Guidance on ethics
All members of The Institution of Structural Engineers, in common and in concert with members of the other professional engineering institutions, should subscribe to the Statement of Ethical Principles for the Engineering Profession, published by the Engineering Council. In addition, members must abide by the Institution's Code of Conduct, which is more prescriptive in its requirements.
The Engineering Council’s Statement of Ethical Principles reads as follows:
There are five fundamental principles that should guide engineers and technicians in achieving the high ideals of professional life. These express the beliefs and values of the profession and are amplified below.
1. Honesty and integrity
Engineering professionals have a duty to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct at all times, including openness, fairness, honesty and integrity. They:
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Act reliably and in trustworthy ways and are accountable for their actions
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Respect confidentiality, intellectual property and personal or sensitive information, and respect the privacy of individuals and communities
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Identify, declare and address conflicts of interest
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Avoid knowingly misleading others and take steps to prevent corrupt practices, including plagiarism, misinformation and false representation
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Reject bribery and improper influence
2. Responsibility to society
Engineering professionals have a duty to protect people, respect rights, uphold the trust placed in them by society nationally and globally, and obey all applicable laws and regulations. They give due weight to facts, published standards and guidance, and act to assess and manage risks. They:
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Make the health and safety of others a leading priority and draw attention to hazards
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Report malpractice and irresponsible or unsafe practice, whether within the workplace or outside
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Are aware of how their work and behaviour might affect others, and respect rights of individuals and communities
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Ensure their work is lawful, justified, evidence-based and in the public interest
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Recognise the importance of physical and cyber security and data protection
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Work to deliver inclusive outcomes, meeting diverse needs across society
3. Accuracy and rigour
Engineering professionals have a duty to acquire, maintain and use wisely the understanding, knowledge and skills needed in their role, and apply this to their work so that it meets the highest standards. They:
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Act with care and diligence in all professional work, recognising that public trust depends on its accuracy, integrity and quality
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Undertake work only within their current competence or under competent supervision, applying sound judgment and critical thinking
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Ensure that they have the right knowledge and expertise to tackle a project, applying sound judgment and critical thinking especially in novel or emerging areas
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Actively maintain knowledge, skills and competence, and support others to do the same
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Test evidence objectively and without bias, respecting the views of others and with awareness of assumptions, uncertainty and limits of understanding
4. Leadership and communication
Engineering professionals have a duty to uphold and promote high standards of leadership and communication. They:
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Engage with communities and wider society, and communicate responsibly about how engineering should meet people’s needs
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Foster a culture where concerns can be raised without fear of reprisal, and act on well-founded concerns
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Communicate clearly, accessibly and proportionately about benefits, risks, uncertainties and trade-offs in engineering works
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Promote equity, equality, diversity, fairness and inclusion, creating inclusive cultures to support everyone in the profession
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Acknowledge and communicate uncertainty, limits of evidence, and unknowns
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Maintain public trust and uphold the reputation and standing of the profession
5. Responsibility for the future of technology, society and the environment
Engineering professionals have a duty to act as stewards of technology, developing technology responsibly, with an awareness of the lasting consequences of their work for society and the environment and taking account of the long-term, systemic, intergenerational and environmental impacts. As far as is reasonably practicable, they:
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Consider fully the risks and ethical implications of emerging and fast-moving technologies, such as artificial intelligence and technologies with autonomous or semi-autonomous capabilities
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Anticipate wider and emergent consequences and potential for misuse of technologies, and apply precaution proportionately where potential harms are serious or irreversible
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Account for immediate, cumulative and systemic risks - including climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality and resource depletion
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Manage technology responsibly across its lifecycle, including decommissioning
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Protect and, where possible, restore natural and built environments
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Consider future impacts of engineering and avoid shifting risks or burdens to future generations, distant geographical locations or supply chains, whether local or global
Universal application
These ethical principles are constant regardless of local conditions or circumstances. The more specific Code of Conduct also applies to members of the Institution at all times.
Jurisdiction of the Institution
The Code of Conduct gives the Institution jurisdiction over members of organisations but not the organisations themselves. However, those at the top, who influence strategy and the philosophy of an organisation, may be Institution members. It is hoped that members in positions of power and influence would use their position to encourage adherence to the Code of Conduct across their company or organisation.
Ethics vs law
There is sometimes confusion between ethics and the law.
The concise Oxford English Dictionary defines ethics as “The moral principles governing or influencing conduct”.
It defines law as “A system of rules recognised by a country or community as regulating the actions of its members and enforced by the imposition of penalties”.