ACTIVITY REPORT 2020 Exploring new horizons www.petzl-foundation.org Our mission CONTENTS Making a positive contribution Exploring new horizons to society Whether climbing a distant summit or exploring the depths below, our desire p. 4-5 The global pandemic and the climate crisis have made to access the inaccessible inspires an enduring passion to fulfill our dreams. Petzl employees volunteers each of us question the way we live and how the products we consume are produced. Driven by their customers and The mission of the Petzl Foundation is to support or initiate projects that serve p. 6-7 employees, a growing number of companies are integrating the public interest. These projects shall seek a harmonious balance between The Petzl Foundation and Corporate Social social and environmental concerns into the conduct of their human activities in the mountains and the vertical world relative to their impact Responsibility business activities. on our natural, cultural and economic environments. p. 8-9 In a global market that is still dominated by competition and Accident prevention The Petzl Foundation: the perpetual race for economic growth, there would seem Mountain medicine training in the Andes - Encourages education in risk management techniques designed to be little place for a viable company that aims to reduce to prevent accidents Work-at-height training for Bolivian mountain guides its impact on people and the environment. - Promotes the conservation of ecosystems which have difficult Improving safety in climbing federations Since 2020, our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or vertical access Rockfall in the Goûter Couloir: new knowledge department has expanded its scope with four commitments - Supports discovery of our vertical world and the acquisition to better prepare for an ascent of Mont Blanc that have been designed to make a concrete contribution of new knowledge. p. 10 to society (see pages 6 and 7). To define priorities for Conservation of difficult access ecosystems action, more than two thousand of the company’s For the last forty years, Petzl has designed vertical access equipment for stakeholders - employees, suppliers, customers, recreational and professional use, providing technical solutions to help men and Sky Islands: vertical science in Mozambique shareholders - were consulted in July 2020. women in achieving their goals with maximum performance and freedom. Protecting nature with help from industry The Petzl Foundation has a role in this CSR strategy, which Petzl’s corporate philanthropy has a long history. In 2006 these efforts were p. 11 is totally in line with our mission to support general interest greatly enhanced by the creation of the Petzl Foundation. Paul Petzl, our Discovery of our vertical world projects that address the major challenges facing society president and founder, wanted to give back to the communities that have Urban youngsters in the treetops in terms of the environment, social inequalities, and risk enabled the company to grow and prosper, and also to forge stronger An alpine refuge exhibition at the museum prevention. In 2022, we plan to extend our philanthropic relationships with Petzl employees. A mountain job program activities to not-for-profit organizations involved in low- Rebuilding the Red Tower bivouac at Le Grépon, The Petzl Foundation supports non-profit organizations through financial and carbon projects including greener transport, reforestation, Mont-Blanc equipment grants, as well as consultation and training. agroforestry, and recycling. p. 12-13 At the Petzl Foundation, we want to make a real and Trustees measurable contribution to society. To achieve this, we Key figures know that we can count on the strong partnerships we have built over the years with those among you who have p. 14-15 done precious work in the areas that matter to us all. Projects in progress in 2021 Civil sea rescue at Europe’s borders © ITRA New canyoning handbook for UIAA members Olivier Moret Used cell phones become guardians of the rainforest Executive Director © En Quête d’arbres © Sarah Del Ben / Fondation UGA © Sarah Del Ben / Fondation Authors Stéphane Lozac’hmeur Olivier Moret Accident prevention Conservation of the environment Discovery of our vertical world Translation Stéphane Lozac’hmeur, in cooperation with Polly Brown Proofreader Roody Rasmussen Cover photo © Marc Daviet / marcdaviet.com Cover photo: Layout Association 82-4000: sharing Stéphane Lozac’hmeur moutains with everyone © Marc Daviet – 2 – Exploring new horizons Activity report 2020 – 3 – Petzl employees volunteer For the fourth consecutive year, the Petzl Group offered its employees the opportunity to do volunteer work on public A SKATEPARK FOR LIFE interest projects. They received support from the Petzl Foundation. A