Our Ethical Cornerstone

Posted by Patricia Anderson

The 4 Way Test supports Rotarian principles in life, work, and service. But the test was not always part of Rotary--it began with one member who set out to save a failing business . . .

A Brief History of the 4 Way Test

1932: Chicago Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor devised the 4 Way Test, a set of ethical guidelines to bolster the corporate culture of the nearly bankrupt Club Aluminum Company.

1937: Club Aluminum recovered, thanks in large part to a new climate of trust and goodwill among dealers, customers, suppliers, and employees.

1943: Rotary International adopted Taylor's 4 Way Test to bring "old-fashioned" moral values to the Vocational Service program.

1955: Taylor transferred the 4 Way Test copyright to Rotary International to help mark the organization's 50th anniversary.

1955-1999: The 4 Way Test became the ethical compass of new generations of Rotarians. It reached beyond Rotary to inspire everything from safe-driving courses, fire-prevention programs, and crime-reduction campaigns, to labor contracts, collective agreements, assorted essays, and even a Master's thesis: "The 4 Way Test: A Viable Philosophy for Contemporary Managers."

The Continuing History of the 4 Way Test

September 2000: Rotarians William Hodges and William G. B. Gant published a thoughtful article about the real-life relevance of the 4 Way Test--in the private sector, where we run our businesses, and in the public sector, where our governments operate.

To read the article, go to: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/pics/oz/rotary.pdf

2000-present: The 4 Way Test is alive, well, and at the heart of Rotary. For good reason, all Rotarians know--or should know--"The 4 Way Test 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?

As Hodges and Gant observed, the value is clear: "The 4 Way Test will guide those who dare to use it for the worthy objective of developing high ethical and moral standards. It is eloquent in its simplicity, stunning in its power, and undeniable in its results."

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