The Twelve Concepts of OA Service
 

               1.The ultimate responsibility and authority for OA world services reside in
                 the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.

               2.The OA groups have delegated to the World Service Business
                 Conference the active maintenance of our world services; thus, the
                 World Service Business Conference is the voice, authority and effective
                 conscience of OA as a whole.

               3.The Right of Decision, based on trust, makes effective leadership
                 possible.

               4.The Right of Participation ensures equality of opportunity for all in the
                 decision-making process.

               5.Individuals have the right of appeal and petition in order to ensure that
                 their opinions and personal grievances will be carefully considered.

               6.The World Service Business Conference has entrusted the Board of
                 Trustees with the primary responsibility for the administration of
                 Overeaters Anonymous.

               7.The Board of Trustees has legal rights and responsibilities accorded to
                 them by OA Bylaws Subpart A; the rights and responsibilities of the
                 World Service Business Conference are accorded to it by Tradition and
                 by OA Bylaws Subpart B.

               8.The Board of Trustees has delegated to its Executive Committee the
                 responsibility to administer the OA World Service Office.

               9.Able, trusted servants, together with sound and appropriate methods of
                 choosing them, are indispensable for effective functioning at all service
                 levels.

              10.Service responsibility is balanced by carefully defined service authority;
                 therefore, duplication of efforts is avoided.

              11.Trustee administration of the World Service Office should always be
                 assisted by the best standing committees, executives, staffs and
                 consultants.

              12.The spiritual foundation for OA service ensures that:
                    A.no OA committee or service body shall ever become the seat of
                      perilous wealth or power;
                    B.sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, shall be OA's
                      prudent financial principle;
                   C.no OA member shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified
                      authority;
                   D.all important decisions shall be reached by discussion, vote and,
                      whenever possible, by substantial unanimity;
                   E.no service action shall ever be personally punitive or an
                      incitement to public controversy; and
                   F.no OA service committee or service board shall ever perform acts
                      of government, and each shall always remain democratic in
                      thought and action.