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Dun & Bradstreet: 185 Years of Innovation

Dun & Bradstreet stands as a cornerstone of American commerce, marking its 185th anniversary as the nation approaches its 250th year. This venerable company has played a vital role in economic growth by enabling businesses and financial institutions to make informed decisions, build robust relationships, and drive commerce forward.

Founded in 1841 during an era of westward expansion in the U.S., Dun & Bradstreet revolutionized how businesses assess creditworthiness and manage risk, pioneering a framework that allowed commerce to flourish in expanding markets. At a time when local knowledge and personal connections were paramount, this company introduced a broader perspective to evaluate business reputation and financial standing. As the economic landscape evolved, Dun & Bradstreet adjusted to meet the needs of an increasingly interconnected global market.

Stephen Tulenko, the CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, emphasizes the company's continuous innovation. "Since 1841, we have been at the forefront of providing businesses with the tools they need to succeed. Our pioneering of standardized commercial credit ratings created a foundation upon which the modern business database is built."

The company initiated its first innovative step with a nationwide network of correspondents who reported on businesses and their leaders, recording their findings in handwritten ledgers. Remarkably, this network included four individuals who would later become U.S. presidents: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, and William McKinley. Today, those original credit report volumes can be found preserved at Harvard Business School's Baker Library, a testament to the company's historical significance.

As trade became more complex over the decades, Dun & Bradstreet adapted and introduced new systems to help businesses assess risk and trustworthiness. In 1963, they unveiled the D-U-N-S® Number—a unique identifier for businesses akin to a Social Security Number. This innovation allowed organizations to easily connect and identify companies across various systems and databases, both domestically and internationally.

Fast forward to today, and Dun & Bradstreet continues to empower companies by providing them with verified business identities and contextual grounding, enabling the safe and scalable use of artificial intelligence (AI). Anchored by the D-U-N-S® Number and powered by their DB Commercial Graph™, the company aids organizations in comprehending corporate relationships and ensures that AI operates with accurate, verified information about real businesses.

Tulenko reflects on the fundamental questions that have endured throughout the years. "The core questions in commerce—who am I doing business with, and can I rely on them—remain unchanged. However, it is no longer just humans seeking these answers; increasingly, it is AI that requires this information. Our role is to provide that verified identity and context, allowing both businesses and their AI-driven agents to act with confidence."

From its inception in the 1840s, pioneering the concept of standardized commercial credit ratings, to its current role in supporting AI workflows across major platforms like Anthropic, AWS, Databricks, Google Cloud, and OpenAI, Dun & Bradstreet’s mission has remained consistent: offering the trusted insights that drive commerce and facilitate economic growth. This dedication to innovation has positioned Dun & Bradstreet as a crucial player in the continuous evolution of American and global business.

About Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet has established itself as the backbone for businesses seeking a verified commercial identity to deploy AI effectively at scale. The D-U-N-S® Number, which originated in 1963, has become the global standard for identifying commercial entities. The company’s DB Commercial Graph™ connects and structures business identity consistently across systems, allowing AI to function on reliable, validated data. For over 180 years, businesses of all sizes have relied on Dun & Bradstreet to navigate change and accelerate growth. To learn more about Dun & Bradstreet, visit www.dnb.com.