Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1039904
hether they're in the market for a new car, plumber or electrician, furniture or a renovation contractor, consumers turn to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for reliable business ratings and reviews. The BBB seal of Accreditation on a business website or storefront window is a symbol of trust, a well-known sign that inspires consumer confidence. The longest-serving BBB in Canada, the BBB of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario was incorporated in 1930. It has worked to build and enhance trust in the marketplace for multiple generations in the communities it serves, providing guidelines to ensure accredited businesses operate with honesty and integrity. Over the years, it has expanded services to consumers and the community, providing timely information about fraudulent schemes through its Scam Tracker website and establishing the BBB Foundation to promote ethics and fairness, for example. A non-profit, non-governmental organization, the BBB is funded by accredited businesses. It conducts background checks on businesses, assures licences are up to date, posts reviews and business ratings and provides objective adjudication and mediation services to help businesses and customers resolve any issues that may arise. Accredited businesses agree to operate according to a Code of Business Practices that includes assurances they will adhere to ethical standards of trust and honesty and promise to address any complaints in a timely fashion. Businesses appreciate the benefits of instant recognition of their standards, and the BBB symbol gives consumers peace of mind, knowing they are working with a company that embraces the BBB's values. The BBB of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario works with some 1,200 accredited businesses in the region. Meet a few of them on the following pages. And learn more about services for consumers and businesses at bbb.org/manitoba. ❙ W of Building Trust in the Marketplace WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF MANITOBA AND NORTHWEST ONTARIO BUILDING TRUST BEGINS WITH ETHICS PUBLISHER Bob Cox MANAGER OF NICHE PRODUCTS Barb Borden Barb.Borden@freepress.mb.ca EDITOR Pat St. Germain pstgermain@mail.com WRITERS Wendy King Geoff Kirbyson Janine LeGal Jennifer McFee Jared Story Jim Timlick PHOTOGRAPHY Darcy Finley DESIGN Jane Chartrand View online at winnipegfreepress.com/ publications * *Trade-mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus used under license 90 YEARS