Snowsports Industries America (SIA) and the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA) announced today a partnership to address sustainability and climate action in the action sports industry. The upcoming sustainability sessions look to provide SIA and SIMA members with crucial educational programming to address the gap in the outdoor community between topical expertise and the real action needed to reduce emissions and effectively tackle climate.

The Snow and Surf Industry Sustainability Sessions is a six-month guided online series for SIA members that will provide participants with the knowledge and specific tools they need to accelerate their company's leadership on the most pressing environmental issue facing our industry. The sessions will run weekly from March 9 – June 8, 2023, and is open to any SIA member; the cost of the program is $1,200 per person, and will be limited to 20 total spots.

The program is led by Derek Sabori, the former VP of Sustainability at Volcom, and brands such as New Balance, Volcom, Billabong, RVCA, Quiksilver, Zumiez, and Blue Tomato have already entrusted Sabori to help train their teams on the fundamentals & essentials of sustainability and climate change affecting the winter outdoors.

The Sustainability Sessions come at a time when SIA and SIMA look to bring together their respective industries to develop and implement sustainable practices and policies with a focus on reducing carbon emissions, conserving natural resources, and promoting environmentally friendly products.

"We are thrilled to join forces with SIMA to offer these curated sessions for our members as we look to create a more sustainable future for the winter outdoors," said Nick Sargent, president of SIA. "As leaders in the winter sports and surf industries, we each have a responsibility to take action on climate change to protect our businesses, and the places we love to play."

“The surf and snow industries rely heavily on a healthy environment, and we’re excited to team up with SIA to use our collective force to bring the Sustainability Sessions to our members,” said Vipe Desai, Executive Director of SIMA. “By working together, we can accelerate the innovations and adoption of sustainable solutions to protect our environment and our business interests.”

The Sustainability Sessions will enable attending SIA and SIMA members to gain a new outlook on the depths of the sustainability and climate conversation, promote sustainable practices among members and the broader industry, advocate for policy change to support sustainability efforts, and build a strong foundation in the topics and concepts that have become crucial components of manufacturing, marketing and selling.

SIA and SIMA will also work together to educate consumers about the importance of sustainability and the impact their choices have on the environment.