Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland collaborated with Cleveland's Department of Aging to develop the Age-Friendly Business Certification. This program promotes age-friendly business practices and certifies Cleveland businesses as age-friendly.
The City of Cleveland was designated as an Age-friendly City by the World Health Organization and joined the Global Network of Age Friendly Cities (GNAFC) in 2014. The following year they continued to grow by joining the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities.
In 2018, Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland collaborated with Cleveland's Department of Aging to develop the Age-Friendly Business Certification. This initiative works within BBB's Educational Foundation through the Senior Awareness Initiative, which helps educate older consumers to create an ethical marketplace.
The Age-Friendly Business Certification was created to continue these organizations efforts by educating, training, and promoting age-friendly Cleveland businesses that engage older adults through changes in marketing, store design and service.
An Age-Friendly Business should welcome older adult consumers and work towards meeting the needs of this diverse and economically powerful consumer base.
This program promotes age-friendly business practices and certifies Cleveland businesses are age-friendly through a review process of their physical environment, staff and personnel, marketing and customer experience. Once the business goes through a review process, they must complete an age sensitivity training.
