Measures Embedded at All Companies

Few people sitting on a mountain restaurant terrace on a sunny ski day spend much time thinking about carbon footprints. Amid the buzz of skiers’ voices and the view over snow-covered peaks, the meal itself takes centre stage. Yet attitudes are starting to shift. With its “Klimalieblinge” (climate favourites) range, the Andermatt+Sedrun+Disentis ski area is putting more climate-friendly dishes on the menu. They were developed by Food & Beverage Manager Claudius Senf and his team. The dishes prove that sustainable eating works at 2,000 metres – and, above all, that it tastes good. 

 

The idea behind them is simple: dishes that do without meat or deliberately use plant-based ingredients come with a much smaller carbon footprint. At the same time, they have to be every bit as tempting as the classic mountain-hut favourites. “Many Alpine dishes are already traditionally meat-free. But what we see in the numbers is that the classics – chicken nuggets, bratwurst, schnitzel – are still what visitors reach for most.” 

 

From idea to plate
A “Klimaliebling” doesn’t come out of a planning document. It comes out of the kitchen. Alongside questions such as “What suits the region?”, the key consideration was to make the dishes work during busy times. Claudius Senf and his team have deliberately based their creations on Alpine roots. “Our approach was to develop the classics in a contemporary way instead of completely reinventing them. One example of this is the Uri Ryys and Poor with a modern twist. Seasonality ties the whole thing together, with pumpkin in winter and radishes in summer.”

 

Between tradition and change
The biggest challenge lies not in the preparation, but in the expectations of visitors. Especially in ski resorts, many people like to enjoy savoury, traditional dishes. “We don’t want to dictate to our visitors or give them a guilty conscience, but rather offer an additional attractive choice with the “Klimalieblinge” range. The dishes stand for enjoyment, quality and regionality. Sustainability is an additional bonus,” says Claudius Senf. 

 

To nudge guests in this direction, the ski area has added fun incentives. Order a “Klimaliebling” and you collect digital stamps – and get rewarded for it. It’s an easy way in to trying something new. “We are seeing a steady increase in demand,” says Claudius Senf. “Both the dishes and the stamp card are catching on.” 

 

Small decision, big impact
What might look like a minor tweak to the menu has wider implications than initially appear. In a ski resort with thousands of visitors per day, the effects add up. Every time someone picks a plant-based dish, the CO₂ footprint shrinks – without enjoyment having to be sacrificed. 

 

For Claudius Senf, the takeaway is clear: gastronomy has a real part to play in sustainable tourism. “With the ‘Klimalieblinge’ we’re giving our guests something that’s well priced and lets them make a conscious choice without compromising on the food. In the long term, we can see sustainability becoming a mark of quality in its own right.” 

 

So the “Klimalieblinge” are more than just a dish on the menu. They stand for a more conscious use of resources, for new culinary ideas and for the conviction that change often begins where you least expect it: on a plate, in the middle of a ski area. 

Leaving working life behind doesn’t have to mean drawing a clean line under it. Doris Leach knew from the outset that she wanted to stay active after retirement – both on the sporting side and professionally. She had previously spent nearly five years in HR at Andermatt Swiss Alps, and these days, through the summer season, she’s part of the team at the golf reception. 

 

“I worked my entire life, mostly full-time. Simply stopping altogether wasn’t an option for me.” So moving into retirement wasn’t a sharp break; it was a deliberate shift into a new way of working. Fewer hours, more flexibility – but still integrated into an environment she knew and liked. Staying in HR, though, was never an option. “Living in Andermatt and working in Altdorf meant catching an early train every morning and not getting home until the evening. I didn’t want that anymore. It just didn’t suit me any longer.” 

 

Finding a new role 

Instead, she found another way. After a short stint at Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG, the chance came along to join the golf reception. Easily and almost by chance. It suited Doris perfectly – she had taken up golf herself. “I have turned my hobby into my work to an extent. It’s great.” 

 

She has been welcoming visitors, answering questions and ensuring that everything runs smoothly for over four years. The work is different from what she used to do in HR, but a lot of it still feels familiar. Her experience of the company is a clear advantage. “I know the structures, I know how a lot of things work, and I know who to ask. That helps me a lot in everyday life.” 

 

Staying connected 

Carrying on working means more to her than just the job. It’s also a sign of how attached she is to the company – and to a journey she has been part of for years. “I’m proud that I’m still part of it.” Age doesn’t play a role in the team either. “I feel just as young as the others. For me, we are simply a great team.” 

 

Flexibility is a win for both sides 

The way her hours are arranged is another part of what makes it work. Doris Leach works two days a week, keeps things flexible on purpose, and steps in when the team needs her. “If I’m needed, I’m there. That goes without saying for me.” 

 

She knows how special this arrangement is. Which is why she values the company’s flexibility all the more. “It’s not like this everywhere – being able to carry on working after retirement. It’s a real gain for me, and I think the company also benefits from my experience.” Especially in a region with many seasonal jobs, skilled employees are a valuable asset. They bring knowledge, reliability and an understanding of how things work. This expertise is very valuable for both sides. 

