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Friday 29 March updated on 03-29-2024 at 8:06

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For several years now, the Domaine de Montagne Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry has been committed to a responsible approach and has taken action to meet its commitments. In October 2023, the Domaine de Montagne management company obtained B Corp certification, a first in Europe.

01Reducing our carbon footprint

Direct greenhouse gas emissions from a mountain resort like Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry represent 3% of a destination's total emissions touristic.

Our goal for 2030 is Reach Zero Net Emissions emissions on scopes 1 and 2: By reducing our emissions by 50% and offsetting our residual emissions at 100%.

What we are already doing :

Reasoned grooming of the domaine

The Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallendry mountain resort is in the process of reduce CO2 emissions by 83 linked to the grooming of slopes.

Thanks to a synthetic fuel: HVO.
From the beginning 100% renouvelable made from waste fats and used vegetable oils, and without palm oil, this diesel substitute reduces CO2 emissions by 83% and fine particles by 65%, and requires no special adaptation of our machines.

Through the gradual evolution of our organisation
By setting up eco-driving Our snow groomers now cover the same distances while using less fuel. But we had to go further and put the "right machine in the right place" in the mountain area, because reorganising the departure points has also enabled us to save time, fuel and avoid transfers

With a detailed "Grooming Plan" and the use of on-board GPS
Knowledge of the mountain terrain is essential for dispatching machines and do not double groom . The GPS tool helps us to measure the amount of snow needed and to plan the production of artificial snow so that it is in the right places and does not have to be transported.

Decarbonising transport, a major challenge

We've saved the biggest piece for last ...

Our destination's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions is visitor transport: almost 40,000 tonnes of CO2!

That's why the Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry ski area is working alongside all the players involved to encourage all kinds of activities. alternatives that already exist to help you ski with minimum environmental impact.

Did you know? Last winter (2021-2022) nearly 77,000 funicular journeys which were donated as part of an operation to encourage visitors to take the train to Les Arcs.

02Preserving biodiversity and natural areas

Before being our workplace, the mountains are first and foremost our home. This situation is both a tremendous opportunity and an immense responsibility. That's why our activities are highly regulated, and why we've built up our expertise to better understand, preserve and rehabilitate our natural areas.

Our path : 0 net artificialisation, i.e. 1m² impacted = 1m² rehabilitated.

In concrete terms, we precisely quantifies the areas affected by the works each year to plan and size our regeneration actions to meet the target of 1m² developed = 1m² restored/rehabilitated by 2030.

Find out more about the habitat atlas to achieve zero net artificial development (more))

What we are already doing:

Rehabilitation of 3 wetlands
With their particularly rich biodiversity, wetlands play a crucial role in the water cycle. They "buffer" water using the sponge principle. When there isn't enough, they release it. When there is too much, they absorb it.

Protecting black grouse
Our resort is the only site in the Northern Alps where the black grouse population is increasing. To preserve the natural habitat of this species, two tranquillity zones have been set up in the Arc 1800 sector, as well as a signposted area to raise awareness. In addition, Avifauve beacons have been installed on the ski lifts for the last 10 years to warn birds of the cables on the ski lifts.

Re-vegetation and topping
For many years now, we have been systematically revegetating the areas where we carry out our work. Year after year, we have perfected techniques such as "étrépage", which involves removing the organic layer and replanting it elsewhere.

Our next steps :
Restore degraded wetlands at a rate of one per year
Installing new bird beacons on ski lifts
Revegetating new areas

03Sustainable water and energy management

Water is a strategic resource in the operation of a mountain resort, as it is used to produce artificial snow, essential to protect our winter business from the vagaries of the weather. Its use has therefore been regulated for many years. The conditions under which water can be abstracted are decided by the Prefecture after an application for authorisation has been submitted under the Water Act. The way in which the water is then returned to the environment (melt period and volumes, etc.) is also monitored to ensure minimal impact on the balance of downstream watercourses. But we go even further!

A WATER OBSERVATORY TO UNDERSTAND AND MEASURE

Launched in 2019, the Water Observatory is based on a quantitative study of the Arc 2000 watershed. To do this, we rely on a weather station and 3 flowmeters that provide us with year-round data. The purpose of this water observatory is to collect a range of data, including :
The amount of water entering the catchment area through precipitation
How much comes out (and how)
Melting glaciers
The role of wetlands
The percentage used for artificial snow
What plants capture
Infiltration into geological strata
Thanks to this review, which we every year does, we can adapt our consumption of artificial snow to the resources available

THE RIGHT SNOW

Launched in 2008, the "Just Snow" strategy aims to prepare a high-quality mountain area from the start to the end of the season, from in the most reasoned way possible. By analysing a wide range of data (piste topology, visitor numbers, current winter conditions, time of season, environmental data, etc.), we can assess optimal" snow production sector by sector (550 sectors of the ski area for which an optimum snow depth has been defined). The snow, grooming and garage services have gradually been completely reorganised. refocused and trained around this strategy, with detailed management indicators. This precise monitoring ensures that, whatever the natural snow conditions, production per hectare never exceeds 4,000 m3 of water.

RATIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT WITH THE "EVOLUTION 2030" OBJECTIVE IN MIND

Climate change is here to stay and we are seeing the effects every day. To preserve our water resources and make a commitment for the future, we have set the following strict limit: not to exceed 500,000 m3 of water used, while taking the decision to no longer produce artificial snow at low altitude.

04Social commitment

TRAINING FOR COMPANY EMPLOYEES
The creation of a CSR awareness module is given to all the company's employees every year, with new themes added. We worked with the Mountain Riders association and La Ruche teams to design, produce, organise and run this dedicated event. The first step was to raise awareness, open up discussions on the subject and gain a better understanding of the teams' desires and expectations.

TRANSITION MEETINGS
La Ruche is a group of people working with ADS to drive forward the environmental transformation of the Domaine des Arcs/Peisey-Vallandry. Its mission is to initiate and implement new initiatives in favour of sustainable development, and to have an overview of all the company's issues.
As well as raising awareness internally, the Hive is also going beyond its walls to organise events outside the company. Through the "Rendez-vous de la transition", the collective wants to organise several events throughout the year to raising awareness and exchanging ideas on the ecological transition. Free screenings and lectures are available for estate employees and local residents.

05Raising awareness and education

One of our roles is to provide visitors with a thrilling experience at altitude. It's a way of making them aware of the beauty and fragility of the mountains around them.

PROVIDING INFORMATION TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS BECOME MORE AWARE VISITORS
The exceptional moments spent in the mountains are an opportunity to inform, to pass on awareness-raising messages that help to change behaviour. As well as dedicated experiences, we try to incorporate awareness-raising messages at every stage of the customer journey. For the Comborcière picnic area, we designed a wooden gazebo built around the trees, and chose to do not install rubbish bins to encourage customers to take their waste home with them. Humorous awareness-raising panels explain the positive effects of this approach, which makes every visitor feel more responsible.

06The Domaine de Montagne certified B Corp

ADS, the management company of Domaine de Montagne Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandry joins the B Corp™ movement, a global community of committed companies meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance.

B Corp™ is both one of the most demanding environmental and social certifications, and also a movement of companies acting to have a positive impact on the world, in favour of an inclusive, fair and regenerative economy. B Corp™ certification is conditional on compliance with strict criteria in five areas: governance, employees, community, environment and customers.

This recognition, which is felt throughout the region, is the result of a number of initiatives carried out jointly with the elected representatives of the local authorities in charge of the resort - Bourg Saint Maurice, Landry, Peisey-Nancroix and Villaroger - as well as the implementation of initiatives undertaken by Compagnie des Alpes. To find out more about the Domaine de Montagne's B Corp certification: Ski passes - Les Arcs Peisey Vallandry - Paradiski - Official Website (lesarcs-peiseyvallandry.com)