Chicago, IL-September 3, 2009 - The Torch Awards are presented annually to outstanding businesses from Northern Illinois in recognition of their commitment to exceptional standards in relationships with their customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, and the surrounding communities. Like the Better Business Bureau’s Torch logo, this award helps to illuminate the importance of a corporate conscience and accepting the responsibility of creating a fair and honest marketplace.
The Torch Award is open to all for-profit Chicago and Northern Illinois based businesses. An individual may nominate the company he or she works for, owns, is affiliated with, does business with, or any company which the nominating individual believes meets the Torch Award criteria. A company can also be nominated by an organization (i.e., Chamber of Commerce, academic institution, ethics organization, trade association, etc.).
Candidates for the 2009 Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics will be evaluated by a prestigious independent panel of judges from the business and academic community against these criteria:
- High ethical standards of behavior toward customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees, and communities;
Demonstrated ethical practices surrounding their buyer/seller relationships;
Marketing, advertising, communications, and sales practices which reflect a true representation of the nominated business;
Acknowledgment of ethical marketplace practices by industry peers and in the communities where they do business;
Management practices and policies that give long-term value to shareholders, customers, employees, and vendors;
Training programs that assist employees in executing ethics policies.
Companies are judged in five categories based on the total number of employees: 1-9; 10-99; 100-999, 1,000-7,499 and 7,500+. The recognition and awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, December 3, 2009 at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. To nominate a company or to get complete information on the entry criteria go to our Web site www.chicago.bbb.org and click on the marketplace ethics button at the middle of the page. Mail entries to the Better Business Bureau, ATTN: Tom Joyce, 330 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 2006, Chicago, IL 60611; e-mail tjoyce@chicago.bbb.org with questions. The deadline for completed entry submissions is September 11, 2009.