Sustainability

As part of a pilot project with the federal office for spatial planning and development (ARE), for environment (BAFU) and for sport (BASPO), the Swatch Beach Pro Gstaad set up the first sustainability report according to the GRI-EOSS-guidelines. GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) are guidelines for a comprehensive sustainability reporting in consideration of economical, ecological and social factors. The EOSS- guidelines (Event Organizers Sector Supplement) were published in January 2012 and serve as a guide for reporting about sustainability in the event market.

Year after year we distribute a big amount of clothes to our volunteers. We do that with pleasure. But we are also part of the "fast fashion" movement. We want to interrupt this movement in the fight against the climate crisis with our clothing carousel. Because the climate impact of textiles is devastating.
 

For the 2023 edition of the tournament, a first attempt will be made to actively reuse clothing. The rain jacket must be returned by volunteers after the tournament and will be refurbished and reused for next year. The hoodie and t-shirt may be kept by each as in previous years or both may be returned. The hoodies will be prepared for use again in 2024 and the t-shirts will be passed on.
 

Thus, the Beach Volleyball Swatch Beach Pro Gstaad not only provides a highlight in Gstaad, but also in Zambia, Africa. In Mpanshya, Zambia, the inhabitants can be happy about clothes from Gstaad.

Our former helper Gabi Thoenen organizes a transport of clothes to Mpanshya every two years. During her stays she often meets people wearing "our" beach clothes. Here you can learn more about the project in Mpanshya.
 

All volunteers who take the clothes home with them should then take them back and wear them again in 2024 when they are deployed again. The material have been made of recycled polyester or organic cotton.

Our local gastro partners, who are using especially products from the region, are taking care of the stands in the village, as well as at the promenade. The VIP-Catering take place in the. Moreover, at least one vegetarian menu is offered.

A public event is producing large amounts of garbage, so we set ourself a goal to minimize the amount of garbage as well as to ensure recycling and the separation of trash. Following actions are taken on site:
 

We support the use of public transportation (cooperation with BLS).

For the trip to the Swatch Beach Pro Gstaad, you benefit from a 30% discount on the public transport ticket.
 

For the transportation between the Center Court and the Side Courts is an available Saanen Bank train. For our VIP guest, we provide a free shuttle transportation between the VIP Parking at Rütti School and the Center Court. 
 

Available parking spaces for bikes; lot of local visitors arrive by bike.
 

The accommodations for players/employees/volunteers etc. are close to the event (Gstaad, Saanen, Schönried).
 

For parking spaces, there is a parking fee of CHF 10.00/ day.

We use the 100% certified green electricity from BKW and all tournament facilities are connected to the power supply.  

During the entire event, our security personnel will be on site around the clock. Security is guaranteed by the traffic service, police, ambulance and security services. Each party has a security concept, which has been planned and coordinated jointly by all parties. This regulates the procedure in case of storms, fire, injured persons, collapse of the grandstand as well as riots, chaos and terror.

There is a multifunctional use of the venue in cooperation with Grand Chelem Management S.A., the organiser of the tennis tournament (stadium/tribunes, tents, construction). With the cooperation, the facility doesn’t need to be built for just one event and synergies can be used.  

In order to provide continuity at our beach volleyball courts, we take care of the reutilization of the tournament sand after the event. The sand of the center court is being stored at the side courts of the Sportzentrum Gstaad AG. This procedure is much cheaper than buying new sand every year and the impacts on the environment are held low, for example no transportation is needed, which again causes CO2 emissions.

Around 28,000 people will be visiting the Beach Village and the Gstaad Promenade, including side events, during the five days of the tournament. Many players benefit from this: the hotel industry as well as local shops, mountain railways, restaurants and many more.

For the beach printed papers we use paper with the label FSC Mix. Apart from FSC-certified raw materials, non certified material of controlled sources is being processed in the production. Wood of illegal sources, overexploitation or without proof of origin is excluded. For results or schedules during the tournament we use recycling paper with 100% recycled paper content.