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Twelve Concepts of Alcoholics Anonymous



The Twelve Concepts of AA do for AA as a world-wide organizations what the 12 Steps do for personal recovery and what the 12 Traditions do for
harmonious and effective functioning of AA Groups.(More information about
AA's 12 Steps and 12 Traditions can be found in the AA books, Alcoholics
Anonymous and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.)
The 12 Concepts for World Service provide the framework within which AA as
a world-wide organization functions. The 12 Concepts are listed below in
"short form." For a detailed explanation on how they operate, obtain a
copy of the AA book, The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts for World Service by Bill W., 1997-1998 Edition.

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, for nearly every
practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our
whole Society in 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 in reasonable 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 most 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 trustees.
10.Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service
authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
11.The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate
service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition,
qualification, induction procedures, and the rights and duties will always
be matters of serious concern.
12.The Conference shall observe the spirit of AA. 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.
From The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts for World
Service by Bill W., 1997-1998 Edition, preceding the introduction to the
12 Concepts.