Calendar

Following the success of the inaugural FIS Seminar in 2024, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) is organizing its second edition on 5 May 2025 which will focus on the growing importance of environmental sustainability.

The FIS Seminar 2025 on Bridging the Gaps: Building Inclusive Sports Leadership Together – Edition 2 will highlight Nature and Biodiversity Protection and Restoration, with sports organizations playing a pivotal role in protecting nature.

The event, which runs on Monday 5 May, will be hosted at the Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Algarve Resort in Portugal and is aimed at leaders and/or sustainability experts of National Ski Associations (NSAs) and Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) with a maximum of two attendees per organization.

Under the leadership of FIS Sustainability Director Susanna Sieff, it is organized in partnership with Sport4Nature, a joint initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

The objective of the seminar is to offer specialist insight as well as facilitating discussions to help deepen understanding of the practical implications of incorporating sustainable practices at both National Ski Associations and Local Organizing Committees levels.

"As we continue to raise awareness about the importance of sustainability, it is essential to offer educational activities, such as this Seminar, that are linked to tangible projects our FIS Family is actively working on, particularly in areas like nature protection and restoration,” said Sieff.

Sharing this progress and achievements with others is crucial to driving meaningful change within the community, helping everyone understand that it is possible to move forward, reduce environmental impact, and enhance environmental protection. In our work as guides and motivators, I strongly believe in activating peer-to-peer projects and collaborating with other recognized organizations, such as Sport4Nature, to strengthen the substance and impact of our efforts.– Susanna Sieff, FIS Sustainability Director

The seminar comprises expert presentations, a focus on nature responsibility at a local level and a mapping relationship with nature by Sports4Nature.

Following a Lunch Fair, the 2024/25 FIS Nature and Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Award will be presented to recognize and reward innovative projects that protect and enhance nature and biodiversity in winter sports.

The award winner will be selected by a jury consisting of a representative of the Sports4Nature Initiative, a FIS athlete ambassador as well as a representative of FIS management and seminar participants.

They will receive a trophy, certificate, and promotion through FIS channels, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and 3,500 € to support future initiatives.

Seminar Registration

Register by 25 February 2025: Register here

Hotel Reservations

Register by 1 March 2025: Register here

Green Sports Alliance Summit will be held at the InterContinental Miami in Miami, Florida, from June 10th to June 12th.

As we strive to make our venues, teams, and communities more resilient in the face of climate change, the 2025 Green Sports Alliance Summit invites you to join us in Miami. Come prepared to share and compare plans with your peers, so we can all level up. Together, let's say, "Game On 2030."

Click here to register

Register for our Reuse Symposium at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The Rip City Reuse program has prioritized reusable service-ware since 2022. We invite you to join us in sharing best practices, addressing challenges, and learning how you too can adapt circularity systems within your organization. 

Join us the night before at the Portland Trail Blazers' March 17th "Green Game." Symposium attendees receive a discounted ticket to the game. 

Students receive 60% off discount ($100 to register).

Click here to register

We are excited to announce our upcoming webinar: “The Implications of Glacial Melt on Alpine Sports,” hosted by the Sustainable Mountain Alliance and the Kilian Jornet Foundation as part of the official launch of the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation 2025, a global initiative supported by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

About the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation 2025

The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation to raise global awareness about the critical role glaciers play in regulating the global climate, providing freshwater, and supporting ecosystems that sustain billions of people. As climate change accelerates, glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, threatening water supplies, ecosystems, and the future of alpine sports and mountain tourism.

“In my short lifetime, I’ve seen glaciers disappear. That’s only an example of the scale of human’s impact on Earth. We can’t fight nature because we’re nature but by working together we can make a positive impact on the planet.” – Kilian Jornet 

Webinar focus and key topics

This webinar will explore the impact of glacial melt on alpine sports such as skiing, alpinism, and ice climbing. We will examine how shrinking glaciers are affecting alpine sports and the challenges faced by athletes, sports organisations, the mountain tourism industry and rescue services. Expert insights on risk awareness, adaptation, mitigation, education and the urgent need to protect mountain ecosystems will also be covered, providing valuable insights into the impact of glacier melt and sharing strategies to address this issue. 

Speakers

• Dr. Jean-Baptiste Bosson, Glaciologist, geomorphologist and founder of Marge Sauvage
• Susanna Sieff, Sustainability Director, International Ski Federation (FIS) 
• Dominique Perret, Extreme ski legend and founder of WeMountain
• Blaise Agresti, Mountain guide and co-founder of Mountain Path
• Fernando Iglesias Letelier, Mountain Scientist and Chairperson of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) International Year of Glacier’s Preservation Working Group and Executive Director of the Andean Conservancy NGO.

Stay tuned for our detailed speaker announcements, which will be shared on our Instagram and Linkedin.

Event Details:

When: January 21st, 2025

Where: Online (Zoom): https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75311205151

Time: 12:00 – 13:00 (CET)

Registration: Click here to register to the webinar

Discover more about the International Year of Glacier’s Preservation and the efforts to protect glaciers and mountain ecosystems: Visit the official website

See the list of official launch events

Join us for this important webinar and help protect the future of alpine sports and glacier preservation!

