Warren Buffett's three children—Susie, Howie, and Peter Buffett—are preparing to oversee one of the most consequential philanthropic endeavors in history: disbursing their father's estimated $150+ billion fortune within a decade of his death. In a rare joint interview with CNBC, the heirs acknowledged the daunting scale and pressure of the task, which will require them to give away roughly $15 billion annually, equating to about 4% of total U.S. charitable giving.

The siblings, who must unanimously agree on all disbursements, bring over two decades of philanthropic experience through their respective foundations. Susie Buffett focuses on early childhood education and social justice in Omaha; Howie Buffett tackles global food security and conflict resolution; and Peter Buffett supports health and economic programs for women and children.

Their father has provided minimal guidance, trusting them to aid the "less fortunate." The siblings outlined five core principles that will guide their historic campaign:

1. Flexibility: Recognizing that global needs evolve, they emphasize the ability to adapt strategies and funding priorities swiftly.

2. Embrace Risk and Failure: Philanthropy should serve as "the risk capital of the world," funding bold initiatives even with the possibility of failure, provided lessons are learned.

3. Seeing is Believing: Direct, on-the-ground engagement is irreplaceable for understanding complex issues and assessing real impact.

4. Trust but Verify: While building deep trust with key partners is essential, they maintain rigorous accountability, including clauses to terminate funding and demand transparency.

5. Efficiency: Inheriting their father's lean operational ethos, they prioritize minimizing overhead to ensure the maximum amount reaches beneficiaries, enabling rapid, decisive grantmaking.

The unanimous decision rule serves as both a governance mechanism and a practical tool. "It makes it really easy to say no," Susie Buffett noted. Despite the immense responsibility, the siblings are united by a shared upbringing that emphasized modesty and public service over wealth, values they intend to carry forward as they become among the world's most influential philanthropists.