selection committee made up of Petzl employees, In 2004, the Glenn Hart Memorial who had been involved in projects in 2019, chose projects for 2020. To qualify for selection, the projects had to fulfill Skatepark was built in Prescott a mission of public interest and be led by a non-profit organization. In 2020, the employees actively volunteered in the Park in the town of Meredith, New projects selected by the committee. Employees from the Petzl America subsidiary proposed three additional projects. Hampshire, USA. After 15 years of serving thousands of young people of the Lakes Region, the skatepark was A COMMUNITY BIKE REPAIR falling into disrepair. It was closed to the WORKSHOP public and was demolished because it The “Sors ton vélo” association was had become a safety hazard. created in 2020 to encourage the use In 2017, Glenn’s son Brendan Hart of bicycles and to promote reuse, repair spearheaded a fundraising to construct and recycling. Based near Petzl HQ in a high quality and sustainable concrete Crolles, France, the association set up a park in the same location with permanent community workshop where local people materials that will serve area youth for can learn how to maintain and repair their many years to come. The Petzl Foundation bikes inexpensively. Recycled bicycles and partially funded the construction of this parts are also sold at the workshop on a new skatepark, which opened to the non-profit basis. public in October 2020. Skatepark © Hart Family Funding from the Petzl Foundation Project sponsor: Brendan Hart, Project partners Sors ton vélo, Cordée-Cordage, Roller Club de Villard-Bonnot, Hart Family enabled the association to refurbish the Assistant Community Manager at Memorial Skatepark, Joe’s Valley Festival, Catholic Community Services of Utah, Salt Lake workshop premises and purchase bike Petzl HQ in France Climbers Alliance | Country France, United States | Total budget €10,500 and equipment donation repair tools. Sponsor and co-founder of the project: Olivier Girerd, Metal Parts Buyer NEW PETZL AMERICA EMPLOYEE GRANT PROJECT: 3 PROJECTS SELECTED In 2020, three projects were selected for funding for the Petzl America employee grant project. This grant program supports the employees who are donating their time and expertise to help make their communities a better place to live. © Mairie de Crolles Sam Heim, Media and Communications Specialist, CLIMBING IN URBAN DISTRICTS ROLLER HOCKEY TRAINING nominated Joe’s Valley Festival. FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Scheduled each year in September in rural Utah, this climbing community The “Cordée-Cordage” association bring together «Climbers and Cowboys» to celebrate the incredible bouldering offers outdoor experiences at sea or Roller hockey, invented by ice hockey in Joe’s Valley and the rich cowboy heritage of southern Utah. Sam has been in the mountains to people who have players who could not access ice rinks volunteering with the Festival, as a sponsorship coordinator. limited means and resources. The Petzl in the summer months, has become Foundation donated climbing equip- much more popular in recent years. The Arthur Debowski, Demand Planner - Supply Chain, ment for these activities, as well as for Roller Club in Villard-Bonnot, France, nominated Catholic Community Services of Utah. a parent-child climbing club which was which has existed for 20 years, orga- This organization assists multiple vulnerable populations, including refugee, set up with the help of the French Alpine nizes competition training for players homeless, and impoverished individuals and families in Utah. Arthur’s personal Club in Brittany, France. Urban zip lines, as young as five years old. involvement with CCS has been volunteering at the homeless shelter and financial slacklines and tree-climbing workshops In 2020, the club set up a training pro- contributions. are just a few of the activities planned gram designed to upgrade team sport for the future. skills for young people aged 9 to 20. In October 2020, a climbing wall was In 2020, the «Entente Sportive des 3 installed by the association on the Massifs» roller hockey club was also © Charlie Kessner / Joe’s Valley Festival facade of a building destined for demo- created to organize interclub competi- lition in an impoverished district of Hen- tions. They run a program of in-person Keith Luscinski, Petzl Technical Institute Manager nebont, France. High up above street and remote training sessions and have nominated the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA). level, local children and their parents successfully adapted their offer to the Keith has been involved with the SLCA for six years in saw their neighborhood from a totally current situation. The Petzl Foundation varying capacities: volunteering to replace