Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) is seeking public nominations to recognize companies as part of the annual Torch Awards for Ethics program. The event celebrates businesses that positively impact the community, keeping ethics and integrity at the forefront of operations.
Now is an especially important time to highlight businesses that take strides to strengthen the marketplace through trust and ethical business practices. A business may self-nominate, and the award is open to all for-profit businesses. Torch Awards for Ethics nominations are being accepted through May 22nd and more information can be found by visiting torchawards.bbbcommunity.org.
“We are looking for companies that not only display ethical practices with consumers and employees, but also ‘light the way’ to promote ethical behavior in their industries,” said Matthew Fehling, BBB Pacific Southwest President and CEO. “The public’s voice plays an important part in identifying potential companies for this award, as they experience first-hand the true impact of what an ethical company can offer.”
In conjunction with recognizing ethical businesses at the annual Torch Awards for Ethics, BBB Pacific Southwest hosts a scholarship contest for high school students in grades 9-12. The program awards $5,000 in scholarships, split among five recipients, for the essays on “The Importance of Ethics and Integrity in our Community.” Interested applicants may submit their essays at torchessay.bbbcommunity.org. Students who wish to receive a paper application may contact Tierra Terry at tierra.terry@bbbcommunity.org. There is no fee to enter.
“At Better Business Bureau we believe it is never too early to introduce and emphasize the importance of being ethical. In high school, students begin to face ethical decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. The honorees will serve as role models whose moral compass not only guides their actions, but also influences those around them,’’ says Michael Sedio, BBB Pacific Southwest VP and General Counsel.
With uncertainty surrounding future public gatherings, businesses and scholarship recipients will be celebrated through a virtual event this fall. The Torch Awards for Ethics is made possible through the generous support of Desert Financial Credit Union, and essay contest sponsors, Swiss America and Valley of the Sun Kiwanis Club. Additional sponsors can be found here.
For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been helping people find businesses and charities they can trust. In 2019, people turned to BBB more than 358 million times by checking more than 232 million Business Profiles views – all available to the public for free at bbb.org. Incorporated locally in 1938, BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest covers Greater Arizona and Southern California with key campuses in Phoenix, San Diego, Newport Beach, Prescott, Yuma and Lake Havasu City. BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest is supported by over 19,000 BBB Accredited Businesses, making it one of the largest BBBs nationwide. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to high standards of ethical business practices in the marketplace. BBB provides objective expertise and educational programs on topics affecting marketplace trust.
