The Torch Awards recognize businesses that have made an exemplary commitment to honest and ethical business practices and consumer service excellence.
All businesses are nominated for this prestigious award by one of their customers. Nominations are submitted to the Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island on an annual basis. Both member and non-member businesses qualify for a Torch Award.
All nominations are valid providing the company has a "pass" rating on their BBB Reliability Report.
2010 Torch Awards Judging Process
As hundreds of nominations are sent in to BBB each year, a pre-screening process takes place. A small panel of objective, independent judges reviews all the nomination forms for each company and selects the two best, most representative nominations for each business. The nomination forms are then divided into 12 distinctive business categories (i.e. Outstanding Customer Service, Automotive Sales & Service, Hospitality, etc). A larger panel of independent judges is then convened to review the nominations in further detail. Judges are asked to select three to five nominees for each category and one winner from the group of nominees. In categories where only three to five individual businesses have been nominated, all business are considered nominees unless the judges strongly feel that one business should be excluded.
Nominees are judged on their reliability, honesty, service, fairness, and respect using the following criteria:
- High ethical standards of behaviour towards customers, suppliers, employees, and communities in which they do business
- Demonstrated ethical practices surrounding their buyer/seller relationship.
- Marketing, advertising, communications, and sales practices which reflect a true representation of what is being offered in the marketplace.
- Acknowledgment of ethical marketplace standards by industry peers and in communities where they do business.
- Ethics policies that are effectively communicated to employees.