SAM Magazine—Denver, April 24, 2024—Alterra Mountain Company has published its second annual impact report that outlines the company’s social responsibility efforts as part of its “Forward Stance” platform. The 164-page report—organized around the key pillars of people, planet, community, and responsibility—details Alterra’s various actions and commitments toward social responsibility in 2023, including year-over-year comparisons of survey results and other data. 

“Our mission at Alterra is to shape the future of mountain adventure, and that is only possible by investing in the people and places who make what we do possible,” said Alterra chief legal and social responsibility officer Karen Sanford. “We believe these pillars of collaborative action will help make the power of the mountains more welcoming, sustainable, and impactful for more people from all walks of life.” 

People

This section includes chapters on inclusion, equity, diversity, and mental well-being. 

For example, it reports that since its first impact report, Alterra has strengthened and grown participation in its slate of employee resource groups (ERGs) for its BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA2S+, and disability communities, with more than 200 joining the groups in 2023.

Targeted actions were taken to raise levels of belonging—measured via “Belonging Index” favorability scores—tracked in employee surveys, with a goal for all demographic groups to score 70 percent or higher. The company earned a favorability score of 70 or higher from 43 out of 47 demographic groups, and averaged 82 percent overall.  

Mental well-being and resilience programs were also expanded, offering more free counseling through a company-wide employee assistance program for all employees.

Planet

Alterra conducted ongoing emissions auditing at its mountain resorts to reinforce and track progress on the company’s science-based 2030 goals, which are to:

1. reduce carbon emissions in its operations by more than 50 percent;

2. transition to 100 percent renewable energy; and

3. attain carbon neutrality by offsetting remaining emissions that can’t be reduced directly. 

The report includes data about the company’s scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissions; details about various electrification projects; energy-use and waste reduction programs; partnerships with suppliers; and climate advocacy efforts, among other details. 

Community

Alterra’s FY23 company-wide philanthropic giving increased to nearly $14 million across its global community. Inspired by The Paradise Paradox film, the Alterra Community Foundation expanded its scope to include a mental health focus, providing grants for stigma-breaking community film screenings as well as specialized psychotherapy support for its mountain first responders. 

Alterra reports that its resorts provided childcare to 45 percent more employee and community recipients in FY23, and it is planning to add more than 1,000 workforce housing beds over the next 5 years. 

Responsibility

This section includes chapters about ethical culture, safety, business risk mitigation, and cyber security and data privacy.

The safety chapter, for example, includes new “Community Guidelines & Expectations” that were rolled out for all guests and employees, “providing clarity on safety rules and written guidance on accountability, respect, and inclusion, advancing a collective enjoyment of the mountains for all.” These are communicated via web pages on resort websites (it doesn’t detail how else they are communicated or reinforced on the ground, though). 

It also touts Alterra’s “Risk Management Evaluation System,” which aggregates insights from the company’s resorts, allowing leaders to spot trends and craft actions based on the data to help minimize risks and injuries for both guests and staff.