Since 2014, BBB serving the Heart of Texas has been celebrating marketplace role models with the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics. The award is given to businesses that demonstrate their dedication to ethical business practices, often implementing standards of their own that exceed BBB’s requirement for accreditation. Awarded businesses reflect the strength of their business community, with ethical practices that benefit the business itself and the community it serves.
Submissions for the 2022 Torch Awards for Ethics competition will open from June 15 thru Aug. 15, 2022. BBB will announce finalists in September and awards will be presented to winners beginning in October. Applicants do not have to be BBB Accredited to enter the 2022 Torch Award for Ethics competition.
“The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics recognizes companies that go above and beyond in their work with their communities, customers, employees and their marketplace,” said Carrie A. Hurt, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau serving the Heart of Texas. “Torch Awardees are a step above the rest – they’re the best of the best.”
For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has strengthened marketplace trust and acted as a liaison between consumers and the business community. In 2021, consumers viewed BBB Business Profiles more than 200 million times, receiving information on more than 6.3 million businesses across the United States. BBB’s rigorous accreditation process evaluates business practices against its Standards for Trust, which includes eight principles that summarize essential elements of creating and maintaining trust in business:
- Build Trust
- Advertise Honestly
- Tell the Truth
- Be Transparent
- Honor Promises
- Be Responsive
- Safeguard Privacy
- Embody Integrity
Businesses that apply for the prestigious Torch Award will be judged by a panel of business professionals such as Chamber of Commerce representatives, business executives and ethics experts. Judges evaluate business practices across four dimensions: character, culture, customers and community.
FAQs for BBB’s 2022 Torch Awards for Ethics:
- How do I enter? Entry is free and easy! Complete the online form, which applicants can find at BBB.org/Centex-Torch.
- Who is the competition? Businesses compete with similarly sized businesses across 105 Texas counties based on the number of people employed:
o 1-10 employees
o 11-20 employees
o 21-40 employees
o 41-60 employees
o 61-99 employees
o 100-plus employees
- Who can participate? The Torch Awards for Ethics competition is open to all for-profit businesses headquartered within the 105 counties served by BBB serving the Heart of Texas. Applicants must be in business for a minimum of three years and maintain a rating of B or higher according to their BBB Business Profile. Accreditation with BBB is not a requirement, and winners may only enter once every three years.
- Who are the judges? A panel of judges from the business and academic communities will evaluate entries. Winners are decided based on an overall best score, with each category valued at 10 points.
- Why should I enter? Receive your deserved recognition as a marketplace role model! BBB Torch Award winners will be presented with a trophy, receive recognition on BBB’s website, provided lifetime use of the BBB Torch Award Seal, and are promoted by BBB through its media connections. Plus, winning is a way to showcase your business’s hard work and commitment to promoting an ethical marketplace.
Visit BBB.org/Centex-Torch to learn more and apply for BBB’s 2022 Torch Award for Ethics competition.
ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands and charities they can trust for over 110 years. In 2021, people turned to BBB more than 200 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 25,000 charities, free at BBB.org. Local, independent BBBs can be found across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including BBB serving the Heart of Texas, which was founded in 1950 and serves 105 counties across Texas.
