FIS Appoints Sustainability Director

25th May 2023

The International Ski & Snowboard Federation says that sustainability is central to the federation’s mission. The new director is Susanna Sieff. NEW

“Climate change isn’t just an inconvenience. It is an existential threat to our sport, which is why we feel a solemn responsibility to protect the climate on which our sports depend,” said the Federation.

FIS has signed up for the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and is the first Climate Positive sports federation.

Susanna Sieff is an environmental sociologist with over twenty years’ experience in the field. Since 2001 she has been working on aspects of environmental and social sustainability for the organising committees of major sports events.

She began her work for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Val di Fiemme 2003, the first sports event in the world with an environmental certification (ISO 14001).

Sieff continued with:

The Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Torino 2006,
The Doha Asian Games 2006,
Ihe FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Val di Fiemme 2013,
Winter Universiade Trentino 2013
Expo Milano 2015.

From 2018 to 2021 Sieff was Director of Sustainability for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Cortina 2021,

Then she became Head of Sustainability of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, the organizing committee for the next Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

“We are delighted to be welcoming Susanna on to the team, though she is already well known in the snow sports community,” said the President of FIS, Johan Eliasch .

“Since I became President of FIS I have made clear that sustainability is a core part of our mission.

“It is my passion to prove that we can have a dynamic, exciting calendar while at the same time taking meaningful action on climate protection.

“Susanna will help to turn our ambitions into action, bringing her extensive experience to bear across the calendar of FIS events,” concluded Eliasch.

“I am so happy to be joining the FIS family,” said Susanna Sieff .

“Having worked in the organizing committees of so many winter sports events, trying to make them more sustainable both environmentally and socially, this role is an exciting opportunity to use all I have learned.”