Torch Awards for Ethics

• Lifetime use of the BBB Torch Awards Seal for advertising (as long as a “B” BBB rating is maintained)
• Torch Awards trophy presentation by BBB (virtually or in-person)
• Perpetual placement on the BBB Torch Awards website (as long as a “B” BBB rating is maintained)
• Announcements made on BBB’s social media channels

The Torch Awards is open to for-profit, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) non-profit organizations of all sizes located within BBB of Northeast California’s 24-county service areas: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, Yuba, Siskiyou.

• BBB Accreditation is not required;
• For profit and 501(c)(6) applicants must have a “B” rating with BBB;
• 501(c)(3) non-profit applicants must complete the Charitable Standards Evaluation process and meet all BBB Standards for Charity Accountability;
• Torch Award only: Organizations must have been in business for three years;
• Spark Award only: Business owners are 35 years old and under, or business owners have been operating for less than three years (as of September 16, 2024);
• All financial obligations must be met;
• Applicants are not eligible if they have received the Torch Award in the past five years;
• Government agencies are not eligible to submit an application.

Entries are evaluated by an independent, voluntary panel of judges comprised of business and community leaders. Your written submission, including examples, stories and documents, should provide a robust and accurate depiction of your organizations focus on character, culture, customers and community. Supporting documents and attachments can range from handbooks, internal documentation, or photos from events.

A company is not eligible if any of the following conditions apply:

• It has been in business for less than three years
• It has earned less than a "B" rating from BBB
• There are indications that the company has not met its financial obligations
• It has been the recipient of a Torch Award within the past five years
• It is a government agency. Government contractors can confirm their eligibility by contacting their local BBB.

There is no limit on how many businesses in each category can receive the Torch Award for Ethics each year. By using a benchmark scoring system, recipients are chosen based on whether the company meets certain criteria based on the four C’s. There is no rigid ranking system that only allows for a certain number of businesses to receive the award per category.