We take responsibility in the areas in which we operate and throughout the entire value chain by focusing on dialogue and interaction. Collaborations enable us to both accelerate sustainable development together with our stakeholders and create long-term sustainable solutions that contribute to positive trends in business and the wider community.

A PART OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

SkiStar will be a driving force for sustainable mountain tourism at
our destinations. Part of that commitment is to contribute to the
local communities in which we operate through conversations, dialogue and collaborations. We operate in the same place and are all dependent on each other, which is why we want to strengthen our local communities in any way we can.
SkiStar’s business have an impact on the local economy by creating and generating jobs in sparsely populated areas and in their surrounding areas. They also stimulate more tourism locally, giving other companies the opportunity to work in and around the destinations, such as restaurants and other activities close to the mountains. This generates jobs in the local area, meaning more people can stay in sparsely populated areas, and increases the opportunity for capital to be invested and reinvested.

INITIATIVES IN OUR MUNICIPALITIES

SkiStar is keen to ensure that residents of our destinations should
have access to and be able to spend time in the mountain environments to which they live so close. In Åre and Sälen, we offer a reduced ski school fee for children aged 2–6 who attend preschool there. This provides greater opportunities for more residents to spend time with us and makes things easier for parents who may otherwise have difficulty taking their children up the slopes. We offer municipal discounts to adults and have conducted several municipal days during the winter and summer whereby we offer everyone free activities at the resort.

SWEDISH SKIING FOR IMMIGRANTS (SFI+)

Making skiing accessible means promoting the opportunity to test
skiing among those who have never done so before. On the initiative of Åre municipality, students from the Swedish for Immigrants courses are offered a day outdoors on the mountain. SkiStar sponsors the day by providing a SkiPass, skiing equipment and ski instructors so that students can experience the nature and activities of the mountain environment in a meaningful way. It is also a way to show off the benefits of living in the countryside and the opportunities afforded by living close to nature and the mountains.

SKISTAR MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THE SCHOOLE IN ÅRE TO TAKE STUDENTS UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS

SkiStar wants to enable more children and young people to be
active out in nature. This is why we offer a free SkiPass to children
and young people up to the age of 15 who live in the municipalities where we are located. We also want to encourage schools to use our ski systems and climbing parks for leisure days outdoors, for example, and we are keen to make it easier for them to do so.

The school staff can’t demand that our students have access to ski equipment, and our budget doesn’t make it possible to cover the cost. As SkiStar waives the ski rental fees, we can arrange leisure days and free periods for the students on the slopes. This creates equality among our students so all the children have an equal chance to experience the mountains and their nature.

- Kim Sommarin, principle at Åreskolan