The BrandLaureate Accreditation Council TBAC | IBES
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Definition of TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard

What is TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard?

TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard is a brand excellence standard published by TBAC, The BrandLaureate Accreditation Council. TBAC is under The World Brands Foundation (TWBF). The standard checks a whole brand against Six Trust Pillars. A brand that meets the required score receives a BrandMark, valid for three years.

Who publishes TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard

TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard is published by TBAC, The BrandLaureate Accreditation Council. TBAC is under The World Brands Foundation (TWBF). The BrandLaureate awards are a separate program. TBLE (The BrandLaureate Education) provides complementary services and invoices them separately. See About TBAC and governance.

What TBAC | IBES checks: the Six Trust Pillars

TBAC | IBES checks a whole brand, not one person and not one campaign. Every brand is scored on the same six pillars.

  • Pillar 1: Brand Strategy and Position. Purpose, audience, difference, consistency across countries and channels.
  • Pillar 2: Governance and Brand Care. Who owns brand decisions, guidelines, trademarks, crisis plan.
  • Pillar 3: Customer and Staff Experience. Loyalty, staff living the brand, partner experience.
  • Pillar 4: Money and Market Strength. Brand-linked revenue, pricing power, share, healthy numbers.
  • Pillar 5: New Ideas and Change. Pipeline, listening, improvement.
  • Pillar 6: Ethics, Environment, and Trust. True claims, sustainability, community, complaints handled well.

See the full table on the BrandMark Pathway page.

What a brand receives: the BrandMark

Each pillar receives Trust Points from one to five. An average of 3.0 or higher, with no pillar below 2, earns a BrandMark. There are three tiers: Verified BrandMark, Distinguished BrandMark and Icon BrandMark. A BrandMark is valid for three years. Brands appear in the public BrandMark Registry.

How it works: three steps

  1. BRAND ALLY. Join the Brand Alliance. This is automatic and has no review.
  2. Brand Aspirant. Hold up the Brand Mirror: write a Brand Story and place 24 pieces of evidence in the Proof Vault. This takes 4 to 6 weeks.
  3. BrandMark. A reviewer assesses the file and recommends a result. The BrandMark Council gives the final approval. This takes 3 to 4 weeks.

Most brands finish in 8 to 12 weeks. See the BrandMark Pathway and the fees.

What TBAC | IBES is separate from

  • TBAC | IBES is a brand excellence standard; it is separate from academic or education accreditation.
  • It is not an award. The BrandLaureate awards recognize what a brand has already achieved. The BrandMark is based on evidence, a score and an independent review.
  • The free Brand Snapshot is not an accreditation decision. It is a self-check.

Who can use it

Any brand-owning organization in any country can join, from a pre-revenue startup to a large multinational. There are four size tiers: Emerging BRAND ALLY, SME, Corporate, and Institutional or Multinational.

How independence is kept

The BrandMark Council is kept separate from sales, membership and consulting, in both structure and money. Council members receive no bonus tied to a yes or a no. A brand that does not earn the BrandMark can request a Second Look Review within 30 days.

Questions and answers

  • What is TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard?

    TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard is a brand excellence standard published by TBAC, The BrandLaureate Accreditation Council. TBAC is under The World Brands Foundation (TWBF). The standard checks a whole brand against Six Trust Pillars. A brand that meets the required score receives a BrandMark, valid for three years.

  • How is TBAC | IBES different from academic or education accreditation?

    TBAC | IBES - International Brand Excellence Standard is a brand excellence standard. It checks a whole brand and issues a BrandMark, which is a brand seal. It is separate from academic or education accreditation.

  • Is the Brand Snapshot free?

    Yes. The Brand Snapshot is a free self-check with 24 questions. It takes about 10 minutes and gives an instant score.

  • How long does it take to earn a BrandMark?

    Most brands earn the BrandMark in 8 to 12 weeks. Large, multi-country brands may take up to 16 weeks. A BrandMark is valid for three years.

Take the free TBAC | IBES Brand Snapshot Read all FAQs Glossary