Altitude Sports, an outdoor gear and clothing company in Montreal, has recently achieved its B Corp certification. Alexandre Guimond, co-chief executive officer at Altitude Sports, discusses what the certification means along with future plans.
“Achieving this certification was more than a milestone – it represents a deep commitment across our company to not only uphold, but elevate and strengthen our sustainability practices in a tangible and measurable way,” says Alexandre Guimond.
Since coming out of the pandemic, Guimond says Altitude Sports has not only stabilized, but has seen rapid development.
“After the pandemic, there was a little stagnation. I think people might have seen that in other industries and in general retail as well. On our end, we managed to stay stable, or let’s say small growth over the last two years. The market has been a bit more challenging.”
The B Corp certification: A commitment beyond profit
B Corps certification of recognizing top social, environmental, and legal standards aligns well with Altitude Sports. Guimond says the brand’s goal is to balance profit and purpose and create a path for other companies to follow.
“B Corp certification is a serious one; you want to feel like the due diligence was well done. It looks at five pillars of the organization – governance, environmental, workers, community, and customers – and I thought B Corp made sense for our company. When you start the process, it is really about looking at the business in deep detail.”
Guimond says to earn the B Corp certification, companies need at least 80 points. Altitude Sports achieved 82.8 points.
Earning 82.8 points
In order to achieve the certification, Guimond says the company had to go through brand partners to ensure each one met the B Corp standards. This not only takes time, but complicates the certification process.
“It is a scoring system. So you need 80 points to be officially B Corp certified. According to B Lab, around 45 per cent of companies that apply do not qualify. So it is not something you can get by just applying.”
Guimond says it ensures that only businesses committed to sustainable practices maintain the certification. This not only sets the business apart from others, but also ensures consumers the company is sustainable.
Guimond says it is not a simple ‘achieve it and forget it’ as the company needs to maintain its standards and continue to improve.
Just because you are B Corp certified, does not mean you can just sit down and stop. It is the beginning of the project and now we have a way to track our business and see the progress. We have to prove year over year that we are doing better.
For consumers shopping at Altitude Sports, the certification ensures their purchases support a company who is committed to positive changes and sustainability. Guimond says this increases consumers loyalty and trust – particularly among consumers who prioritize environmental sustainability and ethical practices.
Guimond says the company will continue to push itself to earn a higher score each year. Currently, the highest score is 200.
Future plans and sustainability goals
Expanding delivery services
Guimond says the brand’s plan is to reduce emissions by expanding its electric delivery services. The brand is aiming for 20 per cent of deliveries with 100 per cent electric vehicles and 35 per cent to include last-mile deliveries with an electric vehicle by 2026.
“We are partnering with carriers who are investing in electric deliveries to help us reach our ambitious goal. I know it is bold, even though I would like that percentage to be higher and ideally sooner. So that is something we are putting a lot of effort into.”
In 2023, Altitude Sports partnered with Nationex, the first sustainable delivery company in Montreal. The delivery company offers electric vans and electric bicycles to deliver orders to people in the Montreal area.
Launching its own brand
Guimond says the brand is also working on providing its own collections and have already begun slowly.
“Right now, we are slowly launching our own brand. We felt there was a gap in the market with some items and we felt that we needed to provide a product that was really well done, but also affordable at the same time. And we felt that we could create products that could provide value.”
Other than launching its home brand, Guimond says Altitude Sports will also be expanding its categories. Starting next Spring, consumers can be able to purchase bikes and more cycling apparel from renowned brands.
“The goal is to show the best possible selection to our customers. The goal is to be able to connect with our brands and showcase their inventory and we have been doing that for about seven years now and have been growing steadily.”
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