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The Twelve Concepts

These Concepts aim to record the why of our service structure in such fashion that the highly valuable experience of the past, and  the lessons we have drawn from that experience, can never be forgotten or lost.

1.  Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.

2.  The General Service Conference of A.A. has become, conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.

3.  To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of A.A.- the Conference, the  General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives- with a  traditional "Right of Decision."

4.  At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a  traditional "Right of Participation," allowing a voting representation proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.

5.  Throughout our structure, a traditional "Right of Appeal" ought to prevail, so that minority opinion   will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.

6.  The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in must world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.

7.  The Charter and Bylaws of the General Service Board are legal instruments, empowering the trustees to manage and conduct world service affairs. The  Conference Charter is not a legal  document; it relies upon tradition and the A.A. purse for final effectiveness.

8.  The Trustees are the principal planners and administrators of overall policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated and  constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities.

9.  Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustess.

10.  Every responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.

11.  The trustess should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious consultants.

12.  The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote,  and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive  nor an incitement to   public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

     The A.A. Service Manual Combined With Twelve Concepts for World Service

   Reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

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