On 14 November 2024, SIEPPUR hosted a 'Snow Grooming and Handling' Webinar that shared the science behind the preparation of snow or 'snow handling'. The objectives of snow preparation are to ensure the safest and fairest possible conditions for all snow sport competitors through strengthening the snow to an optimum via methods such as watering or salting. Sustainable snow handling practices seek to minimize the environmental impact on the surrounding flora and fauna or bodies of water and optimize resource use.

Some of the methods shared included the development of a snow hardener use plan and protocol as well as the types of distribution tools used. For snow handling, consideration was made of sun cover shields to avoid snow melting on course sections that are heavily exposed to the sun. By temporarily covering sections that are heavily exposed to the sun, meling is reduced with it important that the cover is removed as soon as sun exposure is weak enough, to facilitate refreezing of the snow. Further methods were shared such as: 

• excavator use for compressing snow 
• use of ground insulation
• covering of snow-free banks or walls next to the course

To view all videos of the webinars see: SIEPPUR Sustainable Snow-How - YouTube

On 30 September, SIEPPUR hosted Part 1 of a Snow-How Webinar Series. The Webinar on 30 September focused on Snow Storage, also called snow farming. It entails preserving a quantity of snow, natural or man-made, available at a ski center towards the end of the winter season over the warm summer months. To minimize melting during the summer, the snow that is stored must be covered for thermal insulation purposes.

The second webinar will provide practical knowledge about Snow Production and Snow Transport.

The capability to produce snow is a requirement for any licensed IBU biathlon venue today and the aim is to turn as much water as possible into good quality snow while consuming the least amount of energy possible.

Sustainable snow transportation practices should minimize the cost, resource use and logistical efforts required, while reducing and/or limiting the climate impact of the machinery and equipment used through minimization of CO2 emissions.

Snow Production and Transport: Monday, 28 October 2024, 14:00 – 15:30 CET

Register here

8-9 October 2024 | Kia Oval, London & Online

Convening global sports to advance sustainable business, resilience and collection action on climate, sustainability, biodiversity and environmental justice

From 26 July 2024, France will be hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As the world's largest sporting event, involving public institutions, NGOs and members of civil society, the Games offer a unique opportunity to unite participating nations around the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

French President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, have proposed a Summit on the eve of the Games’ Opening Ceremony – on 25 July, from 5 to 6.30 p.m., at the “Carrousel du Louvre”.

Sport for Sustainable Development
Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together
For a Better Future

This Summit will allow countries and sports stakeholders to make clear their determination to ensure that sport contributes to the SDGs, in line with the Paris 2024 objectives, and as part of a broader commitment to future generations.

Dedicated to youth, this Summit is part of a series of international events linked to the Paris Pact for the Planet and People (June 2023) and the Future Summit (September 2024). It will also welcome other heads of state and government, highlighting a shared interest in "sport and development" projects in partner countries, in the hope that the legacy of Paris 2024 will enable further progress.

The Summit, jointly organised by the IOC and the Office of the French President, will host some 500 participants, including heads of state and government, leaders of international organisations, athletes and representatives of the sports movement (French and International Federations, the Olympic Movement, associations and entrepreneurs), as well as development financiers. It is supported by the Agence française de développement (AFD) Group, which has been strongly committed to these issues since 2018.

The goal is to launch a global "sport and sustainable development" initiative across five areas: education and employment, health and nutrition, equality and inclusion, sustainability and legacy, and financing and impact measurement. It will be webcasted in French and English on the event website, which will be launched soon, and on the co-organisers’ social media platforms.

This Summit will contribute to the legacy of the Paris 2024 Games by strengthening and structuring the contribution of sport to the SDGs.

About the AFD Group:

The AFD Group contributes to the implementation of France's sustainable development and international solidarity policies. Comprising the Agence française de développement (AFD), responsible for financing the public sector and NGOs, research and training, its subsidiary Proparco, dedicated to financing and supporting the private sector, and Expertise France, a technical cooperation agency, the Group finances, supports and accelerates the transitions needed for a fairer, more resilient world.

With and for people, we work with our partners to build shared solutions in more than 150 countries and 11 French overseas departments and territories. Our goal? To reconcile economic development with the preservation of common goods such as climate, biodiversity, peace, gender equality, education and health. Our teams are involved in more than 4,800 projects on the ground, contributing to France's and the French people's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For a world in common.

For more information, visit https://www.afd.fr/en

World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.
This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”

The European Commission introduced its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) last year, impacting football organisations’ obligation to CSR information disclosure.

Be ahead of the game and register for the FREE webinar hosted by FREE KICKS to understand your responsibilities and prepare appropriately.

This webinar is particularly applicable for:

European football clubs at all levels
Governing body and league representatives
Partner organisations and sponsors of football clubs

With job functions:

• Executive leadership
• Governance
• Finance
• Sustainability
• Government and External Affairs

Join us to:

• Examine the Evolving Landscape of CSRD: Gain a clear understanding of the directive’s implications for football clubs, who needs to comply and what information must be reported.
• Discover Best Practices: Learn and understand the latest best practices for sustainability reporting in football.
• Ensure Compliance: Gain accessible guidance on complying with CSRD requirements if you are a club that needs to report or if you have sponsors obligated to report

Meet our Experts:

• Nora Annesi: Researcher in Corporate Environmental Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies
• Magdalena Nour: Head of Sustainability at Malmö FF
• Claire Poole: Founder and CEO of Sport Positive