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Ski resort operators rate their social responsibility higher than visitors perceive it.
Social responsibility measures are either insufficient or inadequate to gain legitimacy in the eyes of local stakeholders.
Differences in the perception of social responsibility can be seen in quality of life, revitalization of the region, environmental protection and climate change.
The communication of social responsibility and its credibility is recognized as a major challenge by ski resort operators.
Abstract of this study
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in the context of winter sports tourism have received increased attention due to their influence on environmental sustainability, their impact on local communities and overall industry reputation, while being strongly influenced by the accelerating climate crisis. When implemented correctly, CSR measures contribute to the legitimacy of an organization. Legitimacy is understood here as the alignment of organizational actions and values with prevailing societal expectations.
The aim of the study is therefore to investigate the key differences between the self-perception and external perception of CSR activities by ski resort operators. The study design is in two parts. Study 1 examines the self-perception of ski resort operators and is divided into an online survey (n = 119) and interviews with cable car company managers (n = 20). Study 2 deals with the external perception of ski resorts and consists of a customer survey (skiers; n = 433) and a non-customer survey (non-skiers; n = 548).
Based on the CSR and legitimacy literature, the analysis shows discrepancies between the implemented CSR measures, high self-assessments and external perceptions. It can be assumed that current measures are either insufficient or inadequate to achieve full legitimacy of ski resort operators in the eyes of key local stakeholders.
Findings of this study
- Significant discrepancy between self-perception and external perception: The analysis reveals significant differences between the CSR measures implemented by ski resort operators, their very high self-assessment and the external perception by stakeholders. Operators rate their efforts significantly higher than skiers and non-skiers in all areas examined.
- Lack of legitimacy: Current CSR measures are either insufficient or inadequate to achieve full legitimacy for ski resort operators in the eyes of key local stakeholders. Legitimacy (the conformity of organizational actions with social expectations) is therefore not sufficiently given.
- Largest differences in cognitive and moral legitimacy: The largest discrepancies in the assessment are found in areas that are assigned to cognitive legitimacy (e.g. "quality of life" and "revitalization of the region"). There are also clear differences in the ratings for moral legitimacy, particularly for topics such as "environmental protection and nature conservation", "flora & fauna/biodiversity" and "climate change".
- Communication weakness as the main problem: The operators recognize that communication challenges are a weak point. Their efforts are often taken for granted or cannot be credibly communicated to the local community, which risks losing the trust of stakeholders. To strengthen legitimacy, CSR strategies need to be better tailored to the specific needs and values of the local population and communicated more transparently.