Ethics & Professional Practice

Geoff Thiele Director, Legislation, Ethics & Compliance

APEGBCs RESPONSIBILITIES
1.! Uphold and protect the public interest 2.! Establish, maintain and enforce standards of qualification and practice 3.! Promote the professions 4.! Protect member interests (if not in conflict with #1)

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT

! Granted engineers and geoscientists exclusive rights of practice and title under Engineers and Geoscientists Act

Provincial Govt.

! Required under the Act to establish, maintain and enforce standards for the qualification and practice of its members APEGBC

PEngs & PGeos

! Must self-regulate their professions in the public interest

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

A.! Regulatory Q.A.
Reactive
Investigation and Discipline

Proactive
Practice Guidelines

Enforcement

Practice Review

Practice Advice

STATION SQUARE - BURNABY

Current Ethics Issues

SNCs rogue executive theory becoming harder to swallow
Hammer Squad [Quebec anti-corruption police] raided the Laval offices of four well-known firms: Aecom Technology (which bought Tecsult), Cima+, Dessau, and Genivar Whether engineering firms are honest or not will soon be determined on a case by case basis The Globe and Mail, December 1, 2012

($3.25b drop in market cap of SNC last year)

APEGBCs CODE OF ETHICS

APEGBCs CODE OF ETHICS

Members and licensees shall act at all times with fairness, courtesy and good faith to their associates, employers, employees and clients, and with fidelity to the public needs. They shall uphold the values of truth, honesty and trustworthiness and safeguard human life and welfare and the environment.

Principle 2 Know Your Limits You dont know what you dont know
2.! Undertake and accept responsibility for professional assignments only when qualified by training or experience.

Neil Duncan (1998 Mining) structural design for public arena grossly deficient and missing number of life safety items as well.

!! Resigned his membership, with the approval of ! Council.

Principle 3 Dont Fake It Dont care that you dont know

3.! Provide an opinion on a professional subject only when it is founded upon adequate knowledge and honest conviction
Jimmy Mah (1985, 1989, and 1992 Structural) inadequate structural design of a number of buildings in both 1985 and 1992 cases.

!! Revoked

Whats the Solution?

1.! Ethics is a way of life it does not turn on and off with the office lights (and the Code of Ethics extends to outside life). 2.! Listen to your gut! 3.! Seek independent advice on your concern and what to do. 4.! Follow through.

Questions?
Contact Us: APEGBC Web: www.apeg.bc.ca Phone: (604)430-8035

Geoff Thiele gthiele@apeg.bc.ca (Director, Ethics) Gilbert Larocque, PEng glarocque@apeg.bc.ca (Assoc. Dir, Prof Practice) Peter Mitchell, PEng pmitchell@apeg.bc.ca (Director, Prof. Practice)