The Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island is set to launch its 2015 directory – celebrating business excellence.
The bureau publishes its listings of accredited businesses on Vancouver Island annually.
“These are businesses that consumers really need to be using in terms of trust,” said president Rosalind Scott, who is based in Victoria.
“For us [BBB], we always get excited to take a look at this directory of great businesses.
A business must go through a detailed vetting process in order to be accredited – it’s not as simple as just joining the Better Business Bureau.
In order to qualify, a business must have been in operation for at least a year, have no complaints logged against them, have established a positive presence in the marketplace and have a good rating with the BBB, based on specific criteria.
“Businesses must maintain their accreditation once they’ve earned it. If a business doesn’t keep to our standards then their accreditation is revoked,” Scott said.
“Nobody can walk in the door, write a cheque and say I want to be accredited.”
One of the ways the BBB celebrates businesses that have gone above and beyond is through the annual Torch Awards.
“These aren’t awards that say a business is good because the majority of our accredited business have an A+ rating,” Scott said.
Instead, the awards are for businesses that stand out from the crowd, such as community service.
Awards are given to both winners and finalists, but there are no formal categories. The categories are based on the types of nominations.
Each year the BBB receive several thousand nominations from across Vancouver Island. This Year’s Torch Awards gala is Nov. 6 in Victoria.
For more information on the Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island, go online to bbb.org/vancouver-island or call 250-386-6348.
The BBB business directory will be available across Vancouver Island at the end of the month.
