most valuable asset for this endeavor: knowledge.

Over the course of the last 12 months, several projects have focused on creating, promoting, and sharing knowledge across the different actors in the snow sports ecosystem:

The #CombinedForChange Sustainability Tour, for example, had the organizers of each of the eight Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup stages engaged in implementing a sustainability project and sharing that knowledge with their peers. The winning LOC in the FIS Combined For Change Award, Schonach received a € 10,000 voucher from Viessmann Climate Solutions to be used for an innovative energy or climate project.

FIS has completed its first environmental sustainability training course, attended by 251 participants, including representatives from NSAs, LOCs, and FIS staff from 30 countries. FIS has also organized twelve sustainability webinars, including eight as part of the Sustainability Series and four more to help LOCs and NSAs use the FIS CO₂calculator.

FIS has been working on a series of guides to support LOCs, NSAs, and other members of the snow sports world in developing more sustainable practices. The list includes: