Rotary is an organisation of business and professional leaders united world-wide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Rotarians are members of their respective clubs. The Rotary clubs are members of Rotary International. Rotary International (RI) is the association of Rotary clubs throughout the world. The membership of RI consists of member Rotary clubs which continue to perform the obligations imposed by the constitutional documents.
The purposes of Rotary International are:
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to encourage, promote, extend and supervise Rotary throughout the world;
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to co-ordinate and generally direct the activities of RI.
Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
FIRST
The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND
High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD
The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH
The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
The Mission of Rotary International
The mission of Rotary International is to assist Rotarians and Rotary clubs to accomplish the Object of Rotary and, at this particular time in Rotary’s development, to focus primary emphasis upon service activities by individuals and groups that enhance the quality of life and human dignity and create greater understanding among all people to advance the search for peace in the world.
The Four Way Test
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world’s most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.
This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
“Of the things we think, say or do:
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Is it the TRUTH?
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Is it FAIR to all concerned?
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Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
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Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”
French
Les 4 chemins des choses que l’on pense, disons et faisons:
Est ce vrai?
Est ce juste pour tous?
Est ce que cela construira une valeur sociale & une meilleure amities?
Est ce que cela sera benefique a tous?
Zulu
Kuyiqiniso na?
Yamkela wonke umuntu na?
Yakha ubuntu nobumbano na?
Izonelisa wonke umuntu?
Tswana
A kenite na?
Amogela batho kawufela?
Uaga botho na?
Hugotsofatsa batho kawufela?