SIA Launches Inclusive Leadership Playbook Bridging The Inclusion Gap In The Winter Outdoor Community,

Snowsports Industries America (SIA) is honored to launch an inclusive leadership training playbook for the winter outdoor community. Developed in partnership with PrismWork™, a national consulting firm on leadership and change management, the SIA Fresh Tracks Playbook seeks to enable and empower leaders from across the winter outdoor community to embrace the changing dynamics in the world at large and lean into a new kind of leadership that facilitates positive change both on and off the snow.

• The Fresh Tracks Playbook provides industry leaders with critical skills that serve as an essential stepping-stone toward more inclusive business practices within the winter outdoor community
•  Focused on Inclusive Leadership, the Playbook shall empower professionals at all levels to take action to create welcoming spaces for a diversity of people
• Available immediately to SIA 2021-22 members

In the wake of Black Lives Matter, MeToo, LandBack and many more movements, we saw a rush of solidarity from many in the winter outdoor community. However, solidarity is not enough. The Fresh Tracks Playbook was created as a vital stepping-stone for SIA members on their path from solidarity to creating positive change. The Playbook uses language and metaphors that are relatable and relevant to the winter outdoor community. This design enables leaders of all levels to better understand and put into practice actionable tactics and tools necessary to foster a more inclusive winter culture.

“More people are getting outside, including new participants across multiple demographics. There has never been a better time to capture and embrace these new and potential winter sports and recreation enthusiasts. But it demands a new way of leading. The Fresh Tracks Playbook provides insights into a new model of leadership and the resources and tools for developing and strengthening your inclusive leadership skills.” says Maria McNulty, SIA’s Chief Operating Officer.

The opportunity to create a more inclusive winter outdoor industry is one we cannot afford to miss. It is not just a moral imperative; it’s a business imperative as well. Research shows the winter outdoor community is experiencing a near plateau in participation rates year over year. While the trends have historically been slightly on the rise overall, the overwhelming market is still predominantly white (67.5%), wealthy (51.6%), and male (59%). The research also shows a diversity of participants are equally excited to be a part of the winter outdoor community. In a recent SIA participation study of winter enthusiasts, 42% of BIPOC participants were excited for snowsports, which nearly matched their white counterparts (44%), and lower-income participant excitement surpassed that of middle-income participants. By ignoring the importance of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of business (from product design to marketing to workplace culture to customer experience), the winter outdoor community is missing a crucial opportunity to attract, grow and retain participants. Inclusive leadership is a foundational building block in welcoming new participants to the winter outdoor community and your business.

“We’re experiencing a tectonic shift that is disrupting all aspects of our lives. What used to work at work and in life no longer does. Your employees, your current customers, and your new consumers are demanding a new way of experiencing work and leisure, and that means a new way of leading.” states Corey Jones of PrismWork.

The Fresh Tracks Playbook is part of SIA’s inclusion initiatives, including Inclusivity training, Town Halls, discussions, and readings offered to SIA members. To learn more about the critical work SIA is doing to change the winter outdoor community, please visit the SIA inclusion page https://snowsports.org/inclusion/