 

Looking ahead 

For Doris, her current role is also a sign of esteem. “Just the fact that I can continue to work here means a lot to me.” Looking to the future, her attitude remains pragmatic. She would like to decide from year to year how long and to what extent she wants to continue working. Always with the aim of making a genuine contribution. “It matters to me that I’m adding something, not just turning up.” 

 

Her story shows that work after retirement can matter too – as something meaningful alongside everyday life, and as a way of staying part of something bigger. “You really should think through how much you want to work and what suits you. And then have the courage to get on with it.” 

Anyone who’s out first thing in the morning, carving the first tracks in the snow, can feel it straight away: the piste is grippy, even and reliable. Perfect conditions in the Andermatt+Sedrun+Disentis ski area aren’t down to luck. They’re the product of careful planning, modern technology and a lot of experience. 

 

At the same time, winters are changing. Natural snowfall is becoming more unpredictable, and the time windows for snowmaking shorter. And visitors’ expectations have gone up too. “The demands on piste quality are much higher today than they used to be,” says Dani Meyer, Technical Manager at the Piste Rescue Service. “We have to deliver solid conditions from the first day of the season all the way into spring.” 

 

Technical snow is central to this, but with clear limits. “We only make as much snow as is really needed,” emphasises Dani Meyer. “The rest comes from nature.” This is particularly evident in winters with little snow: “Early-season skiing just wouldn’t be possible without snowmaking.” 

 

The SnowSat system shows how precise this work is today. It measures snow depth across the pistes by GPS, to the centimetre and in real time. “We used to go largely on feel. Now we know exactly where the snow is and how much of it there is.” 

 

This data enables the precise deployment of resources. Snow is only produced and moved where it is really needed. “We first cover a large part and then optimise it in a targeted manner. In this way, we avoid any unnecessary use of water and energy.” 

 

The conditions for snowmaking are also clearly defined. Temperature and humidity determine when production can take place efficiently. “The colder and drier it is, the better,” explains Dani Meyer. Modern systems adapt automatically and work much more efficiently than before. 

 

The water for snowmaking comes from natural sources. After the snow melts, it flows back into the natural cycle. “We aren’t taking water away from nature for good – we’re just borrowing it for a time.” 

 

Despite all the technology, climate change remains a challenge. “Winters are becoming more demanding, planning more complex.” One thing is clear: technical snow cannot replace natural winter, but it helps to ensure the utilisation of existing infrastructure. 

 

Today’s perfect pistes aren’t made by throwing volume at the problem. They’re made with precision using data, experience and informed decisions. Or, as Dani Meyer puts it: “The trick is to know exactly when to act and when to leave things alone.” 

We support the Wald und Klima Ursern association in reforesting our valley. The goal is to plant 58 hectares of forest.

 

Looking down into the Ursern Valley is breathtaking: steep, rocky slopes and scattered protective forests shape the landscape. In prehistoric times, the valley was fully forested, but by the 11th century much of the woodland had been cleared. Today, the Wald und Klima Ursern association, together with supporters and sponsors, is committed to reforestation efforts.

 

The association has set itself the goal of reforesting 58 hectares of woodland. At around 1,500 metres above sea level, conditions are challenging: summers are short and cool, and young trees require intensive care. Pascal Heiniger, forester at Wald und Klima, explains what it takes for the seedlings to thrive: “We use sickles to remove the faster-growing plants from around the small trees so that they can get enough sun. We also have to protect them from wild animals, as they just love the succulent fir shoots. None of this would be possible without the help of our volunteers.”

 

As a partner, the Andermatt Swiss Alps Group primarily finances spruce and larch seedlings planted in the Riedboden area near Hospental. In the long term, the forest can store 300 to 350 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare. Reaching this level will take 50 to 100 years. Nevertheless, the project marks an important beginning.

The Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG mountain restaurants are leading by example, setting new standards and approaches for the entire destination.

 

“We can only reduce food waste if we know what we are throwing away,” explains Angelika Wallimann, Manager at the NätschenArena mountain restaurant. For three weeks during the peak season, she systematically records every single amount of discarded food, no matter how small. She then reviews and analyses the results.

 

Together with Claudius Senf, Food and Beverage Manager at Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG, the team defines targeted measures. As a significant number of leftovers come from the young ski school guests, the children receive smaller portions. In addition, the ski school buffet will only be refilled once it is completely empty. This helps to avoid preparing excessive amounts of food. Leftover bread is also reused and processed into breadcrumbs or croutons.

 

Regular Measurements

The results of recent years show that these measures are effective. Overall, only small quantities of food are discarded in the different mountain restaurants of Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement, and processes continue to be further optimised.

 

In the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun, cable cars and lifts operate in a delicate balance between speed and low energy consumption. For energy engineer Enrico Feurer, specialised in reducing power use on cableways, optimisation is more than technical work, it is almost an art.

 

During the ski season 2024/25, Enrico Feurer has been analysing and measuring the drive motors of the Andermatt and Sedrun ski lifts. His goal: to determine the optimal operating speed for each lift.

 

The trick is to identify the motor’s resonance point. As soon as a cable begins to move, it vibrates, producing the familiar humming sound heard in lift stations. At certain speeds, these vibrations intensify significantly, a phenomenon known as resonance.

