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
4-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 code of ethics 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 4-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: 1.
Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR
to all concerned?
3. Will it build
GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be
BENEFICIAL to all concerned?" |
