Key Performance Indicators for Alpine Resorts

In response to a request by the Victorian Government, Council has been developing a series of KPIs to measure the Alpine resort's progress towards sustainability. The request stems from the State Government's Alpine Resorts Reform Package of 2003 which commits the five Alpine Resort Management Boards to reporting on the legislative requirement that the Resorts be developed, promoted, managed and used on a sustainable basis and in a manner that is compatible with the alpine environment, by way of a set of economic, environmental and social Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Economic KPIs (PDF 179 kb) were adopted by Government in December 2004.

To facilitate the identification of environmental and social KPIs, Council initiated two research projects, the results of which have been published in two research reports:
Research Report. Measuring Sustainability in Victoria's Alpine Resorts: Identification of Potential Environmental Key Performance Indicators. (PDF 361 kb)

Research Report. Defining and Measuring Social Performance in Victoria's Alpine Resorts: Identification of Potential Social Key Performance Indicators. (PDF 592 kb)

The first of these research reports, which deals with potential environmental KPIs covers:
- concepts in measuring performance using indicators
- trends in indicator development and application
- Government policies and priorities
- environmental management and reporting by Boards
- suggested framework, goals, themes and objectives
- sustainable water resources management
- sustainable energy management
- sustainable waste management
- biodiversity management
- putting it all into place.

The second research report deals with potential social KPIs and covers:
- Victorian policy context
- role and applications of social measurement
- critical social performance themes
- recommended social KPIs for Victorian alpine resorts
- summary and next steps.

Draft environmental and social KPIs were released for public comment in April 2007 and are included in the document: Summary Report: Measuring Sustainability in Victoria's Alpine Resorts - Identification of Potential Environmental & Social Key Performance Indicators. (PDF 434 kb).

Following an analysis of submissions and further consideration, Council presented its recommendations for Environmental KPIs to the Minister. The recommendations were endorsed by the Minister with minor amendment and were released in the report titled 'Environmental Key Performance Indicators' at the Alpine Resorts Sustainability Forum in April 2008. Work is continuing on the social KPIs.