When a system operates at resonance, it requires noticeably more power. To minimise energy consumption, a cableway should therefore run slightly above or below these critical speeds, where vibrations and thus energy demand are reduced.

 

Enrico Feuerer uses specialised equipment to test for the resonance point. Not all expertise depends on instruments though. Feurer recalls working with an experienced technician who could hear the exact moment a cableway reached resonance. “I checked and he was always right,” he recounts clearly impressed.

 

The cableways in Andermatt and Sedrun now run at the optimum operating speed whenever possible, which, as the latest analysis shows, saves a great deal of electricity.

 

Over the past 20 years, Andermatt has undergone a remarkable transformation from a declining mountain village to an international destination, with new hotels and new opportunities for the local population.

 

After the military withdrew, Andermatt lost many jobs. Numerous young people from Andermatt left the valley. It was only with the development of the destination and the construction of apartment buildings and hotels that life returned to Andermatt.

 

For the first time since the downsizing of the army, the population began to grow again, and with it the demand for trades and services.

 

Max Simmen founded the Dorfschreinerei (the village carpenter) in 1998. What began as a two-man operation developed into a company employing up to 17 people during the high season. Today, the business also trains apprentices.

 

“We have always trained apprentices. Usually we had about two to three at a time. I’m proud that I was able to train so many apprentices. Many of them still work in the company today, and some even returned after spending time with other businesses.”

 

After 26 years, Max Simmen handed over the Dorfschreinerei to his successor and retired.

 

“The current owner of the carpentry business, Riccardo Russi, also completed his apprenticeship with me. After he finished his studies at the Wood Technology Institute, I asked him to return to Andermatt. I think that’s very valuable. Riccardo has his family and his life here. Developments like this bring life back to the valley.”

 

As Andermatt has become increasingly attractive as a tourism destination, it also requires the appropriate offerings. Guests who come here want to experience something.

 

Raphael Arnold may not be from Andermatt originally, but as someone from Flüelen he spent a large part of his youth in these mountains. After training as a chef, he set out to explore the world, discovering different regions and gaining valuable experience.

 

For example, he managed a shipyard in Mozambique for seven years and, as a tour operator, created unique experiences for tourists.

 

In 2023, he returned to Switzerland with his wife and children to pursue his passion for nature, culture and events. Through his company Peak Experience, he offers guests tailor-made experiences for groups and individual travellers, as well as events and team-building activities for companies.

 

“Building my business to this scale would probably have been difficult without the destination development by Andermatt Swiss Alps. The potential was already there before, but I would most likely have reached mainly individual travellers and hardly any groups.

 

With the development of Andermatt, we now have the infrastructure required to accommodate larger groups. There are also event locations such as the concert hall in Andermatt Reuss, where we can organize events for groups of 100 to 300 people.”

 

However, the positive development is not only reflected in the number of guests and jobs; the municipality is also benefiting from the upswing.

 

Peter Baumann, the mayor of Andermatt, explains why the development in Andermatt is important not only for the village but for the entire region and the canton: “In the past, we were a recipient municipality and received fiscal equalization payments from the lowland regions. Today, we are the largest contributing municipality. This year, we will contribute around 1.5 million Swiss francs to the cantonal fiscal equalization scheme. I believe this also demonstrates the value creation for the entire canton of Uri, and I think it is right that we can support the smaller municipalities in this way.”

Perfect greens and biodiversity are not a contradiction in Andermatt. With 40% conservation areas, the Andermatt Golf Course exceeds the legal requirements for golf courses.

 

Biodiversity forms the foundation of our lives. A high diversity of animals and plants ensures a stable ecosystem, secures our food supply, and contributes to clean drinking water and good air quality. That is why the Andermatt Golf Course is committed to actively promoting biodiversity.

 

At first glance, a golf course may not seem like a place for untouched nature or valuable wildlife habitats. However, when properly designed and maintained, golf courses can make an important contribution. In Switzerland, they are subject to the so-called “one-third rule”: one third is used for golf, one third consists of managed conservation areas with targeted interventions, and one third remains untouched as a natural reserve.

 

The Andermatt Golf Course exceeds this requirement: a total of 40% is designated as conservation area. To assess the impact of golf operations and the effectiveness of the measures implemented to support biodiversity, regular monitoring is carried out. The results are encouraging, as environmental expert and head of the specialist committee, Beat Hodel, explains: “It was already known that rare species occur on the golf course, in particular the rigid rush and two species of sundew (native carnivorous plants). The expert noted that the flora on the Andermatt Golf Course is of exceptional rarity and beauty. In conclusion, the monitoring results were better than expected.”

 

Rare bird species also find a habitat here. Studies by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach show that the birds are not disturbed by golf players. On the contrary, the population of the endangered whinchat has even increased on the course.

 

Biodiversity is not only promoted in the conservation areas but also within the operational areas themselves. For example, the highly endangered Alpine long-eared bat, a rare species, has settled in the golf course’s maintenance building. In winter 2025/26, the attic was specifically adapted to meet the needs of the bats.