About us

Esprit de Corps is created and presided by Gilles Barbot, former elite level athlete.

Groupe Esprit de Corps is created to work  with organizations to create peak performance habits in teams and individuals through workshops and "Defis"

In 2004, we've started developing our own methodology to optimize your company's performance by playing on your teams' engagement. This methodology uses management tools and sport techniques through what we've called Esprit de Corps' Challenges.

This methodology is still evolving and Challenges have become our core activity as we've taken up on more than 100 throughout North America and Europe.

In creating the Esprit de Corps Foundation in 2006, Gilles Barbot wanted to created a not-for profit organization which would enable under privileged individuals to realize their athletic dreams, not purely as individual pursuits but as a means of committing themselves to a team and drawing strength from their teammates and their extraordinary accomplishment. From Montreal to New York, passing through Mount Washington and Mount Tremblant, many are those who have taken on the challenge for the cause.

Agropur mobilises its employees during seven days to cross Canada from East to West  by bike.  The 6000 achieved kilometers represent the longest challenge distance in the history of the Esprit de Corps Group.

Esprit de corps was accredited Healthy Enterprise Elite. This certification is given on the basis of 4 factors: promotion of healthy lifestyle for employees, work-life balance, healthy business practices as well as measures taken for prevention and safety in the workplace.

During three days, 10 associates of the Price Water House Coopers office have realised a race Challenge between Montréal and New York. It's the first audit firm who lived a Challenge with us.

In novembre 2009, 30 business leaders from the Québec firm Pomerleau breasted during two days the cold of the Mount Washington. It was the first time that leaders have took part to such a Challenge.

Esprit de Corps was awarded a Canadian Prize for excellence in the category of  "healthy workplace". The prize is in recognition of our dedication to programs, principles and practices which favor a healthy workplace.

"The recipients of Prizes awarded by the National Quality Institute are models in matters of efficiency and leadership and similarly to members of the National Quality Institute significantly contribute to the growth of the canadian economy."

Kevin Dougherty, president of the Administration Counsel of the NQI

In June 2010, Pomerleau decided to engage itself again with Esprit de Corps for a bike challenge. The aim was to draw a marked path which could enables runners to go through each canadian offices of the company. Therefore, 100 women and men - what represented at this moment a record concerning the number of participants - started from Ottawa and then successively reached Montréal, Québec, Saint-Georges and crossed the finishing line at Halifax, after a race of more than 1 500 kilometers.

In order to be open to new opportunities, we are proud and delighted to announce that the Groupe Esprit de Corps launch its first sailboat: the Esprit de Corps I. Anchored in the Bassin Louise in Québec, this 40 feet is well known to be one of the fastest boat in Québec especially when it was still called the Peter Pan.

During 5 months, the Groupe Esprit de Corps had the privilege to collaborate with Chantal Lacroix on the TV show "Mlle Court". This series of 14 episodes allow us to follow 8 ordinary women that want to take on an extraordinary challenge: to run from Montréal to Québec and come back the same way in less than 70 hours!

In collaboration with Emmanuel Poirel, Ph.D. in educational psychology at Montreal University, the Groupe Esprit de Corps has developed a set of new psychometrics tools in order to better evaluate its services and refine its consulting tools. After more than 2 years of hard work, these new tools make the Groupe Esprit de Corps stand out as an expert in its field.

For the first time the Montreal - New-York Challenge has led more than 130 people to New-York! Amongst them Georges Laraque, Karine Champagne, Alexandra Diaz and Corinne Jean also took part on the race. This extraordinary edition has also seen more than 500 people running the first 10 kilometers with the participants.