Two of our resorts were recently recognized for their Commitment to Zero: Perisher won the Excellence in Sustainability Category at the 2019 Snowy Monaro Business Awards, and Whistler Blackcomb was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 11th year in a row by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
Perisher
Given by the council area in which the towns around Perisher are located, the Excellence in Sustainability award recognizes Perisher’s efforts to reduce the impact of their operations on the environment. Over the past two years, the Perisher team has made a dozen significant sustainability improvements, including:
- Improving waste diversion systems across all areas (e.g. the Kids Adventure Centre, where waste diverted from landfill reached up to 90% in 2018)
- Continuing to remove single-use condiments, implementing compostable straws, testing reusable cutlery and increasing the number of water stations
- Removing desk bins to encourage staff to better utilize central sorting stations
- Continuing to use innovative construction techniques to minimize or avoid disturbance to biodiversity, as well as incorporating habitat connectivity features in development proposals
Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb also continues to make significant improvements, remaining a sustainability leader not only in the Vail Resorts family but across the ski and tourism industries. Receiving the honor of one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 11th year highlights the dedication of Whistler Blackcomb’s staff to improving sustainability for the long term. Thanks to a culture of innovation and a Commitment to Zero, Whistler Blackcomb used less electricity on-mountain in 2018 than in 2005 in spite of a 30% growth in guest visits! Other highlights from the past year include:
- Expanding energy-efficient capital with continued installation of LED lighting, controls to heating systems and optimization of equipment use
- Expanding guest and employee-facing waste reduction programs, including studies on effective sorting and bi-weekly waste audits
- New recycling solutions for car and truck parts, bike tires and uniforms
- Delivering a “roadshow” to 2,000+ staff including updated information on climate change from the Al Gore Climate Reality Project, details on company-wide programs and how to get involved
We are proud of the strides Perisher and Whistler Blackcomb are making toward our company-wide Commitment to Zero. To learn more about Vail Resorts’ industry-leading initiatives and find the 2018 EpicPromise Progress Report, check out EpicPromise.com.