CLIMATE

Taking action to combat the climate crisis and its impacts

Climate change is linked to a business like ours that relies on snowfall.

To do our part, we are committed to REDUCE our carbon emissions in line with a science-based target and ADVOCATE for system-level change.

Because winter makes us happy.

Science Based Targets

In 2021, we set ambitious carbon targets, covering all of our operations and our entire supply chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3). In 2025, we committed to aligning these goals with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a corporate climate action organization that enables companies worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis by setting targets in line with what is needed to keep global heating below catastrophic levels. In 2026, the SBTi has validated Burton’s near and long-term emissions reduction and net-zero targets.

Near-term

Burton commits to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 55.4% by FY2030 from a FY2020 base year. Burton also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 40% within the same timeframe.

Long-term

Burton commits to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 90% by FY2040 from a FY2020 base year. Burton also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 90% within the same timeframe.

Net-zero

Burton commits to achieve net-zero GHG emission across the value chain by 2040.

Tracking Our Progress

The only way to ensure that we’re reducing our carbon impact is by measuring our annual emissions. Since 2017, we’ve measured all emissions produced by our owned and leased facilities, including Burton headquarters and flagship retail locations (or Scope 1 & 2 emissions), and reported on our reduction efforts annually. And our hardgoods engineers have used life cycle analysis to estimate the carbon footprint of our hardgoods products.

But, to get the entire picture, we need to measure emissions associated with everything else, or Scope 3 emissions. The majority of our emissions come from manufacturing and transporting our products. That includes raw material inputs, production processes, and shipping gear to our stores and you. In 2021, we completed a comprehensive measurement of our carbon footprint and supply chain emissions. This analysis was validated by second-party GHG accounting experts and serves as the baseline for our long-term carbon reduction targets.

Reduction

To make progress on our ambitious climate targets, our decarbonization strategy focuses investment and initiatives on our top emissive categories across Scope 1,2, and 3. Burton’s decarbonization strategy is structured around several pillars: Production, Product, Shipping, and Operations & Facilities. Learn more about our plan to decarbonize our business in our Climate Transition Plan.

View Climate Transition Plan

Photo collage of board production and softgoods product development

Advocate to Change the System

As much as we care, our impact as an individual company alone can’t solve the climate crisis. We need to enlist the help of our greater community to make a meaningful difference. We encourage personal action, and we have and will continue to lead by example. In 2019, Burton joined the global climate strike and shut down our business for a day to raise our voices in support of climate action.Burton partners with science-based organizations to endorse climate action policy on all levels of government. Our advocacy partners include Protect Our Winters and the Climate Justice Alliance, and we collaborate with other brands through the Outdoor Industry Association Climate Action Corps the European Outdoor Group, the Winter Sports Network, Snowsports Industries America, and Cascale to share best practices and to make climate commitments in solidarity. While Burton was founded in small-town Vermont, our reach today extends far beyond the Green Mountains. Our team has to think and act like global citizens. But we can't do it alone.