San Diego, CA, September 29, 2003 - The Council of Better Business Bureaus today announced the winners of the 2003 Better Business Bureaus' International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. They are:
- FBL Financial Group, Inc., West Des Moines, IA (1,000+ employee category);
- The Durable Slate Company, Columbus, OH (100-999 employees);
- Baker Printing Company, Inc., Baker, LA (11-99 employees); and,
- Bea Day Plumbers, Inc., Iowa City, IA (1-10 employees).
Another seven businesses were selected to receive Honorable Mention distinction:
AFLAC Incorporated, Columbus, GA; A.J.'s Auto Repair Inc., Salem, OR; Peoria Charter Coach Company, Peoria, IL; ROEL Construction Company, Inc., San Diego, CA; Thermagas, Inc., Wichita Falls, TX; Toledo Metal Spinning Company, Toledo, OH; and, Tuckahoe Creek Construction, Inc., Richmond, VA.
The winners were announced at a special awards ceremony held in conjunction with the International Assembly of Better Business Bureaus in San Diego.
"The Better Business Bureau system established the Torch Award in 1996 to promote ethical business practices and to heighten public appreciation for the many fine businesses that serve our marketplace. It is our hope that this year's winners will serve as shining examples to companies large and small who are seeking success. The 2003 BBBs' International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics honorees are proof that businesses that do right, will do well," said Ken Hunter, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB).
Thomas J. Ryan, chair of the CBBB and senior vice president-law, general counsel and secretary, The Quaker Oats Company said, "There are many lessons to be learned from recent corporate scandals. Taking advantage of customers or investors, pursuing short-term gains and ignoring the needs of your employees or communities are paths to oblivion. The BBB Torch Award winners provide the parameters for a positive business model: serve your customers, employees, investors, suppliers, communities and even your competitors with high standards of integrity, and you will prosper over the long run."
An expert panel drawn from academic, public service, business and ethics sectors judged the 2003 competition, which featured entries from 19 states.
About the Winners:
FBL Financial Group, Inc., West Des Moines, Iowa (insurance & financial services)
Founded more than 60 years ago as the Farm Bureau insurance companies, FBL Financial Group today enjoys the success that has sprung from its long-held principles of honesty, integrity and fair dealing. Quality customer service is essential to its culture. Research shows its customers have an even greater level of company loyalty and satisfaction after a claim than before. Impressive employee tenure and excellent employee benefits testify to how well employees are served by FBL. The company provides value for shareholders and stakeholders, even in a depressed market. Many of the new governance rules formalized or called for further documentation of what was already in practice at FBL. The company and its agents are considered top-notch by state insurance departments, and its financial strength and stability is reflected in the A.M. Best ratings. It's recognized as an active and generous corporate citizen. In 2002, FBL Financial Group was awarded the BBB Integrity Award from the BBB of Central & Eastern Iowa.
The Durable Slate Company, Columbus, OH (specialty roofing & historical restoration)
Founded 16 years ago, the Durable Slate Company's commitment to provide the highest possible quality service and workmanship has helped it to grow to become one of the largest installers and restorers of slate roofs in North America. To ensure the finest craftsmanship possible, new employees take a battery of courses, art students have been hired to do intricate metal work and carpenters are trained to do roofing. Employees are trained to do things "the Durable Way": make sure each job is profitable and viable, the customer is satisfied and the work is leak proof, as well as aesthetic. A quality control person checks completed jobs. The company recovers and recycles salvaged slate and tile. Durable Slate has been instrumental in an effort to create a national organization for the slate roofing industry. Complimentary letters from customers, suppliers and industry representatives confirm that the company lives up to its commitment to integrity. In 2002, The Durable Slate Company was awarded the Central Ohio BBB Integrity Award.
Baker Printing Company, Inc., Baker, LA (commercial printing)
The Baker Printing Company has prospered over 40 years by adhering to the high ethical and moral standards emphasized by its founders and owners today, the Bishop family. The company strives to fully satisfy the needs of its customers, offering personal and timely service and helping them to prosper in their particular endeavor. It's cooperative with customers who are facing financial difficulties, helping them to recover so they can serve them in the years ahead. A majority of its staff has been with Baker more than five years, appreciative of the supportive work environment and the opportunity for personal and vocational growth. Its vendors praise Baker's honest-up-front dealings and the sincerity of its staff. Baker helps a competitor in time of need, and stays involved in the community. It actively helps to set business standards in the printing industry locally and statewide. In 2002, it won the Torch Award for Ethics in Business from the BBB of South Central Louisiana.
Bea Day Plumbers, Inc., Iowa City, IA (plumbing contractor)
Established 23 years ago, Bea Day Plumbers has grown steadily through a strong commitment to quality plumbing, customer satisfaction and promoting women in the construction trade. Most of its work comes through referrals from satisfied customers and contractors familiar with its excellent work and ethics. From bidding through final billing, Bea Day provides clear and honest information. Customers consistently praise its communications skills, neatness at the job site and attention to detail and schedules. Employees enjoy a supportive work environment, outstanding benefits package and excellent training. Bea Day supports employees' continuing education, a rarity in its industry. It has a long, positive history with like-minded contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and vendors. Bea Day recycles materials from the shop and job sites as often as possible and gives back to the community through professional affiliations and charitable efforts. In 2002 it was honored with the BBB of Central & Eastern Iowa's Integrity Award.
In addition to the four winners and seven Honorable Mention winners, two businesses were selected as finalists in the 2003 international competition: Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL and Coles Carpets & Fine Flooring, San Diego, CA.
About the BBBs' International Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics:
The Judging: The finalists and award-winning companies were selected by an independent panel of business ethics experts: Joan Koebernick, owner of Dakota-K Auto Repair & Tire Center in Arlington Heights, IL (winner of the 2000 National Torch Award); Thomas J. McBride, director-ethics & compliance, National Grid USA Service Co. (winner of the 2002 International Torch Award); Ronald Miller, a senior consultant with the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio's Foundation; Dr. Laura Nash, senior research fellow, Harvard Business School; and Dr. John Yost, professor, Bradley University.
Award Criteria: Companies were evaluated against criteria that included commitment to and demonstration of ethical practices in the marketplace; high standards of behavior toward customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and communities; truthfulness and accuracy of advertising and sales practices; ethical reputation among industry peers and in communities in which they do business; long-term value of ethics policies to shareholders, customers and employees; and training and communications programs to assist employees in carrying out established ethics policies.
Previous Recipients: For the complete list of winners dating to 1996, the year the National Torch Award was established, visit the BBB central web site at www.bbb.org/BizEthics/winners.asp.