Ethics for Engineers: Staying Compliant & Why It Matters

All engineers are expected to hold themselves to high standards of integrity in their work. Engineering ethics is one of many important topics that firms must include in their annual continuing education. Providing high-quality training for your workforce helps ensure that they remain compliant with standards and provide best-in-class services on every project.

Let’s review what ethics for engineers are – and explore how your firm can ensure they are embedded in its culture.

Key highlights:

• Engineering ethics ensure the safety, health, and welfare of the public by upholding high standards across all projects.
• Common ethical dilemmas, such as conflicts of interest and safety violations, can damage both individual reputations and the reputation of the firms they work for.
• Continuing education in ethics is critical for engineers to stay compliant with state requirements and maintain integrity in their work.

What Are Engineering Ethics? 

Engineering ethics are the standards to which all engineers are held accountable to. Following clear ethical guidelines is essential for engineers to ensure public safety, uphold the integrity of the profession, and deliver high-quality projects that meet the highest standards.

Here are some key examples of the ethics engineers are expected to follow:

• Public Safety and Welfare: Engineers must always put the safety, health, and welfare of the public first, making sure their work doesn’t cause harm to people or the environment.
• Competence and Expertise: Engineers are expected to work only in areas where they have the necessary skills, experience, and qualifications, ensuring that their work meets industry standards.
• Honesty and Integrity: Engineers must be honest and transparent, making public statements that are objective and truthful, while avoiding deceptive practices that could affect the public or their clients.
• Avoiding Conflicts of Interest: Engineers should avoid situations where personal interests could interfere with their professional judgment, always acting in the best interest of their clients and the public.
• Confidentiality and Trust: Engineers must respect confidentiality and act as trustworthy agents for their clients and employers, safeguarding sensitive information.

Because their work is paramount to the safety and welfare of our infrastructure and, therefore, communities, every state board requires professional engineers (PE) to follow a code of ethics. For example, an engineer might face a decision where cutting corners could save time or costs but compromise safety. The ethical choice would be to prioritize public welfare, ensuring the project meets all necessary safety standards, even if it means additional time or resources.

Understanding the Engineering Code of Ethics

The National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) has a code of ethics that is a great example of the type of standards professionals are held to.

Their code says all engineering professionals shall:

1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees
5. Avoid deceptive acts
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession

NSPE also outlines additional professional obligations in their code, offering more detail on the principles mentioned above. These further reinforce the importance of ethical behavior, ensuring that engineers uphold not only technical standards but also the public’s trust. Clearly, ethics in engineering aren’t just guidelines, they are essential to the integrity of the profession.

So, why are ethical dilemmas so prevalent in engineering?

The Prevalence of Ethical Dilemmas in Engineering

It’s not uncommon for professionals to find themselves at odds with the engineering code of ethics. In fact, the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) reported that a concerning 46% of engineers reported encountering ethical dilemmas at work, and 32% were aware of ethical violations in their workplace.

NSPE has found in their research that the most common ethical lapses for engineers are:

• Conflicts of Interest: When personal interests interfere with professional duties, leading to decisions that may not align with the best interests of clients or the public.
• Safety: Failing to prioritize safety, whether by overlooking potential risks or compromising on safety standards to meet deadlines or budgets.
• Lack of Accountability: When engineers fail to take responsibility for their actions, whether by not addressing problems that arise or by failing to report issues that could affect the project’s outcome.

When violations of the ethics of engineering happen, they can damage not only the individual’s reputation but also that of the firm they represent. For example, if an engineer overlooks safety regulations to cut costs, it could result in structural failures, leading to costly lawsuits or project delays. In the worst cases, these ethical lapses could jeopardize public safety, causing accidents or injuries. Highlighting how violations of the ethics of engineering can lead to both legal consequences and real threats to public well-being.

Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks for Engineers

When faced with ethical dilemmas, engineers have several frameworks they can apply to guide their decisions. These frameworks help ensure that their choices are not only compliant with industry standards but also align with the broader responsibility engineers have to the public and the environment. Here are some key ethical decision-making models that engineers can use to navigate challenging situations:

ASME Code of Ethics

The ASME Code of Ethics clearly expects engineers to prioritize public safety and uphold integrity in their work. It emphasizes the importance of making decisions that reflect society’s best interests.

• Apply this code by ensuring your decisions always prioritize safety and long-term benefits over short-term gains.
• Use it to guide decisions that may involve conflicts of interest, ensuring objectivity and fairness.

Utilitarian Approach

The Utilitarian approach focuses on maximizing benefits for the greatest number of people. Engineers using this framework assess potential outcomes, aiming for decisions that produce the most good while minimizing harm.

• Use this approach to weigh the benefits and risks of decisions, particularly in large-scale projects that affect many people.
• Consider long-term societal impacts, ensuring the greatest positive impact for the public.

Deontological (Duty-Based) Ethics

Deontological ethics centers on the idea that engineers have a duty to follow established rules and codes, regardless of the outcome. It emphasizes responsibility to uphold professional and legal standards.

