Protect Our Winters Switzerland

What Protect Our Winters Switzerland does

Protect Our Winters Switzerland (Verein Protect Our Winters Schweiz) is a non-profit association organized under Swiss law and founded in 2017 as the Swiss chapter of the global Protect Our Winters movement, which was initiated by American snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007. The organization mobilizes the Swiss outdoor and winter sports community — including skiers, snowboarders, climbers, mountaineers, trail runners, guides, and elite athletes — to advocate for climate policies that protect Switzerland's mountain environments, glaciers, and snow cover. Its core service lines are political advocacy, large-scale campaigns (such as '1400 Reasons to Act' and the 'Keep Swiss Glaciers Cool' petition), and societal transformation initiatives, delivered through five interlocking alliance networks (Athlete, Brand, Creative, Guide, Science) and a dispersed content ecosystem spanning a website, blog, YouTube/POW Cinema channel, Instagram, Facebook, Strava, and a newsletter.

The association is governed by a steering committee (comité) and led by Managing Director Nicholas Bornstein, supported by a small office team of roughly 12 people based in Zurich (Zeughausstrasse 31, CH-8004 Zürich). It generates revenue through a diversified non-profit model: partner contributions from Brand Alliance members (Mammut, Odlo, On, Bergzeit, and others), individual donations processed via Alternative Bank Schweiz, membership fees from over 1,000 members, grants and subsidies, and branded merchandise. In fiscal year 2025, POW Switzerland recorded CHF 466,491 in receipts against a net loss of CHF 18,350, with staff salaries as the primary expense. Technologically, the organization runs on commodity web and digital marketing tooling (Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, YouTube, newsletter platform, e-commerce shop) with no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability. Its actual asset is the coalition itself — the brand trust, athlete ambassadors, scientific credibility, and partner amplification that allow a 12-person team to secure regular national media coverage (SRF, NZZ, Blick, 20 Minuten, RTS) and influence Swiss federal climate policy.

Name

Protect Our Winters Switzerland

Legal name

Verein Protect Our Winters Schweiz

Website

https://protectourwinters.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Protect Our Winters Switzerland is a Zurich-based non-profit association, part of the global POW movement, that mobilizes the Swiss outdoor and winter sports community — athletes, brands, scientists, guides, and 1,000+ members — to advocate for climate policies protecting the Alps and glaciers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Advocacy Nonprofit

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Climate advocacy
• Environmental nonprofit
• Winter sports protection
• Outdoor community mobilization
• Glacier conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Zurich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Partner Contributions: Revenue from partner brands in the outdoor industry who support POW's mission through the Brand Alliance and other partnerships.
2. Donations: Individual donations from supporters, processed through the Alternative Bank Schweiz.
3. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individual members; POW Switzerland has over 1,000 members.
4. Grants and Subsidies: Government or foundation grants supporting climate advocacy work.
5. Merchandising: Revenue from the POW shop selling branded merchandise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Protect Our Winters Switzerland is a non-profit association that mobilizes the Swiss outdoor community to advocate for climate protection policies. It unites athletes, outdoor brands, scientists, creatives, and mountain guides under five alliance networks, runs political campaigns such as the '1400 Reasons to Act' and 'Keep Swiss Glaciers Cool' petition, and provides membership, donation, and merchandise programs to fund its climate advocacy work.

Product overview

Protect Our Winters Switzerland is a non-profit organization organized as an association under Swiss law, part of the global POW network. The organization does not offer a traditional product portfolio but provides a suite of climate protection services and programs including political advocacy, campaign management, transformation initiatives, and various alliance programs (Athlete, Brand, Creative, Guide, Science). Additional offerings include the POW Cinema video platform, the POW7 climate tips program, newsletter subscriptions, membership programs, volunteer opportunities, and annual report publications. The organization mobilizes the outdoor community through multiple engagement channels to drive climate action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mitgliedschaft (Membership Program)
• POW Shop (Merchandise)
• POW Cinema (Video Content Platform)

