2014 BBB® Torch Awards for Ethics Program
in partnership with
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College of Business, Colorado State University
Monfort College of Business, University of Northern Colorado
University of Wyoming College of Business
The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics program is integral to providing students hands-on experience in
engaging with the local business community and in giving businessmen and women the opportunity to
share ethical practices with tomorrow’s business leaders. The BBB Center for Character Ethics
appreciates the involvement of the universities in this process and we look forward to another
successful year.
For the 2014 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics, the BBB Center for Character Ethics will provide the names
of up to 10 businesses to each of our partnering colleges of business. These businesses have been
nominated by their customers and business peers and will provide a quality project for students.
BBB Center for Character Ethics staff will share a presentation with students outlining the importance of
ethics in the marketplace, the prestige of the award, and the role of students and our university partners
in the process. BBB staff will also provide samples of previous years’ projects as a guide.
A designated professor from each university will oversee the project and ensure successful completion
of the project. The professor will divide nominated businesses (provided to the professor at the student
presentation) among teams of students (three students per team recommended), from a designated
business honor society, i.e., Alpha Kappa Psi, or a class dedicated to the project.
Student teams will then meet with their designated business to evaluate the company based on the Six
TRUST! Principles of EthicalEnterprising. The BBB Center for Character Ethics requests that students
consider this field experience a hands-on lesson on how the marketplace operates and as a fundraising
tool for their honor society and school; the project must be taken seriously.
Successful completion of the project will result in a financial reward of $2,000 bestowed to the business
honor society or college of business. This funding will be used to enhance business education
opportunities that honor societies offer students. Funding should not be used for any other purpose. By
May 1, 2014, a written and financial summary as to how the funds were/are to be used should be
submitted to the BBB Center for Character Ethics. Any incomplete project will result in a monetary
deduction from the $2,000 reward.
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Project Guidelines
The timing of the project, as it fits within the semester, can be adjusted by each professor; BBB Center
for Character Ethics requests all components be included and the projects be complete by the end of
the semester.
In all student interactions with the nominated businesses, students MUST speak, dress and act in a
professional manner.
Project Requirements:
● [By Sept. 25th] Email names of your student team to the BBB Foundation,
adavis@wynco.bbb.org, including:
○ First and last names of all team members
○ Email addresses (both university and personal) and phone numbers of all team
members
○ Name of business each group will evaluate
○ The group’s definition of business ethics
● [By Sept. 12th] Make initial contact with the business being evaluated; explain the purpose of
the project; request meetings with multiple contacts at the business.
● [By Oct. 8th] Initial appointments at business location completed.
● [By Oct. 17th] Additional visits and/or further information gathering completed
● [By Nov. 26th] Thank-you letters due to the company, one for each contact; copies to professor
● [By Oct. 29th] Draft of report submitted to the main contact at the business. Any follow-up
meetings with the business completed.
● [By Nov. 19th] Draft of report submitted to professor, after updated with recommendations made
by the main business contact, for review.
● [TBD] By the end of the semester a final report is to be submitted, one copy to the professor,
and one copy to the BBB Center for Character Ethics in a PDF format.
● [TBD] PowerPoint presentation, 10 minutes or less, following the TRUST! Principles of
EthicalEnterprising, should be given at honor society or class. Attendees should include
professor, dean, company representatives and BBB staff representatives. Certificates of
completion will be awarded to students/groups that successfully complete the project. Team
members will also need to share how their definitions of business ethics have changed.
● Upon review and confirmation that submissions are complete, the BBB Center for Character
Ethics will submit the $2,000 reward to each university.
Eligibility and Award Categories
The Torch Awards for Ethics is open to all for-profit organizations physically located within the BBB’s
38-county service area. It is NOT necessary for a company to be BBB Accredited to participate.
Companies entering the 2014 Torch Award competition will be judged in one of four categories based
on the number of employees:
Category 1: Companies with more than 175 employees
Category 2: Companies with 51-175 employees
Category 3: Companies with 11-50 employees
Category 4: Companies with 1-10 employees
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Exclusions
A company is not eligible if any of the following conditions apply:
● They have been in business less than three years
● They have earned less than a “B” rating from BBB
● There are indications they have not met their financial obligations
● They have received this award in the past
Nomination Report Criteria
Report: Ten- to 15-page report in appropriate format as determined by professor (APA or MLA) with a
table of contents, section headings, double-spaced, page numbers and list of references. Address how
the nominee practices business ethics in accordance with the award criteria and corresponding
TRUST! Principles of EthicalEnterprising. Please submit one electronic copy, including appendices.
Please also submit the digital files of any photos taken for the presentation.
Executive Summary: Summarize your own conclusions – make a case for the company. You are the
spokesperson and the ethics auditor for the company. Your statements and conclusions are highly
valued by the judges. Begin with an overall statement and then have an executive summary for each
of the six categories. This summary will only be given to the company if and when it is chosen as a
finalist. Include your group’s recommendations here.
Appendices: If the company provides extensive materials, such as employee handbooks or manuals,
don’t copy the entire book but rather the table of contents or particular pages or passages that support
their ethical practices. If a company has multiple awards or multiple testimony letters, copy a
representative few and list the others.
Criteria levels: In some instances you may find an outstanding candidate that has very little support
material in one criteria level. Depending on the nature of their business, this can be OK. Every single
criteria does not need to be covered by every single business.
Write down your contacts: Please list names and titles of individuals from the business with whom
you worked to complete this project.
