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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

We believe Arapahoe Basin succeeds when our guests and employees are welcomed for who they are, diversity is respected, and everyone feels a sense of belonging. Inclusion is accomplished through cultivating an internal and external culture of openness, empathy, and a celebration of differences.

snowboarder hiking

ADDRESSING DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Since our founding in 1946, we have strived to be an accessible and welcoming place. Our tradition is one of inviting anyone and everyone to enjoy A-Basin, while understanding that not everyone who clicks into a pair of skis or straps into a board looks, sounds, or lives the same. We have also always been an aspirational place—where people find freedom, camaraderie, and joy. A-Basin is an adventurous and challenging mountain that encourages our guests and employees to explore, grow, and show off their personal style.

Yet, our history of good intentions has not been enough to show—through concrete actions—that anyone of any race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or other under-represented background belongs here. We acknowledge that access to mountain activities has often not been equitable and that the snowsports industry has not been inclusive enough.

In order to keep our welcoming vibe alive, we know we must continually work to break down barriers to bring more understanding, diversity, and opportunities to a space that has historically lacked it. We also recognize that inaction and ignorance threaten to make "The Legend" into something we never wanted it to be—frozen in old habits that fail to benefit a broader range of people.

As one of the oldest ski areas in the business, we want to do better and believe A-Basin has a leadership role to play. We are taking steps to be more intentional in how we present skiing and riding, who we partner with, and how we listen, learn, speak, and act. Please read on for details and know that this is just a start. We are committed to a long-term cultural shift, and will keep searching for opportunities to do the right thing.

We want skiing and riding to become more diverse, more representative, and more vibrant for all of us. Whatever you look like, and however you identify and move through the world, you belong here.

 

OUR ORIGINAL 2021 DEI AUDIT

pride weekend

OUR ORIGINAL DEI AUDIT

DIVERSITY

Collect additional and more consistent demographic data on employees and guests; explore recruitment of targeted candidate groups (ex. women and BIPOC); develop community partnerships with organizations working to bring underrepresented populations into snowsports.

EQUITY

Develop mentorship and affinity group opportunities to support underrepresented employees; incorporate DEI into performance incentives and reviews.

INCLUSION

Provide foundational DEI training for employees that is both universal and department-relevant; expand marketing to create content that authentically highlights and represents a more diverse audience, without tokenization.

OUR ORIGINAL DEI AUDIT

Specific Projects & Partners

Background checks are narrowly tailored for specific positions only where necessary (for example, jobs working with children are still background checked). In addition, rigid minimum education requirements are no longer automatic if they are not necessary.

Staff are required to complete foundational diversity, equity, and inclusion awareness training, with additional training resources available on a voluntary basis. A-Basin snowsports instructors also participate in additional microaggression and “bystander intervention” training before the ski and snowboard lesson season starts.

We conduct anonymous staff surveys to collect honest feedback about the A-Basin work environment and how it can be improved. Results are shared across the company and staff are encouraged to keep this conversation going. These surveys continue to be done on a recurring basis.

A-Basin has partnered with Silverthorne Elementary and SOS Outreach to bring 5th graders up to the Basin for 3 free ski/snowboard lessons. During the 21-22 season, the program expanded to include 4th graders. The school provides transportation and we provide lift tickets, rental equipment, and lessons for free. As we work to deepen our community ties, we will strive to continue this relationship indefinitely.

We are committed to finding local and national partners to expand access to the outdoors for all. We invite all groups to join us in playing outside, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and veteran status.

We are staying committed to our existing and ongoing philanthropic work, including our support of organizations that know best how to support our local community, such as Family Intercultural and Resource Center, Summit Foundation, and others.

We began a partnership in 2022 with CareerWise Colorado and took on our first apprentice. CareerWise offers students a chance to engage in a paid, multi-year apprenticeship designed by businesses and offered in partnership with schools.

We launched an employee resource group (ERG) for our women and women-identifying staff (open to all) in 2022. We also offer an avenue for employees to propose and seek support for starting other ERGs. Additionally, we created an opportunity for employees to seek A-Basin support, including financial resources and schedule adjustments, to join outdoor recreation groups (like Latino Outdoors, Outdoor Afro, and others). We also created an internal DEI subcommittee that meets regularly and is comprised of representatives from multiple departments and levels of the organization, including ski school, marketing, mountain operations, human resources, and our Chief Operating Officer. The group updates all staff and is developing a schedule of regular feedback meetings open to all current employees.