One Year of Progress; DEI Action Plan Unveiling Set for July 15

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to announce the unveiling of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan on July 15, 2021, as well as share a brief update as to important actions taken by the organization over the past year.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has been working in concert with Ascent Inclusion Consulting in order to lay out clear steps for the organization to work toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment. The collaboration included updating the company’s DEI Statement and creating a robust DEI Action Plan to advance clear milestones and accountability. 

The DEI Statement serves as a catalyst to ongoing self-assessment and a commitment to meaningful actions to drive real, actionable change. The statement also acts as a guiding document throughout the development of the larger DEI Action Plan. The objective of the action plan is to achieve a higher-performing organization with an inclusive culture, equitable systems, and a team benefitting from a more diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, and views. 

As a result of an earlier DEI Audit performed by the Inclusion Playbook, U.S. Ski & Snowboard established a three-year action plan matching its updated DEI pillars and corresponding owning subcommittees within its DEI Committee, including pillars for leadership, governance, training, education, expanded access, representation, recognition, public-facing content, and partnerships. Each subcommittee’s development of additional specific metrics and reporting expectations will provide further guidance on an ongoing basis.

As U.S. Ski & Snowboard has worked toward its DEI objectives, it has become clear that executing the DEI Action Plan is critical to the organization’s vision and mission. Moving toward a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment is not just the right thing to do, but it will have a positive ripple effect throughout the organization and beyond. Find a link to U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s revised DEI statement below, alongside more detail related to the progress made toward creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Update (June 2020-June 2021)

• Implementation of Board diversification initiative.
• DEI Committee expansion to include Board members and external thought leaders.
• Budgeting for ongoing DEI work.
• Completed DEI Audit (The Inclusion Playbook). 
• Retention of DEI Expert in consulting role (Ascent Inclusion Consulting).
• Revision of DEI Statement.
• Delivery of foundational DEI training for Board, staff, and athletes.
• Preparation of a three-year DEI Training Plan.
• Provision of educational opportunities through Panels, Seminars, and Club Excellence Conference led by individuals from underrepresented groups.
  • Watch Diversity in Ski Racing: The Athlete Perspective
  • Watch: Discussing Racial Diversity In Snowsports
• Revision of clearer hiring and onboarding practices.
• Updating of Code of Conduct.
• Initiation of data collection on LGBTQ+ identities.
• Preparation of content for a baseline Inclusion Survey for Staff.
• Establishment of High Performance Department DEI Fellowship.
• Commitment to Partnerships:
  • National Brotherhood of Skiers
    • Solidified memorandum of understanding
    • Title sponsor of the 2021 NBS Virtual Summit
  • SOS Outreach
  • Share Winter Foundation
  • YES
  • United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee & national governing bodies
• Offered paid volunteer time off benefit opportunities for employees to engage with community-based organizations.
• Creation & Execution of first Annual DEI Champion Award: Henri Rivers (National Brotherhood of Skiers & U.S. Ski & Snowboard Trustee).

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement