Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
OUR VISION:
To be Louisville’s premier fellowship of business, professional and civic leaders dedicated to selfless humanitarian and civic service, improving lives in our ever-changing community and the world.
OUR MISSION:
To provide a fellowship of inspired business, professional and civic leaders with exceptional opportunities for humanitarian and civic service, while promoting integrity, understanding and goodwill on a local, national and worldwide basis. We achieve our mission by:
- Developing a strong, growing and active membership that reflects the diversity of vocations and people in our community.
- Strengthening finances to support the club and to carry out the civic, vocational and international service projects that meet the needs of the community and the world.
- Building a dedicated, well-trained and energized leadership team to guide the club and to support the District and Rotary International.
CORE VALUES & GUIDING PRINCIPLES
These core values are reflected in the Object of Rotary and The Four Way Test which we use in our daily lives.
SERVICE
We believe that our service activities and programs improve lives and communities and bring about greater understanding and peace. Through the plans and actions of our Club, we create a culture of service that not only benefits the recipients but also provides unparalleled satisfaction for those who serve.
FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship leads to tolerance and transcends racial, national and other limiting boundaries. This broadens our lives and perspectives and strengthens our ability to serve.
DIVERSITY
We believe Rotary unifies all people behind the ideal of service. We encourage diversity of vocations within our membership and in our activities and service work. Our membership reflects our business and professional community and is a key to our Club’s success.
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 fellowship of leaders and believe in offering our members lifelong opportunities to develop their leadership capabilities in service to others. As Rotarians, we are leaders in implementing our core values.
Adopted June 2012
DEI STATEMENT
The Rotary Club of Louisville’s mission is to provide a fellowship of inspired business, professional and civic leaders with exceptional opportunities for humanitarian and civic service, while promoting integrity, understanding and goodwill on a local, national, and worldwide basis.
We, as a club, cannot achieve our mission without acknowledging the inequalities in our country and our community, specifically for Black and minority Americans.
We celebrate diversity and equality. We continue to foster supportive programs for our community. We will be tenacious in creating new, innovative solutions to address community needs.
We strongly believe everyone should be heard, be respected, and be supported.
Yes, we still have much work to do. But our club is passionate in addressing these issues. Together, we can continue to foster peace, justice, and #EquityForAll.
Adopted January 2021
Rotary Club of Louisville Commitment to Vendor Diversity & Inclusion
The Rotary Club of Louisville (RCL) is committed to diversity and ensuring the fair inclusion and utilization of minority-owned vendors in daily operations. To achieve this goal, we are committed to activities that include but are not limited to:
- Attending vendor fairs that showcase minority-owned vendors
- Communicating with minority-owned vendors about opportunities to secure a business relationship/contract with RCL
- Educating RCL members about the importance of having diverse vendor sources
- Making recommendations about how to increase contracting opportunities for minority-owned vendors.
- Requesting that vendors provide a statement confirming their commitment to equal opportunity in employment and contracting and the fair inclusion of minorities and women in its workforce.
If it is determined that any vendor has not made a good faith effort to include minorities in its workforce and/or in its subcontracting activities, the RCL Board of Directors may choose to terminate the business relationship/contract
Responsibility of Club Members
RCL encourages its members to join in committing to diversity and inclusion of minorities, women, minority-owned vendors, and women-owned vendors in their workforce and subcontracting activities.
Mission
The Rotary Club of Louisville’s mission is to provide a fellowship of inspired business, professional and civic leaders with exceptional opportunities for humanitarian and civic service, while promoting integrity, understanding and goodwill on a local, national, and worldwide basis.
We cannot achieve this mission without acknowledging the inequalities in our country and our community, specifically for Black and minority Americans.
We celebrate diversity and equality.
We continue to foster supportive programs for our community.
We will be tenacious in creating new, innovative solutions to address community needs.
We strongly believe everyone should be heard, be respected, and be supported. Together, we can continue to foster peace, justice, and #EquityForAll.
Adopted January 2021
Rotary Club of
Louisville
Chartered July 23, 1912
Object of Rotary
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 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.
The Four-Way Test
The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:
Of the things we think, say or do
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
What We Do
Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 35,000+ clubs work together to:
- Promote peace
- Fight disease
- Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
- Save mothers and children
- Support education
- Grow local economies
- Protecting the environment
Declaration of Rotarians in Business 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.