Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at IIT

IN order that members of the National Society of Professional Engineers may express views; thereon, the following proposals, pertinent to ethics: and practice, are submitted for an expression of opinion.

Kindly urge your Chapter and State Society to appoint committees to report.

Introduction: In the interest of the public welfare and the advancement of the engineering profession, the following Codes of Ethics and Practice are subscribed to by the membership of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Violations of these Codes shall be deemed cause for examination of facts in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Society, and, if of sufficient gravity, may, upon recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Practice and a three-quarters affirmative approval of the Executive Board of the Chapter of which the accused is a member, be considered sufficient cause for expulsion from the Chapter. In the absence of a Chapter the State Society shall exercise the same prerogative and follow the same procedure, and in the absence of a State body, the National Society may take action.

ETHICS
A. General Principles-The engineer shall recognize his duty to society, to his profession and to himself. He shall conduct his practice in a manner consistent with the ideals of courtesy, personal honor and the ethics of a learned profession.
B. (1) Relationships with the Public-The engineer shall at all times and under all conditions seek to promote the public welfare by safeguarding life, health and property.
(2) He shall not become associated with enterprises: inimical to the public welfare, nor shall he identify himself with any project not of a legitimate character.
(3) He shall promote and assist endeavors to advise the public of the requirements, responsibilities and accomplishments of the profession and its members; but publicity detrimental to the establishment and recognition of engineering as a learned profession, or which lauds the individual to the disparagement of his fellow practitioners, tends to lower the dignity of the profession and is condemned.
(4) He shall discourage indiscriminate and improper use of the term engineer and shall bear in mind. that the aim of engineers should be to restrict the term to those recognized by law as professional men.
(5) He shall promote efforts tending to interest engineers in the humanities with a view to active participation in public affairs.
C. (1) Relations With Clients and Employers-The engineer shall at all times advise his client, or employer, of interests, affiliations or prejudices which might influence his judgment or impair the quality of his services.
(2) He shall, to the best of his ability, advise his client or employer, before undertaking any work, of conditions or influences tending to defeat the purposes or objects of such work.
(3) He shall regard as confidential, information or knowledge of a Client's or employer's affairs.
(4) He shall not, in connection with any particular project accept compensation, financial or otherwise, from any person other than client or employer, without consent of all interested parties.
(5) He shall not make a practice of offering professional services or counsel without fee.
D. (1) Relations With Engineers-The engineer shall not compete with fellow practitioners on the basis of professional charges, fees or other financial remuneration.
(2) He shall not enter into competition for, nor attempt to secure professional work awarded on a basis of competitive bidding. Such practice is detrimental to the public welfare, degrades the profession.and is strongly condemned.
(3) He shall not intentionally injure the reputation, prospects or business, nor shall he anonymously review or criticize the work, of another engineer.
(4) The engineer shall refrain from endorsing or condemning ideas, theories, processes or proposals of fellow practitioners, unless he is especially qualified by reason of his experience to so do, and such action on his part is required because of his business connection with clients, or because said idea, theory or proposal may be considered dangerous or harmful to the engineering profession, or to the public welfare.
(5) He shall not seek to displace a fellow practitioner.
(6) He shall not seek to retain or employ engineers at a remuneration incommensurate with the service rendered.
( 7 ) He shall recognize legally licensed registered practitioners of any State as members of his profession and shall at all times extend courtesies and .considerations, not inconsistent with practice nor injurious to personal interests, to fellow engineers.
(8) He shall render assistance and encouragement to engineering students and apprentices and shall recognize the worth of their services.

PRACTICE
E. (1) The engineer is entitled to compensation for all professional advice and service. His charges therefore shall conform to general practice and he shall not render professional services for rates less than those recognized or established as minima.

(2) He shall retain, as personal property, all original plans, specifications, designs, studies, patents and other engineering data developed as a result of his work, unless an agreement to the contrary has been entered into with client or employer.
(3) He is charged with the exercise of quasijudicial functions in matters of dispute and his position shall at all times be that of an impartial arbiter.
(4) He shall recognize the limitations of his qualifications, and shall, where advisable, consult, retain or co-operate with
experts and specialists, whether members of his profession or otherwise.
(5) He shall not seek to hold out the work of others as his own and he shall not render professional services to persons or groups who refuse to credit him with such services.
(6) He shall assume responsibility for, and wherever possible shall sign, professional work performed by him or under his direction.
(7) He shall bear in mind the undesirability and danger of rendering professional services for contingent fees.
(8) He shall maintain a dignified interest in the affairs of the community and shall advise and co-operate generally with those interested in, or concerned with, matters of an engineering character which are pertinent to the public welfare.
(9) He may establish, where and within limits desirable, schedules, classifications and other criteria for the guidance of the public or members of the profession.