Everything you need to know about IBT certification — for consumers and businesses alike.
The International Bureau of Trust is an independent certification body that verifies business client satisfaction using acceptance sampling statistics and identity-confirmed responses. We are not a review platform — we independently contact a business's actual clients, verify their identity, and apply a published statistical formula to determine whether the business meets our certification standard.
Google and Yelp accept anonymous reviews from anyone. They do not verify that the reviewer was actually a client. They have no statistical standard for what constitutes verified satisfaction. IBT contacts only verified clients, confirms each respondent's identity before counting their answer, and uses acceptance sampling theory to determine a pass/fail outcome. The business cannot influence the process.
BBB accreditation is based on business practices, membership fees, and complaint resolution history — not on what actual clients think of the business. BBB does not contact your clients. IBT exists specifically to answer one question: are this business's clients genuinely satisfied? That question requires talking to clients.
No. The client list is verified against two independent sources before outreach begins. The outreach sequence is randomized by IBT — the business doesn't know who we'll contact or when. The business has zero access to individual responses during the evidence window. The mathematical outcome cannot be overridden by any IBT staff member. Businesses who submit fraudulent client lists face a 24-month reapplication bar.
Pricing is calculated from a published formula: Raw fee = (n × $50 + N × $3) × Impact Tier × Contract Size Multiplier, then classified into a fee class (always rounding up to the nearest $1,000, minimum $500). The full pricing table is available on the Pricing page. There are no hidden fees.
The evidence window is 90 days from the start of outreach. The decision is issued within 5 business days after the window closes. Total timeline from application to certificate is typically 95–100 days.
Failed businesses receive a full statistical result report showing their sample size, response breakdown, ratio, and exactly how they compared to the threshold. They may reapply after 90 days. IBT does not publicly list failed assessments.
Use the Certificate Verification page. Enter the certificate ID (format: IBT-YYYY-NNNN) to instantly see the business's name, standing, satisfaction rate, response count, and expiration date.
A Standing (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) is awarded to passing businesses based on the volume of verified positive responses they received. Bronze requires meeting the base certification threshold. Each higher standing requires both a higher satisfaction ratio and more verified positives — proving trust at increasing scale.
Certificates are valid for 12 months. Renewal requires a full re-assessment from scratch. N resets to clients served in the 12 months before the new application date. Businesses may apply up to 60 days early and receive a 'Renewal Pending' status. Failed renewals revoke the existing certificate immediately.
Yes. The IBT Master Specification (v2.0) is available for download on the For Auditors page and covers the full statistical methodology, governance structure, appeals process, survey instrument, and all operational procedures. The core methodology is summarized on the Methodology page.
IBT certifies businesses in all industries across three tiers: Expressive (creative and aesthetic services), Generative (revenue-driving services), and Fiduciary (health, safety, legal, and financial services). The tier reflects the consequence of a business failing to deliver — not a judgment of importance.