Global Obligations Key Principles

These Key Principles are taken from the Trust Deed of the Global Obligations Establishment Trust. There is no doubt some of these principles could be better phrased. We have the opportunity to improve them in the final outcome.

Please email any suggested improvements to Info@GlobalObligations.com

I. Global Obligations must encourage, by appropriate marketing and a multi-facetted admissions policy, a globally distributed membership, from all ethnic groups and nationalities, avoiding unfair discrimination on the basis of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual preference, political belief, etc, but accepting as Members those who support the society’s goals in an order which maintains the society's ongoing viability.

II. Global Obligations must provide, on a binding contractual basis (within legal and financial constraints so that the organisation will remain viable) a comprehensive and integrated range of services that protect the members’ political and civil rights and supports its members against the vicissitudes of nature and human frailty, particularly against commercial organisations or other agencies that infringe on those rights.

III. Global Obligations must tithe its Members progressively, so that those who are able contribute more, and those who are needy less, to alleviate poverty and reduce the impact of unfair inequalities of income or wealth.

IV. Global Obligations’ policies and regulations must be determined by Representatives nominated by Members regardless of their place of residence or business, where Members are not compelled and may choose not to nominate any representative. Those members who nominate a particular representative are said to be in the same electoral group. Where more than a quota of members nominate a member, defined procedures will provide a method of defining a "party ticket" and associating members with a particular representative according to the wishes of those on the ticket. Where a representative loses support of the requisite quota of members their term of office will cease.

V. Global Obligations policies will be determined by the nominated Representatives who will nominate more senior Representatives to the next representational level until the number of Representatives at the level is manageable and represents the peak legislative body. Higher level Representatives may make policy decisions that do not contradict those made by the majority at the lower level and the lowest level is subject to policy determined by a referendum of Members. The Executive is appointed by and responsible to the most senior Representatives. The Executive will supply to the most senior Representatives any information and data held by the society requested by a significant minority or more of the most senior Representatives.

VI. Global Obligations must deliver to its members services via broadly skilled Service Officers, appointed by the Executive, who are responsible for a defined set of Members (which may or may not coincide with an electoral group) so that the Service Officer can become personally familiar with each Member in their charge, and under appropriate controls have sufficient security of tenure to advocate on behalf of the Members.

VII. Global Obligations is based on the understanding that the receipt of benefits by a Member imposes reciprocal obligations on the Member, payable when the member is deemed able to do so or when the Member resigns at the society's discretion, but this obligation is waived on the Member's death or total and permanent incapacity. Volunteer services by members will be treated as credits on this account.

VIII. Global Obligations will maintain a professional Executive structure, in which paid staff carry out key functions of the organisation according to policy set by the elected Representatives. The Executive will facilitate the management of the representative, service delivery and arbitration structures, as well as draft policy for consideration by the Representatives and implement policy as required.

IX. Global Obligations will include an internal dispute resolution structure that will provide for independent, professional arbitration, of any disputes between Members, Representatives, Service Officers, the Executive or staff, or lower level Arbiters, where the decisions by the Arbiters are mandatory and enforceable by the Arbiter if necessary. The senior Arbiters will be appointed by resolution of the most senior Representatives on the Executive’s recommendation, ultimately effectively for life. Subordinate Arbiters will be appointed by the more senior Arbiters, with provisions for their decisions may be appealed to the more Senior Arbiters. Arbiters are entitled to obtain and access all relevant information, including policy and procedures and individual data. Arbiters will act on the principles of natural justice, and may seek as well as hear evidence.

X. Global Obligations will maintain a separation of powers, to clearly distinguish between

§ Advocacy and policy making by nominated Representatives

§ Advocacy and service delivery by appointed Service Officers

§ Arbitration by independent Arbiters

§ The Executive arm which implement policy and supports the above structures.

XI. Global Obligations will be run in a financially prudent manner, with appropriate risk management strategies, provision for future liabilities, open and transparent accounting procedures which are externally and independently audited, written public policies and procedures, consistent with the preservation of the privacy of Members and agents of the society. Salaries of members' Representatives, Service Officers, the Executive and Arbiters will be determined by an independent body.

XII. Global Obligations will seek to accrue capital, and unless requested otherwise by the donor, apply donations (other than ongoing tithes) to a capital investment account, to provide ongoing income from the investments, which will be used to redistribute income and wealth from the rich to the poor, and to make provisions against future liabilities and to provide commercial and political influence to the society.

XIII. Global Obligations will accommodate a diversity of Members' needs and accommodate different circumstance by the active support of Special Interest Groups of Members, of which membership is entirely voluntary, which may impose additional levies, have supplementary management structures, and provide additional benefits as the management of the Special Interest Group thinks fit which are compatible with the goals of the society.

XIV. Global Obligations will be structured as legal entities designed to operate on a global scale, subject to the rule of law of the democratic countries in which it operates and bound by legally enforceable contracts.

XV. Global Obligations will advocate civil order, the rule of law, democracy, freedom of thought opinion and expression, freedom of association, non-violence, peace and sustainable development.

XVI. Global Obligations will be pro-active and assertive in its approach to the degree practical according to the resources available and the potential benefits to the members.

XVII. Global Obligations will initially operate under interim arrangements which will apply while the legal, policy and management infrastructure of the organisation are being established, then operate under formal arrangements suitable for a small scale organisation while it is in its initiation phase, and progress to more complex checks and balances as it reaches an appropriate number of members or capital.

To contact send email to: Info@GlobalObligations.com. Home Page:www.GlobalObligations.com

Address: Global Obligations Establishment Trust, G.P.O. Box 2004, Melbourne, 3001 Australia

Copyright © 2000 Global Obligations Establishment Trust, Version 2.1 October 2000