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
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 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:
• Is it the
TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR
to all concerned?
• Will it
build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be
BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"
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