Responsibility Pledge
I am Responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.

What Issue Does This Address?
In recent years (since 2022/23) the Prudent Reserves across the Fellowship has come under pressure due to declining contributions and increasing costs. With societal moves towards a cashless society and the norm of “the pound in the pot” this is likely to continue unless the trend can be reversed.
Whilst Gift Aid and Gratitude Week are good and worthy initiatives, they will not address the ongoing structural issues the Fellowship faces in terms of its ongoing funding needs from Groups
down through structure to the General Service Board. It is therefore appropriate that this issue be addressed as soon as practicable.

Has This Issue Been Discussed Before Within …
The ongoing finances of the Fellowship have been discussed extensively in Conference and all through structure in recent years. From experience this is very much a “hot topic” across the Fellowship as a whole.

How Will the Alcoholic Who Still Suffers Benefit ?
By ensuring the hand of AA will aways be there.

Primary Purpose Card (meeting opening statements) – aka

Starting a Group
Tradition 1. “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” (Long Form)
Tradition 3. “The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” (Long Form)
Tradition 4. “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.” (Long Form)
Tradition 10. “Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” (Long Form)

The General Service Conference is where AA’s collective conscience is expressed for our Fellowship as a whole. Concept One tells us that the final authority and responsibility rests with the groups. But some members/groups feel distant from the process, unsure how to connect with it.
The aim is to help all members feel connected to our collective conscience.

General Service Conference Pamphlet Unable to Find

Traditions
Tradition 1. “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” (Long Form)
Tradition 2. “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” (Long Form)
Tradition 3. “The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” (Long Form)
Tradition 4. “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.” (Long Form)
Tradition 5. “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” (Long Form)
Tradition 6. “An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” (Long Form)
Tradition 8. “Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.” (Long Form)
Tradition 10. “Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” (Long Form)
Tradition 11. “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.” (Long Form)
Tradition 12. “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” (Long Form)

Concepts
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 its world affairs.
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.

The AA Group AAGB
Primary Purpose Card

AA GB Structure Handbook – Page 100 Group Meetings
The Closed Meeting is intended for alcoholics and for those with an alcohol problem who have a desire to stop drinking.
The Open Meeting is intended for alcoholics and non alcoholics e.g. family, friends and anyone interested in AA.

When applied practically, Tradition One leads us to create safe, welcoming environments, in which the still-suffering alcoholic can recover.

In recent years, Conference discussion has given rise to literature being created by the Board and subsequently approved by Conference: it can be found in the Structure Handbook P115-123.

The General Service Board (as a charity) is required by law to hold a Safeguarding Policy.

Some members believe that the Fellowship itself should not be seen to adopt external policy frameworks, or use terms like ‘safeguarding’, as they may compromise AA’s Traditions. If groups use this question to discuss their practice of common welfare, and share with Conference their conclusions and suggestions, then we will strengthen the daily, practical application of Tradition One – in meetings, service structures, sponsorship, and Fellowship life – so that AA continues to offer a safe and unified environment in which our primary purpose (Tradition Five) can be fulfilled.

Tradition 1. “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” (Long Form)
Tradition 5. “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” (Long Form)

Guidance would ensure those in Safeguarding roles are of maximum benefit/service in supporting the groups to adhere to healthy safeguarding practices in their meetings. This, in turn would enable the group to better carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic, protect the newcomer, members and the fellowship as a whole.

Safeguarding section in

Artificial Intelligence is advancing rapidly and becoming an integral part of everyday life, already influencing how people seek help, connect with others, create content, and access information. These developments may also affect how members and newcomers encounter AA, as well as how service is carried out within the Fellowship.

For example, AI is increasingly used in online search, automated translation, content generation and interactive chat tools—areas that could help make AA’s message and services more widely accessible. At the same time, such technologies raise important concerns around anonymity, data privacy, and automation (i.e. no longer one alcoholic helping another).

It therefore seems timely for the Fellowship to consider AI’s potential impact, both positive and negative, and to decide whether shared experience or guidance is needed to ensure its use remains in line with AA’s Traditions and spiritual foundations.

Most group level roles are detailed in the Structure Handbook but this vitally important role has been overlooked.

An old AA saying is that when Daniel escaped the lion’s den with his head, he didn’t go back for his hat! However, AA newcomers are faced with the difficulties of returning to social situations at work and with friends.

The opinion of established AA members can differ on these issues. Some feel that recovering alcoholics can drink alcohol-free drinks whereas others are of the opinion that this is wrong. Some members remark that ‘non-alcoholic beer is for non-alcoholic people’.

AA Big Book references:

• These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all (‘The Doctor’s Opinion’, p. xxvi)
• If tempted, we recoil from it (alcohol) as from a hot flame (‘Into Action’, p84)