Our Mission
“As a professional association, we will train guides to the highest technical standards and support qualified guides to work safely in the mountains worldwide. We will represent and regulate our members with due regard to the interest of their clients and the environment in which we operate. We will promote our association and its values.”
Environmental responsibility
We believe that all participants in mountain activities should treat the environment with the utmost respect. As industry leaders, we recognize our responsibility to set an example, guiding both our clients and other outdoor organizations toward sustainable practices.
2025 has been designated by the UN as the International Year of Glacier Preservation. The glaciated regions we explore are rapidly retreating, making our work as guides more dangerous and rendering many routes inaccessible.
- From 2022 to 2023, Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their water volume—an amount equivalent to what melted between 1960 and 1990.
- In 1973, renowned alpinist Gaston Rébuffat compiled the 100 finest climbing routes of the Alps into a beloved book, now a staple of alpine chalets. Just over 35 years later, three of these routes have completely collapsed, and a third are now unclimbable in summer due to increased rockfall risks.
In response to the urgent need for climate action, we’ve created an ambitious plan for 2025 to honor our commitment to preserving the world’s glaciers and the mountain environments we cherish.
OUR CLIMATE PLAN FOR 2025
Use Our Voice to Make a Difference
Global surveys show that 86% of people care about climate change, so why aren’t more people acting? Research reveals three key reasons:
- People underestimate how much others care, leading to a sense of hopelessness.
- The media focuses on negative climate news but often overlooks the concrete actions we can take, causing many to avoid the conversation.
- There is a disconnect between what people perceive as effective and what truly makes a difference, which often leads to our efforts being misdirected when it comes to creating meaningful change.
As an association, we will use our voice to raise awareness about the most impactful actions individuals can take to fight climate change. We are committed to combating greenwashing and have partnered with climate researchers from Giving Green and climate educators from Mieux Donner to ensure our messaging is rooted in research and focused on real impact. We are dedicated to educating and empowering others to make a meaningful difference.
Reduce Our Emissions and Environmental Impact
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact wherever possible:
- Opt for public transport when available.
- Meet online instead of in person whenever possible.
Empower Our Members to Have a Positive Impact on the Climate
We’re empowering our members, the British Mountain Guides, to lead trips with the environment in mind:
- Starting in March 2025, climate change is an optional, but highly recommended, part of the course syllabus for all new mountain guides. 6 out of 7 trainees attended in March 2025.
- We partner with climate educators from Mieux Donner and researchers from Giving Green to provide regular online workshops and training to keep our guides informed on the latest climate science.
- We provide resources for guides to help them educate their guests about climate change and how they can make a difference. We are in the process of producing small, light, fold-out infographic maps that will be given to BMG members, that can be used in huts for example, to frame climate discussions with clients.
- Social media presence. We will produce regular blogs for our social media feed to educate our audience and demonstrate our climate credentials.
Donate to Pro-Climate Nonprofits
While many aspects of the travel industry are challenging to decarbonize—especially international flights—we remain committed to supporting climate action. As part of our efforts, we will donate 1% of members subs per year as an association to top climate charities, and encourage our members and guiding companies to do the same.
Unfortunately 85% of carbon offsetting projects are ineffective. Therefore to ensure our donations have the greatest impact, we’ve partnered with Giving Green, a nonprofit research team of climate scientists, economists, and impact evaluation experts. Giving Green spends thousands of hours each year evaluating climate impact strategies and identifying the most cost-effective organizations.
Each year, Giving Green publishes a report on their top recommended nonprofits. This year we will donate 50% of the money we are donating to the Clean Air Task Force, Giving Greens highest recommended charity.
You can learn more about Giving Green and their top nonprofits for this year here.
The other 50% we will give to Moors for the Future, a UK based charity. The BMC, who we are hoping to collaborate more with, have a longstanding association with Moors For the Future, and they do extensive work protecting the huge carbon sink that is our bogs, that cover 12% of the UK.
You can learn more about the BMCs sphagnum moss project here
Report on Our Progress
Each year, we will publish a report on our progress towards creating a more sustainable pathway, which we will share with our guests. This helps us track improvements, stay accountable, and continue to push for positive change year after year.