Please note: Spelling, grammar, depth of content, breadth of content and creativity of the presentation
are representative of the individual students, student team and university. Judges reflect on these
elements when determining finalists and award winners.
Judging and Award Ceremony
Submissions will be evaluated in early 2014 by an independent judging panel that will determine award
winners. Names of winners will be kept confidential; students may be (not guaranteed) invited to attend
a ceremony to honor the winning companies by either their company or the university. BBB Center for
Character Ethics will sponsor attendance to the award ceremony for students submitting the most wellwritten submission as determined by the judges.
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BBB Contact Info
Carrie Rossman, Director, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust
Phone: 970-488-2043 Email: crossman@wynco.bbb.org
Shelley Polansky, Education & Outreach Manager, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust
Phone: 970-488-2037 Email: spolansky@wynco.bbb.org
Alicia Davis, Administrative Assistant, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust
Phone: 970-488-2045 Email: adavis@wynco.bbb.org
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Award Criteria – Six TRUST! Principles of EthicalEnterprising:
We understand that each company is unique and has different needs, experiences and policies. It is not
necessary to address all of the suggested content in each of the six sections, they are merely provided
as illustrations of possible content to demonstrate that criteria. We encourage you to find areas in each
section that best exemplify your company’s practices. (Submission Criteria is based on the Center for
Character Ethics Six TRUST! Principles of EthicalEnterprising).
Transformation at the Top
Reinforce and Build
Unite the Team
Steer Performance
Treasure People
! Enthusiastically Reinvest!
Criteria 1: Transformation at the Top - Leadership Commitment to Ethical Practices
Consider including a letter from the CEO/President or Owner that includes a personal statement of their
commitment to ethical business practices.
Suggestion for content:
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Does the company leader have a personal code of ethics?
Does the company leader or management participate in workshops/conferences or training in
ethics?
What are some examples of ethical challenges the company has faced and how were they
resolved?
What are some examples of any public statement (speech, advertising, or publication) of the
leader’s commitment to ethics?
Smaller companies may also consider:
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How does the company leader obtain coaching or mentoring to improve or develop personal
character and leadership?
Criteria 2: Reinforce and Build - Communications of Ethical Practices
Describe how the organization uses internal and external communication and/or activities that help the
organization intentionally build and maintain an ethical culture and practice.
Suggestions for content:
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How are new employees informed and/or trained in the company’s ethical policies?
How is the CEO/President/Owner’s personal code of ethics communicated to employees?
Does the organization use tools or activities that model, mentor, teach or reinforce defined
character ethics as part of management communications?
Does company management use a character code or content with staff meetings?
Does the company communicate its ethical practices with vendors, customers and
stakeholders? If so, how?
Smaller companies may also consider:
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How does the company reward (recognize) demonstration of good character and ethics by
employees?
Criteria 3: Unite the Team - Organizational Commitment to Ethical Practice
Describe how the organization’s vision/mission statement is put into practice. Provide if desired, copies
of any organizational statements such as “Vision”, “Mission”, “Core”, “Business Values”, or “Purpose” in
the supporting document section with pertinent section highlighted.
Suggestions for content:
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How are these statements shared with existing and potential employees?
What measurements does the organization use to gauge progress or adherence of vision and
mission?
How does the company solicit feedback from the marketplace and staff and how do they use
this information to make adjustments to their practices to better match their vision/mission?
What has been the business’ greatest ethical challenge and how was it addressed and
communicated?
Smaller companies may also consider:
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How does the company encourage creativity/innovation and taking informed risks to advance or
improve the business?
Criteria 4: Steer Performance - Organizational Commitment to Performance Management
Practices
Describe how the organization implements the best management practices and encourages employees
to pursue and develop expertise in their areas of responsibility.
Suggestions for content:
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How does the company establish its annual goals and targets?
What measurements does the company use to evaluate progress toward each goal?
How does the organization establish department or individual objectives or targets?
How does the company use performance information to encourage, guide and motivate its
employees?
Does the organization use accountability and compensation systems for high performance?
Smaller companies may also consider:
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In what ways does the company collect and utilize customer feedback as it relates to business
performance?
Criteria 5: Treasure People - Organizational Commitment to Ethical Human Resource Practices
Describe how the company’s human resource practices prepare, support, recognize and provide
opportunities for growth in both competency and ethical behavior for staff members.
Suggestions for content:
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What hiring practices are used by the company to insure people are hired for character?
What policies and procedures does the company use to resolve ethical issues?
Does the company use disciplinary practices for low character and low competency behaviors?
How does the organization identify and recognize ethical behaviors of employees?
What are the policies and procedures the company uses to insure employees are treated fairly
and respectfully and that workplace safety is ensured?
What mechanisms does the company use for employee professional development, termination
and employee turnover rates?
Criteria 6: Enthusiastically Reinvest! - Organizational Commitment to the Community
Describe the company’s community support and service activities within their industry and community.
Suggestions for content:
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Does the company participate in industry organizations that promote best practices?
How are employees encouraged and recognized for spending time in community service
activities?
Does the company contribute funds or in-kind services to community programs that are
consistent with the organization’s values and character?
How are the company’s advertising, operations, risk management, governance, and regulatory
compliance behaviors assessed against proven standards?
Does the company have any proof of achievement with an industry benchmark for high
standards of business excellence?
Smaller companies may also consider:
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In what ways does the company leader and/or employees engage with industry executives,
associations or credentialing organizations to benchmark and stimulate self-improvement?