Launched in Minneapolis, BBB marks 100 years

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The Better Business Bureau, now internationally known, was launched by Minneapolis business owners 100 years ago. Fed up with shady competitors harming their trades and reputations, they sought to establish a standard of ethics for the advertising industry. Just four years later, the name “Better Business Bureau” surfaced, and has since become a cultural institution in the United States and Canada, with 122 branches across the two countries.The non-profit organization is a non-government agency whose mission focuses on integrity, honesty, and transparency in business, offering a neutral ground for mediation and resolution. While their genesis was in concerns about truth in advertising, they have grown to cover internet scams, fraud, and automobile lemon laws. The organization monitors advertising and even offers a Senior Program to educate the elderly about ongoing scams. Local chapters address the needs of the local community rather than broader national trends, with their website hosting a regular stream of regional scam-related news.Eighty-five percent of Americans prefer to work with companies accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and many identify the organization as the first thing they think of concerning business rankings. Continue Reading