Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at IIT

Preamble

Provincial and territorial associations of professional engineers are responsible for the regulation fo the practice of engineering in Canada. Each association has been established under an act of its provincial or terrotorial legislature and serves as the licensing authority for engineers practising wighin its jurisdiction. The Canadian council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) is the national federation of these associations. CCPE provides a coordinating function among the provincial and territorial associations, fostering mutual recognition among them and encouraging the greatest possible commonality of operation in their licensing functions.

CCPe issues national guidlines on various subjects as a means to acheive coordination among its constituent member assocations. Such guidelines are an expression of general guiding principles which have a broad basis of consensus, while recongnizing and supporting the autonomy of each constituent association to administer the act within its jurisdiction. CCPE guidelines enunciate the principles of an issue but leave the detailed applications, policies, practices and exceptions to the judgement of the constituent associations.

Code of Ethics

Professionas engineers shall conduct themselvbes in a honourable and ethical manner. Professional engineers shall uphold the values of truth, honesty and trustworthiness and safeguard human life and welfare and the enironment. In keeping with these basic tenets, professional engineers shall:

• hold paramaount the safety, health and welfare of the public and the protection of the environment and promote health and saftey within the workplace;

• offers services, advise on or undertake engineering assignments only in areas of their competience and practise in a careful and diligent manner;

• act as faithful agents of their clients or employers, maintain confidentiality and avoid conflicts of interest;

• keep themselves informed in order to maintain thier competence, strive to advance the body of knowledge competence, strive to advance the body of knowledge within which they practise and provide opportunities for the professional development of their subordinates;

• conduct themselves with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and others, give credit where it is due, and accept, as well as give, honest and fair professional criticism;

• present clearly to employers and clients the possible consequences if engineering decisions or judgments are overruled or disregarded;

• report to their association or other appropriate agencies any illegal or unethical engineering decisions or practices by engineers or others; and

• be aware of and ensure that clients and employers are made aware of societal and environmental consequences of actions or projects and endeavour to interpret engineering issues to the public in an objective and truthful manner.

(1994)