Highlight
Appeal

2025 UIAA Support Project: Support Climber Safety Research.
Your support helps saves lives in the mountains.

In recent years, the UIAA has dedicated significant investment, some 200,000 euros and counting, primarily to research related to rock anchors and bolts. Initially, this centred around the subject of corrosion and stress corrosion cracking failure. A significant milestone was reached when the updated UIAA Rock Anchors Standard was released in 2020. However, work in this field remains significant. While new products – certified to Standard 123 – are now available on the Market, the challenge is ensuring both bolters and climbers are aware of the issues related to corrosion and the importance of using certified products. A dedicated website page charts the work achieved so far and the material available.

Where your help is needed

For the UIAA and its Safety Commission to continue to develop new standards and revise existing ones to make sure they are still as comprehensive as possible, significant resources are required – particularly when it comes to laboratory testing and in the research process.

All income received by the Safety Commission (SafeCom), whether from the granting of safety labels to accredited gear manufacturers, from UIAA members or from donations, is directly reinvested into projects which benefit the global climbing and mountaineering community. Ultimately all work conducted by SafeCom contributes to reducing accidents and fatalities in the mountains as well as providing climbers with greater access to knowledge helping them make informed decisions about the equipment they use.

Where money received in 2025 will be spent

Donations received in 2025 will be spent on:

  • Studies on ageing and reliability of critical equipment, including harnesses and slings. This may then demand a revision of the existing standards
  • Development of a new standard for helmets
  • Corrosion Research: Continued investigation is required into the effects of corrosion on climbing equipment. Funding would be spent on testing
  • Creation of a Safety symposium held shortly after the UIAA General Assembly in Kosovo in October 2025. The meeting is designed to provide climbers, mountaineers and rescue teams in the Baltic regions with an information exchange, greater access to safety resources and to receive presentations and training sessions from UIAA instructors and experts.

How to donate

Donations can be made quickly and efficiently in various currencies through the UIAA fundraising page.

There are two options:

  • Support UIAA Safety research (as per above)
  • Support UIAA in general (including projects in climate change, competition sport, medical awareness)

Individuals can also specify where they would like their donation to be spent.

Through its Commissions, the UIAA spearheads a number of key initiatives including:

ONE

Safety
Resources

Creating and developing safety resources for climbers and mountaineers

TWO

Mountain Protection

Protection of the mountain environment

THREE

Youth Development

Encouraging youth development

FOUR

Mediating Access

Mediating in access issues

FIVE

Mountain Communities

Supporting mountain communities

You can support the UIAA as a whole or specific areas or projects. Furthermore, the UIAA uses this resource to raise awareness about projects organised by its member associations. Please select General UIAA support when donating.

UIAA Supported Charities

CLIMBING FOR PEACE

ClimbAID

The UIAA began supporting ClimbAID in early 2019. ClimbAID is a non-profit organisation founded in September 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland which focuses on humanitarian projects with an emphasis on climbing and other alpine sports activities. In particular, ClimbAID focuses on the holistic development of youth into autonomous, social, self- and environmentally aware actors. ClimbAID brings the joy of climbing to communities impacted by war and poverty.

FOUNDED BY JOHN ELLISON

Climbers Against Cancer

CAC is a not-for-profit charity that raises awareness and funds for cancer research through the worldwide climbing community. The charity was created by the late John Ellison, a British climber who after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, established a charity that has since raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from climbers and mountaineers. In May 2014, Ellison was honoured by the UIAA at a meeting of the UIAA Management Committee in Munich. Ellison was feted for his outstanding efforts to bring together the global family of climbers and mountaineers to raise funds for research to fight and beat cancer. The UIAA has supported CAC ever since.