Quantifiable outcome

• Submitted nearly 7,000 signatures to the Federal Chancellery via the 'Keep Swiss Glaciers Cool' petition in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global POW Network (protectourwinters.org)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017POW Switzerland is part of the global Protect Our Winters network initiated by American snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007. The global network is represented in nine European countries as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, with over 200 ambassadors worldwide.
• Brand Alliance Partners (Mammut, Odlo, On, Bergzeit, others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOW's Brand Alliance comprises outdoor industry companies that support POW's climate mission. Partners include Mammut, Odlo, On, and Bergzeit. These brands co-market climate campaigns, participate in the Swiss Outdoor Industry Coalition, and provide financial or in-kind support. Examples: Bergzeit supported POW for a sustainable future (2024); Odlo partnered to strengthen climate crisis awareness (2025); Mammut received a sustainability award in connection with its POW collaboration (2021).
• Athlete Alliance (Daniel Yule, Michelle Gisin, Marianne Fatton, Liam Rivera, Katherine Choong, and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite winter sports athletes who serve as ambassadors for POW's climate message. Notable ambassadors include skier Daniel Yule, alpine skier Michelle Gisin, Olympic ski-alpinism champion Marianne Fatton, Freeride World Champion Liam Rivera, climber Katherine Choong, and glaciologist Matthias Huss (Science Alliance).
• Swiss Outdoor Industry CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA coalition of Swiss outdoor brands (including Mammut, On, and others) launched with POW support to advocate for climate policy. Featured in NZZ am Sonntag (April 2023) as the brands became climate activists.
• Fairplay (Austrian fair sports organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOW Switzerland joined POW Germany in supporting the position of POW Austria and fairplay regarding the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, issuing a joint declaration on the sustainability of the event.
• Swiss Alpine Club (SAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SAC partnered with POW for the 'CO2 Law' advocacy campaign, including a glacier summit event and parliamentary activities. Also featured in SAC's coverage of POW events and climate advocacy.
• POW AustriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOW Austria collaborated with POW Switzerland and POW Germany on joint advocacy positions regarding winter sports sustainability and climate policy at major events.
• POW GermanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOW Germany collaborated with POW Switzerland on joint advocacy positions, particularly regarding the Milano Cortina Olympics sustainability concerns.
• Alternative Bank SchweizminorOthersProcesses donations for POW Switzerland. IBAN: CH82 0839 0034 9566 1000 4. Listed as the organization's banking partner for supporter donations.
• Vast & PatagoniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrail-building collaboration in the Aletsch Arena region, combining POW's climate advocacy with sustainable trail management. Referenced in a 2023 blog post about 'Klimafreundliche Trails in der Aletsch-Arena'.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Protect Our Winters France: French chapter of the Protect Our Winters network operating with the same athlete-driven climate advocacy model. POW Switzerland lists France as one of the nine European countries in the global POW network, sharing the climate-and-winter-sports mission.
• Protect Our Winters Germany: German chapter of the Protect Our Winters network, collaborating with POW Switzerland on joint advocacy positions such as the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics sustainability declaration. Operates the same athlete, brand, and science alliance model in the German-speaking alpine market.
• Protect Our Winters (Global): The parent organization of the Protect Our Winters movement founded by Jeremy Jones in 2007. POW Switzerland operates as the Swiss chapter of this global network, sharing the same mission, brand, and five-alliance model focused on climate advocacy through the winter sports community.
• Protect Our Winters Austria: Austrian chapter of the Protect Our Winters network and a sister organization to POW Switzerland. The two organizations have collaborated on joint statements regarding winter sports sustainability and climate policy in the alpine region.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Switzerland: Major Swiss environmental conservation organization with a broad species, habitat, and climate mandate. Operates as a much larger incumbent that competes with POW Switzerland for philanthropic support and policy attention on climate.
• Pro Natura: Switzerland's oldest and largest nature conservation organization, advocating for biodiversity and environmental protection. Operates with a broader environmental mandate but competes with POW Switzerland for Swiss donors and conservation policy influence.
• Greenpeace Switzerland: Established Swiss environmental advocacy organization with a much larger budget and broader climate mandate. Competes with POW Switzerland for climate policy influence, donor attention, and media coverage in the Swiss market.

Others

• Swiss Alpine Club (SAC): Switzerland's largest mountaineering organization and a direct collaboration partner of POW Switzerland on the CO2 Law campaign and glacier summit events. While not a climate advocacy peer, it shares the alpine community base and occasionally competes or aligns with POW's policy positions.
• Klima-Allianz Schweiz (Swiss Climate Alliance): Coalition of over 80 Swiss organizations advocating for ambitious climate policy. POW Switzerland is a member of this alliance, making it a peer ecosystem organization that both collaborates with and competes against for climate policy influence in Switzerland.

Emerging players

• Mountain Wilderness: Swiss organization dedicated to protecting mountain environments from over-development and environmental degradation. Operates with a narrower mountain-protection focus similar to POW Switzerland's alpine niche, making it a partial overlap emerging player in Swiss mountain advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ProtectOurWintersSwitzerland
• Instagraminstagram.com/protectourwintersswitzerland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/protect-our-winters-switzerland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Protect Our Winters Switzerland