Engineering Ethics & Practice

Why Professional Ethics?

Washington Accord Graduate Attributes (IESL accreditation manual)
1. Engineering Knowledge
2. Problem Analysis
3. Design/development of solutions
4. Investigation
5. Modern tool usage
6. The Engineer & Society
Apply reasoning informed by contextual knowledge to assess societal, health, safety, legal
and cultural issues and the consequent responsibilities relevant to professional engineering
practice.

7.
8.

Environment & Sustainability

Ethics

9.
10.
11.
12.

Apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics and responsibilities and
norms of engineering practice.

Individual & Team Work

Communication
Project Management & Finance
Lifelong learning

Sri Lanka Qualification Framework

Categories of Learning Outcomes
1. Subject/Theoretical Knowledge
2. Practical knowledge and application
3. Communication
4. Teamwork & Leadership
5. Creativity & problem solving
6. Managerial & entrepreneurship
7. Information usage & management
8. Networking & social skills
9. Adaptability & Flexibility
10. Attitudes, values & professionalism
11. Vision for life
12. Lifelong learning

What is Engineering

Engineering is design under constraint.

Budget/financial constraints.
Resource constraints.
Need to balance the delivery quality with
time.

Complexity
It can be very complex.
Real world applications.
Engineering variety of stakeholders
Public - know little about engineering.
Clients.
Accountants.
Peers (follow engineers)

Challenges
Requires thoughtful, ethical grit.
Tension between competing interests which
are sometimes not aligned.
Corporate.
Commercial.
Personal.
Public.

Obligations
To public
To clients
To fellow engineers

Ethics and Morality

Morality: first-order set of beliefs
and practices about how to live a
good life.
Ethics: a second-order, conscious
reflection on the adequacy of our
moral beliefs.

Why Engineering Ethics

No single profession impacts
modern life as thoroughly as
engineering.

Medical/pharma
Transportation
Communication
Utilities (water, electricity, oil etc)

Professional Ethics is a crucial part

of the content of professionalism!

Ethical practice

Ethics integral to the practice of engineering.

Not an after thought or
Not a second to last thought.
Ethical values imprinted on virtually every
facet of engineering processes.

Foundations of Ethics
Principle of utility
Right thing to do and what is obliged to do.

Principle of respect
How you treat people.

Virtue ethics.
Following certain actions and rules, honesty,
compassion, courage and temper.

Why ethics for organisations?

A basis for values and visions
To motivate employees
Perhaps demanded by customers
For good relationships to stakeholders
An overall check on planning
To avoid various exposures and risks
Part of (good) governance
Sustainability

IESL Code of Ethics (www.iesl.lk)

Clause 1
Engineers shall hold paramount the health, safety
and welfare of the public and proper utilization of the
funds and other resources in the performance of
their professional duties. It shall take precedence
over their responsibility to the profession, sectoral or
private interests, employers or to other engineers.
Clause 2
Engineers shall always act in such a manner as to
uphold and enhance the honour, integrity and dignity
of the profession while safeguarding public interest
at all times.

Clause 3
Engineers shall build their reputation on merit and shall
not compete unfairly.
Clause 4
Engineers shall perform professional services only in the
areas of their competency.
Clause 5
Engineers shall apply their skills and knowledge in the
interest of their employer or client for whom they shall
act, in professional matters, as faithful agents or trustees,
so far as they do not conflict with the other requirements
listed here and the general public interest.

Clause 6
Engineers shall give evidence, express opinions or make
statements in an objective and truthful manner.
Clause 7
Engineers shall continue their professional development
throughout their careers and shall actively assist and
encourage engineers under their direction to advance their
knowledge and experience
Clause 8
Engineers shall be committed to the need for sustainable
management of the planet's resources and seek to
minimize adverse environmental impacts of their
engineering works or applications of technology so as to
protect both present and future generations

Big picture
Codes of ethics are not a law
Ethical behavior is not always protected by law
Frequently ethical behavior may be perceived as
disloyalty
Many companies realize that ethical behavior is
essential for their long term prosperity
Ethically aware companies provide
Provide help to employees facing ethical conflicts
Allow employees to rise ethical concerns
anonymously
Explicitly prevent any forms of retaliation for
reporting unethical behavior