2017 Torch Awards open for nominations

SPOKANE — Better Business Bureau Serving the Northwest is honoring businesses with a commitment to trust and integrity with the 2017 Business of the Year Torch Awards.

The BBB Torch Awards program was created to honor companies, charities and employees who demonstrate a high level of personal character, integrity and ensure that the organization’s practices meet the highest standards of ethics. These employees and organizations generate a high level of trust among their staff, customers and communities.

Have a business in mind that demonstrates excellence in the marketplace? Nominate a business, individual or charity for any of the three awards by the Aug. 14 deadline. Self-nominations are accepted.

Categories include:

Business of the Year: Honors businesses that demonstrate a commitment to ethics, integrity and building trust in the marketplace.

Charity of the Year: Honors a 501(c)(3) organization that demonstrates its effectiveness in impacting positive change in its community in an ethical and responsible way.

Exceptional Employee Award: Recognizes an employee of an organization that meets the Torch Awards requirements, who demonstrates a daily commitment to providing exceptional customer service and illuminates the importance of establishing a positive reputation and public image of the organization.

A Business of the Year recipient will be named in each region that BBB Serving the Northwest serves, including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Eastern Washington and Western Washington. One recipient from the Northwest territory will receive awards for each of the other two categories, charity of the year and employee of the year.

Entries are evaluated by independent, voluntary panels of judges comprised of business and community leaders. Businesses of all sizes are eligible to apply for this award.

To learn more about the Torch Awards criteria, or to make a nomination, visit go.bbb.org/nw-2017TorchAwards.