bbb torch awards for ethics and torch logo on a gold and black background with gallagher logo

27th Annual BBB Torch Awards for Ethics in Chicago

When:  Thursday, November 16, 2023
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Networking
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Luncheon

Where:  Drury Lane Theatre
100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181      

Ticket price
$150/ticket

For tickets and sponsorship inquiries, please email events@chicago.bbb.org

The 2023 Torch Awards are no longer accepting entries. Stay tuned for the announcement of this year's winners!

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headshot of jim kirk on a gold and black background with the text special guest speaker in gold
Guest speaker: Jim Kirk

Jim Kirk is Group Publisher and Executive Editor, overseeing all business and editorial operations of Crain’s Chicago Business as well as sister publications in New York, Cleveland, Detroit and Grand Rapids.

A veteran of Chicago journalism and publishing circles, Kirk rejoined Crain's in October 2018 as publisher and executive editor. Prior to that, he was editor in chief of the Los Angeles Times when it was owned by the Chicago Tribune's parent company, Tribune Publishing. Before joining Tribune Publishing in 2017 as senior vice president of strategic initiatives, he served as senior vice president, editor and publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times for five years.

Kirk was Crain's Chicago Business' chief of editorial operations from 2011 to 2012.

A native of the Chicago area, Kirk also worked in the Washington bureau of Bloomberg News, overseeing coverage of the White House, Congress and federal agencies.

He started his journalism career in Chicago at Grocery Marketing magazine and Adweek magazine in the early 1990s. He's a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, has served on the board of the Illinois Press Association and is a past president of Illinois Associated Press Media Editors.

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Emcee: Hosea Sanders

Hosea Sanders is a 17-time Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist. Since joining ABC 7 Chicago in 1994, he has played a major role serving as News Anchor, Entertainment Reporter and program host at Chicago's top-rated station. Sanders provides entertainment coverage for ABC 7 Chicago and other ABC owned-and-operated stations across the country. He also presents the "Chicago Proud" series of stories which give voice to everyday Chicago area heroes. In addition, Sanders spotlights the differently-abled community in a regular series of stories called "Celebrating Abilities." His reporting on this beat was lauded in a story published in the Columbia Journalism Review.

On the programming side, Sanders hosts ABC 7's Emmy Award-winning series, "Our Chicago: Black Voices of Change" (formerly "Heart & Soul"), which showcases Chicago's vibrant African American community. He also helps host one of the highest rated local shows in Chicago, the popular New Year's Eve special, "Countdown Chicago", as well as ABC 7's Bud Billiken Parade, the largest African-American parade in the nation. In addition, he is one of the faces of the ABC 7 Great Chicago Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross of Illinois, as well as the station's annual food drive campaign benefitting Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Sanders is in constant demand nationally as a public speaker and has received more than 100 awards for community service.

He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and has worked at TV stations in Los Angeles, Dallas and Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Chicago Association of Black Journalists, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

About the Torch Awards for Ethics

About the Torch Awards

The Annual Chicago Better Business Bureau Torch Awards celebration acknowledges local organizations that embody the ethical business practices and tenets of trust.

Our Torch Award recipients are recognized for the effort and importance they place on conducting business with honesty and integrity. The four key criteria that entries will be judged on are: character, culture, customers, and community. Earning these prestigious awards demonstrates that a business embraces the high standards promoted by the BBB and consistently embodies those standards in its daily operations.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for the Torch Awards competition, a business must be in operation for at least three years as of November 16, 2023. Three years of continuous operation is required for a business to be eligible for a Torch Award in order to have a sufficient record of business performance for this award.

To be eligible for a Firestarter Award, businesses must be in operation for one to just under three years as of November 16, 2023. At least one year of experience is required to show the business has the capability of effectively serving a customer/client base.

Must have at least an “A-” rating in the BBB database, unless your organization is a business association. The BBB reviews both accredited and non-accredited businesses. BBB ratings range from A+ to F. No less than an “A-” rating is required for acceptance into the Torch Awards and Firestarter Awards.

**BBB Accreditation is not required to receive a Torch or Firestarter Award. However, entrants must have a BBB profile in our database to qualify. If your business does not have a BBB profile, please fill out this form.

**Please view the application for more eligibility requirements.

Categories

The Torch Awards are given in six available categories, based upon the number of employees/company size:

You must first have a BBB profile in our database to qualify. If your business does not have a BBB profile, please fill out this form.

  • 1 - 9 employees
  • 10 - 49 employees
  • 50 - 99 employees
  • 100 - 499 employees
  • 500 - 1,499 employees
  • 1,500+ employees

Two additional categories include:

  • Minority-Owned and Operated (ownership must be at least 51%)
  • Women-Owned and Operated (ownership must be at least 51%)

View the 26th Annual Torch Awards Program

Last year's Torch Awards event was an incredible event. Whether you missed it or just want to relive the fun, you can view the guest speakers and the winners below!