Four
Way Test
One of
the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the
world is the Rotary 4-Way Test. It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor
in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.
Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused
financial difficulties. He drew up a 24-word code of ethics for all employees
to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test 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.
Herb Taylor
became president of Rotary International in 1954-55. The 4-Way Test was
adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than a hundred
languages and published in thousands of ways. Here it is in English:
-
Is
it the Truth ?
-
Is
it Fair to all Concerned?
-
Will
it build Goodwill and better Friendships?
-
Will
it be Beneficial to all Concerned?
Thoughts
on abuse of ethics
|