Our Values Define Us

When we consider asking a person to join Rotary, what are the guiding principles of what we as Rotary are about? What would the ideal candidate represent for the Rotary club of today or even tomorrow?

In the past, there was this unwritten desire that a Rotarian would be the owner of their business and represent leadership. They would have control over their schedule to allow weekly attendance that was mandatory. They would be financially supportive of the club activities and foundation. While all important ideals, the business of Rotary should be about providing service and the training of leaders.

Our ability to take any member’s passions and create local and global Rotary connections with financial support from one of the world’s strongest foundations. This separates Rotary from any other organization.

Our members should represent a quality of character and values that will grow Rotary. Our Rotary Core Values have been and should be our priority for how we recruit and invite potential members.

Core Values

Rotary’s core values represent the guiding principles of the organization’s culture, including what guides members’ priorities and actions within the organization. Values are an increasingly important component in strategic planning because they drive the intent and direction of the organization’s leadership.

SERVICE

We believe that our service activities and programs bring about greater world understanding and peace. Service is a major element of our mission. Through the plans and actions of individual clubs, we create a culture of service throughout our organization that provides unparalleled satisfaction for those who serve.

FELLOWSHIP

We believe that individual efforts focus on individual needs, but combined efforts serve humanity. The power of combined efforts knows no limitation, multiplies resources, and broadens our lives and perspectives. Fellowship leads to tolerance and transcends racial, national, and other boundaries.

DIVERSITY

We believe Rotary unifies all people internationally behind the ideal of service. We encourage diversity of vocations within our membership and in our activities and service work. A club that reflects its business and professional community is a club with a key to its future.

INTEGRITY

We are committed to and expect accountability from our leaders and fellow members, both in the results of our efforts and in the processes we use to accomplish our goals. We adhere to high ethical and professional standards in our work and personal relationships. We are fair and respectful in our interactions, and we conscientiously steward the resources entrusted to us.

LEADERSHIP

We are a global fellowship of individuals who are leaders in their fields of endeavor. We believe in the importance of leadership development and in leadership as a quality of our members. As Rotarians, we are leaders in implementing our core values.

All of these core values are reflected in the Object of Rotary and The Four-Way Test, which we use in our daily lives. They inspire us to foster and support the ideal of service for developing and maintaining integrity in human relations.

Rotary's DEI Commitment