Guiding Principles

Throughout Rotary’s history, several basic principles have been developed to guide Rotarians in achieving the ideal of service and high ethical standards.

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Object Of Rotary

First formulated in 1910 and adapted through the years as Rotary’s mission expanded, the Object of Rotary provides a succinct definition of the organization’s purpose as well as the club member’s responsibilities. 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 service 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.

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Classification Principal

By assigning each member a classification based on his or her business or profession, this system ensures that each club’s membership reflects the business and professional composition of its community. The number of members holding a particular classification is limited according to the size of the club. The goal is professional diversity, which enlivens the cub’s social atmosphere and provides a rich resource of occupational expertise to carry out service projects and provide club leadership.