Integrity
Stephanie Cox, the NSP’s CEO recently paid a visit to several Vermont and New York ski areas. Stephanie, National Chair Rich Pietrafesa, and I also traveled to Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army. During our time together, Stephanie and I had a chance to chat. I got to watch her interact with Eastern Division Patrollers. I was struck by how she is driven to make a difference, and that she has a plan to do so. Part of her plan is to re-establish the credibility of NSP in the ski industry, to the extent that it has suffered in recent years.
I would like to draw your attention to some of the first (and in my mind) most important steps Stephanie and our National Office staff have taken. They are listed on the NSP website under Governance, tucked off in the bottom right corner, and are entitled ‘Terms and Statements.’ They may be elsewhere as well. I urge you all to find and read them. With these brief, simple statements of position and principles, NSP sets out its values. Three of these statements I found particularly interesting:
- Bullying and Harassment Statement which sets the tone and standards of our organization, including principles of respect, inclusivity, and safety in the NSP.
- Statement of Intent on Well-Being establishes NSP’s commitment to supporting a culture of wellness, safety, and resilience for our members and those we serve, subtly making us aware/reminding us of these priorities.
- The Environment Statement of Intent speaks to our reliance on the natural world and our responsibility to take greater responsibility to protect and care for places and the climate, which I think is critical for us to recognize.
Collectively, these statements seem to me to be reinforcing NSP’s integrity in the world, and our recognition of the high standards and awareness of our responsibilities as a great national organization of committed, dedicated public servants. But in my mind they also speak to our individual responsibilities to act in fairness with concern for our fellow patrollers and those we serve, and to put their welfare above our own individual welfare. That’s the essence of our service after all is said and done. And we are called by these statements to recognize how we can impact the lives of other patrollers, the public and the environment we recreate in.
I like that Stephanie is leading us to recognize our collective and individual responsibilities and that she is challenging us individually to sharpen our awareness and leadership. And I believe she reminds us that our integrity as individuals is the bedrock foundation for all of these critical goals.
