1.1. Core Mission Statement
Preamble
The Core Mission is the indispensable, public-serving mandate of [Institution Name]. It is the fundamental reason our institution exists and is granted trust by society. All institutional activities, policies, and resources are subordinate to, and in service of, this mission.
Our Core Mission
The Core Mission of [Institution Name] is to:
[Insert the institution’s specific, non-negotiable Core Mission. This must be a clear, operational, and public-serving mandate, not a list of abstract values. See examples below.]
Examples of Core Missions:
- [For a University/School]: To advance and disseminate knowledge, educate students, and develop informed citizens through open inquiry, research, and teaching.
- [For a Hospital/Healthcare System]: To protect health and save lives through patient care, treatment, and healing, provided to all who seek it.
- [For a Bank/Financial Institution]: To provide stable and reliable financial services that facilitate economic activity, including safe banking, fair access to credit, and impartial payment processing.
- [For a Court/Judiciary]: To uphold the rule of law and deliver fair, impartial, and independent justice to all parties.
- [For a Law Firm]: To provide diligent and loyal legal representation to clients and uphold the administration of justice
- [For a Media Organization]: To inform the public truthfully and hold the powerful accountable through fair, impartial, and accurate reporting.
This mission is protected by the Fundamental Duty of our professionals (e.g., a doctor’s duty of care, a banker’s duty of fair access, an educator’s duty to truth), which serves as an internal “firewall” against any agenda that would compromise this mission.
1.2. Charter of Institutional Neutrality
Article 1: Preamble and Purpose
To effectively fulfill our Core Mission, [Institution Name] must serve and earn the trust of all members of society, regardless of their beliefs or political affiliations. Our institution’s legitimacy and influence are derived from our professional competence and our impartial dedication to our mission.
The purpose of this Charter is to protect our Core Mission by establishing a policy of Institutional Neutrality. This principle is not rooted in indifference, insensitivity, or a lack of courage. It arises from the recognition that our institution is a “home and sponsor of critics; it is not itself the critic”. It is a necessary “governance posture” to sustain an “extraordinary environment of freedom of inquiry” and protect the “widest diversity of views” essential to our work.
Article 2: The Principle of Institutional Neutrality
[Institution Name], as a corporate institution, shall not take collective action or issue official positions on social, political, or ideological issues that do not directly concern the fulfillment of our Core Mission.
The institution must “maintain an independence from political fashions, passions, and pressures”. Taking an “official” institutional stance on a contested issue “endanger[s] the conditions for its existence” by:
- Chilling Expression: It “chill[s] debate” and discourages community members from exploring or dissenting from the “orthodox” position.
- Censoring Minorities: It “censor[s] any minority who do not agree with the view adopted”, effectively dividing the community and alienating those we are obligated to serve.
- Diverting from the Mission: It permits the institution to be “diverted from its mission into playing the role of a second-rate political force”.
This “general principle of institutional reserve” (réserve institutionnelle) ensures that we remain focused on our primary functions and maintain the “pluralisme des opinions” (pluralism of opinions) within our community.
Article 3: Distinction Between Institutional and Individual Expression
This policy of neutrality applies to [Institution Name] as a corporate body and to its official units (e.g., departments, administrative offices, divisions).
This policy does not apply to individuals. Its neutrality is the necessary complement to the “fullest freedom for its faculty and students [or employees] as individuals to participate in political action and social protest”.
All members of our community are free to express their personal views, advocate for causes, and engage in public debate, provided they do so in their individual capacity and do not purport to speak for or on behalf of [Institution Name].
Article 4: Exceptions and the Duty to Speak
Institutional Neutrality does not imply “désengagement” (disengagement) or silence in all matters. A “heavy presumption” exists against the institution taking a position. However, that presumption is overcome in two specific contexts:
- Defense of the Core Mission: In the “exceptional instance” where society or segments of it “threaten the very mission of the [institution] and its values”, it becomes the “obligation of the [institution] as an institution to oppose such measures and actively to defend its interests and its values”.
- Examples include:
- [For a University]: Resisting a government mandate that curtails academic freedom or dictates curriculum content.
- [For a Hospital]: Opposing a law that forces clinicians to violate their duty of care or deny legal treatments.
- [For a Bank]: Contesting regulations that would require the denial of essential services based on political or religious belief.
- Defense of Institutional Operations: The institution may take positions on public policy matters that directly concern its “mission and its activities” or its ability to function.
- Examples include: Policies regarding [e.g., research funding, healthcare accreditation, banking regulations, judicial administration, campus safety, or the institution’s own non-discrimination policies in hiring and operations].
In these rare cases, any institutional statement shall be issued by [The President / CEO / Board of Governors] and will “articulate the significance of that issue to our… community” and its mission.
1.3. Individual Commitment to Principles
Preamble
As a member of the [Institution Name] community ([e.g., employee, faculty member, clinician, staff]), I have reviewed and understood the institution’s Core Mission Statement (1.1) and its Charter of Institutional Neutrality (1.2).
I recognize that the success of our Core Mission depends on a shared culture of professional dedication, open inquiry, and mutual respect.
My Commitment
By signing this document, I affirm my commitment to upholding the following principles:
- Primacy of the Core Mission: I will faithfully execute the Fundamental Duty associated with my professional role.
- [For Clinical Staff]: My primary duty is the “duty of care to every patient”.
- [For Educators/Faculty]: My primary duty is the “duty of truth and academic freedom” in my teaching and research.
- [For Financial Staff]: My primary duty is the “duty of fair access and fiduciary integrity” for all customers.
- [For Judiciary/Legal Staff]: My primary duty is the “duty of impartiality and independence”.
- [For All Staff]: I will not allow my personal beliefs or any external political, ideological, or religious agenda to compel me to violate this Fundamental Duty or subordinate the Core Mission.
- Institutional Neutrality: I understand that the institution’s neutrality protects its mission and my freedom. I will not use institutional resources (e.g., branding, email lists, official accounts, funds) to promote personal political or social causes, nor will I represent my personal views as the official position of [Institution Name].
- Viewpoint Diversity and Charitable Interpretation: I commit to fostering an environment of robust Viewpoint Diversity. I recognize that I will encounter ideas and opinions I find unwelcome or offensive. In my interactions, I will practice Charitable Interpretation, engaging with the “strongest plausible form” of my colleagues’ arguments. I will challenge ideas I disagree with through debate and evidence, not through ad hominem attacks, intimidation, or attempts to silence dissent.
I understand that this commitment is a condition of my [employment / association / membership] with [Institution Name].
\
Printed Name
\
Signature
\
Date
