By Rod Davis, CEO, BBB serving southeast Florida and the Caribbean

It was great to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a loved one. It is always a good idea to do something special for those we love and that is true for the businesses that make us smile too.  BBB provides a few ways for you to support your favorite business.   

BBB Torch Awards for Ethics

The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics is the most prestigious honor BBB can present to exceptional organizations for their dedication to integrity and ethical practices.  Award selection for BBB Torch Award for Ethics is based on the following criteria:

• Character
• Culture
• Customers
• Community

Businesses that have a leader who embodies in word and action, ethical leadership that creates a positive customer centric culture, thrive because their employees are proud of the business, seek to live up to high performance standards and create loyal customers are able to compete for the BBB Torch Award for Ethics.  These same businesses are active in our community promoting a strong community and using their resources to help others. 

We all know great businesses.  They help us with home projects, deliver goods of high quality on time and with care and provide services that keep you coming back to them because they value you as a customer.  Now it is time you can do something for your favorite business.  You can nominate them for the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics.  bbb.org/local/0633/torch-awards/nominate

The winners of the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics for southeast Florida and the Caribbean will be announced in July at our annual ceremony.  Winners of the local award compete for the International Award.  Businesses compete in small, medium and large size business categories and last year, the winner of the International Torch Awards for Business Ethics was CITY FURNITURE.  With your help, we will be able to find other great businesses to represent our community. 

BBB4Good

BBB is also launching the BBB4Good program to recognize businesses that combine purpose and profit.  The social impact sector is starting to take off and consumers want an easy way to find and support businesses with a commitment to a social cause.  Businesses are advancing environmental, social equity, veteran initiatives and most causes important to individuals in our community.  According to a Futera study in 2018, if a business isn’t helping its customers improve their environmental and social footprint, then they are in danger of disappointing 88% of them. 

The first approved participant for the BBB4Good program in our area is 4Ocean.  4Ocean makes a one pound promise to have their professional, full-time captains and crews pull one pound of trash from the ocean, rivers, and coastlines for every product sold.  BBB validates compliance with their pledge by receiving data on the number of items sold and the poundage from weigh stations around the world used by the 4Ocean clean up crews.  4Ocean also donates at least 1% of their gross sales to ocean-friendly organizations with a proven track record of driving change for the ocean and planet.   

You can read more about BBB4Good at:  bbbmarketplacetrust.org/story/42427725/bbb4good-prototype

If you know a business that is taking on an important social impact cause in our community, you can recommend them to BBB for inclusion in the BBB4Good program so that other consumers are able to find and support that business and the cause it champions.  To recommend a business, send an email to BBB4Good@bbbsefl.org and include the name, address, phone number and, if the business has a website, the URL. 

A Simple Customer Review

Lastly, if you just want to share a review on a business that you like, you can always leave a review at:  bbb.org/leave-a-review

We all like to receive positive feedback or recognition from time to time.  Too often, businesses and their employees only hear the negatives.  Join your BBB and help us shine the light on those special businesses that do a great job every day.