The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, USA, was formed on 23 February 1905 by Paul P. Harris. The name "Rotary" derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices.

As Rotary grew, Rotarians began contributing their talents to help serve communities in need. This is reflected in Rotary's principal motto: Service Above Self.

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 serve 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.

Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions

The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions was adopted by the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1989 to provide more specific guidelines for the high ethical standards called for in the Object of Rotary:

As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:

• Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve;
• Be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community;
• Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation;
• Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship;
• Recognize the honor and respect due to all occupations which are useful to society;
• Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community;
• Adhere to honesty in my advertising and in all representations to the public concerning my business or profession;
• Neither seek from nor grant to a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship.

Rotarians follow the 4-Way Test in their daily lives:

The Four-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?