• Apply this framework when decisions must align with specific professional codes or laws, even if the consequences may not be ideal.
• Use it to guide decisions where following ethical guidelines is more important than the potential outcome.

Rights-Based Ethics

Rights-based ethics focuses on respecting and protecting the rights of individuals. Engineers using this framework ensure their work does not infringe upon the fundamental rights of others.

• Consider individual rights when making decisions, particularly when those decisions might impact personal freedoms or safety.
• Use this framework when dealing with privacy concerns, access to services, or public safety issues.

Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics emphasizes personal character and integrity in decision-making. Engineers applying this framework focus on developing virtues like honesty, fairness, and courage, which guide them in making ethical decisions.

• Use this approach to reflect on your values and how they shape your decisions, ensuring that they align with ethical standards.
• Cultivate virtues in the workplace, encouraging ethical behavior in yourself and others.

Triple Bottom Line

The Triple Bottom Line framework encourages engineers to consider three key factors: profit, people, and the planet. This approach helps balance financial success with social and environmental responsibility.

• Apply this model when making decisions that could impact the environment or communities, ensuring a balance between economic, social, and environmental factors.
• Use it to guide long-term decisions where sustainability and social good must be prioritized alongside financial performance.

IEEE Code of Ethics

The IEEE Code of Ethics promotes responsibility, fairness, and transparency in engineering. It provides guidance for engineers in making decisions that reflect honesty and uphold public trust.

• Follow this code when working with intellectual property, data privacy, or any situation that requires transparency and fairness.
• Use it to ensure fairness and accountability in collaborative projects, maintaining high ethical standards throughout the process.

Engineering for Society Framework

This framework encourages engineers to consider the broader societal impact of their work. It focuses on decisions that not only benefit clients but also contribute positively to the community and the world.

• Apply this model to projects that have far-reaching effects on society, ensuring your work benefits the public good.
• Use it when addressing social challenges, such as accessibility, sustainability, or infrastructure improvements.

CE Requirements for Ethics and Engineering

The ongoing training requirements for engineers can vary state to state and based on the professional certifications they maintain and societies they belong to. But numerous states that require continuing education units (CEUs) include ethics training in the annual (or biannual) license requirements.

Florida, for example, requires engineers to complete 18 hours of training every two years to maintain their licenses, and of those hours, one hour must relate to professional ethics. By comparison, Delaware requires 24 CE hours every two years, with three of those hours relating to ethics.

As an employer, it’s important for you to understand state CE requirements and adhere to them. Ensuring that your engineers don’t just go through the motions but receive high-quality ethics training is imperative to business success and operating with integrity.

Building an Ethical Culture: Tips for AEC Firms

Creating a culture that promotes engineering ethics is paramount for AEC firms to uphold industry standards and promote integrity. Here are some practical tips to cultivate an ethical environment within your organization:

Leadership Commitment

Any cultural change or initiative must come from the top. Executives and leaders should lead by example by demonstrating ethical behavior.

It’s also important to show your team that ethics for engineers isn’t just a box to check but a commitment your organization is making. You can do this by integrating ethical principles into your core values and mission and by promoting and recognizing employees based on living those standards.

Employee Training and Awareness

While ethics is an AEC training requirement in most states for renewing licenses, that doesn’t mean you should stop at the bare minimum. And if you live in a state that doesn’t require this, you should still make it a priority.

A great way to emphasize the importance of ethics training and following standards in the engineering profession is to share real-world scenarios of how these situations may play out. Make it part of your onboarding training by explaining what employees should do if they are faced with a dilemma or witness unethical practices.

Regular Ethics Audits and Assessments

To maintain a strong ethical culture, firms must regularly evaluate their practices and ensure they are upholding the highest ethical standards. Conducting periodic ethics audits helps identify potential gaps in training or areas where ethical guidelines might not be fully integrated into daily operations.

These audits should involve reviewing projects, policies, and employee feedback to assess how well the firm is adhering to its ethical principles. Additionally, it’s crucial to provide a safe space for employees to report concerns, fostering an environment where ethical behavior is continuously reinforced. By taking a proactive approach to ethics audits, firms can ensure they remain aligned with both industry standards and their own ethical commitments.

Ensure Compliance with Engineering Ethics Training from Vector

Because engineering ethics is such an important topic for AEC firms, we regularly update our ethics courses to stay up to date with the latest requirements and needs of the engineering workforce.

Most recently, we have created the following engineering courses to help your licensed workforce learn more about the importance of ethical engineering and to help them earn PDHs:

• Examining the Ethical Requirement to “Hold Paramount” Safety, Health, and Welfare
• Making Practical Use of NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
• Ethics and Liability – the Unintended Consequences
• Ethics for Engineers – A Moral or Legal Responsibility?

Book a demo today and see how Vector training and professional development programs can help your firm comply with engineering ethics.