Abilities First recognized for ethical standards

For the first time in its 54-year history, Abilities First has received the Cincinnati Better Business Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.

Candidates for the awards were evaluated by an independent panel of judges selected from the business, nonprofit, and academic community using the following criteria and standards:

  • High ethical standards of behavior toward customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees, and communities in which they do business
  • Demonstrated ethical practices surrounding their buyer/seller relationship
  • Longstanding history/reputation of ethical practices in the marketplace
  • Marketing, advertising, communications, and sales practices which reflect a true representation of what is being offered in the marketplace
  • Acknowledgment of ethical marketplace practices by industry peers and in the communities where they do business
  • Management practices and policies that give long-term value to shareholders, customers, employees, vendors, and surrounding communities
  • Training programs that assist employees in carrying out established ethics policies

The agency’s executive director, Karen Smith, said the Torch Award showed that Abilities First was following ethical standards and it was “good to reaffirm that our standards, processes, and decision making are based on ethics and integrity.”

The award, she said, demonstrates to those who have family at Abilities First or are donors, that every decision there is “based on integrity.”

She said Abilities First has applied for the award three other times over the years.

Abilities First has provided services for children and adults with disabilities since 1958 beginning as Doty House. Programs include: two residential facilities, inclusive early childhood learning center, pediatric therapies, employment services for adults with disabilities, adult day program, community living homes, and a preschool for children with autism.

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