Editing Better Business Bureau (section)

{{Short description|American private nonprofit organization}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                = International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
| image               = Better Business Bureau.svg
| image_size          = 100px
| type                = [[501(c)(6)#501(c)(6)|501(c)(6) non-profit organization]]
| tax_id              = 52-1070270
| registration_id     = 
| founded_date        = {{start date and age|1912}}
| founder             = 
| dissolved           = <!-- {{End date|1812|MM|DD}} -->
| headquarters            = 4250 N Fairfax Drive, Suite 600 [[Arlington, Virginia]] [[United States|U.S.]] 22203
| coordinates         = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LON|display=inline,title}} -->
| origins             = 
| area_served         = United States and Canada
| products            = BBB Business Reviews<br />[[Accreditation]] for businesses<br />[[Dispute resolution]] services
| services            = [[Rating site]]
| focus               = [[Consumer education]]<br />[[Industry self-regulation]]
| mission             = 
| method              = 
| revenue             = $215 million
| disbursed           = 
| expenses            = $20 million
| endowment           = 
| num_volunteers      = 
| num_employees       = 2,500
| num_members         = 
| affiliations        = 
| subsid              = [[BBB Wise Giving Alliance]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbb.org/us/Storage/16/Documents/BBB-WGA-2011-IRS-Form-990.pdf |title=Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax |access-date=October 17, 2013 |archive-date=April 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403052412/http://www.bbb.org/us/Storage/16/Documents/BBB-WGA-2011-IRS-Form-990.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| owner               = 
| formerly            = 
| website             = {{url|https://bbb.org/}}
| footnotes           = 
}}

The '''Better Business Bureau''' ('''BBB''') is an American private, [[501(c)(6)]] [[nonprofit organization]] founded in 1912. BBB's self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust,<ref name="BBB Mission">{{cite web|title=The Better Business Bureau Vision, Mission & Vision|url=http://www.bbb.org/council/about/vision-mission-and-values//|publisher=Council of Better Business Bureaus|access-date=December 12, 2014|archive-date=December 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213010551/http://www.bbb.org/council/about/vision-mission-and-values//|url-status=dead}}</ref> consisting of 92 independently incorporated local BBB organizations in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], coordinated under the International Association of Better Business Bureaus (IABBB) in [[Arlington, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbb.org/council/ |title=Council of Better Business Bureaus – U.S. BBB |publisher=Bbb.org |access-date=March 29, 2012 |archive-date=August 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828094753/http://www.bbb.org/council/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any governmental agency. Businesses that affiliate with BBB and adhere to its standards do so through [[industry self-regulation]]. To avoid bias, BBB's policy is to refrain from recommending or endorsing any specific business, product or service<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbb.org/council/about/frequently-asked-questions/ |title=The Better Business Bureau FAQs and Information |publisher=U.S. BBB |access-date=March 29, 2012 |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105130028/https://www.bbb.org/council/about/frequently-asked-questions/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> even though they still advocate for business interests.

The BBB rating system uses an A+ through F letter-grade scale. The grades represent BBB's degree of confidence that the business is operating in good faith and will resolve customer concerns filed with BBB. BBB's ratings are explained on its [https://www.bbb.org/overview-of-bbb-ratings Ratings Overview page].  BBB employees evaluate a business's behavior when assigning a rating.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

According to BBB, nearly 400,000 local businesses in North America were accredited as of July 2022.<ref name=annual>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbb.org/council/about/annual-reports/|title=CBBB Annual Reports|publisher=BBB|access-date=December 16, 2015|archive-date=December 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211115509/http://www.bbb.org/council/about/annual-reports/|url-status=dead}}</ref> BBB prospects successfully vetted businesses to become dues-paying 'accredited businesses' that pledge and continue to adhere to the BBB Code of Business Practices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbb.org/council/about/vision-mission-and-values/ |title=BBB Code of Business Practices |publisher=U.S. BBB |access-date=November 20, 2013 |archive-date=August 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824233622/http://www.bbb.org/council/about/vision-mission-and-values/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In return, BBB allows accredited businesses in good standing to use its trademarked logo in marketing materials.