CodeofEthics1

FundamentalPrinciples2

Engineersupholdandadvancetheintegrity,honoranddignityofthe
engineeringprofessionby:

1. usingtheirknowledgeandskillfortheenhancementofhumanwelfare
andtheenvironment
2. beinghonestandimpartialandservingwithfidelitythepublic,their
employersandclients
3. strivingtoincreasethecompetenceandprestigeoftheengineering
professionand
4. supportingtheprofessionalandtechnicalsocietiesoftheirdisciplines.

FundamentalCanons

1. Engineersshallholdparamountthesafety,healthandwelfareofthe
publicandshallstrivetocomplywiththeprinciplesofsustainable
development3 intheperformanceoftheirprofessionalduties.
2. Engineersshallperformservicesonlyinareasoftheircompetence.
3. Engineersshallissuepublicstatementsonlyinanobjectiveand
truthfulmanner.
4. Engineersshallactinprofessionalmattersforeachemployerorclient
asfaithfulagentsortrustees,andshallavoidconflictsofinterest.
5. Engineersshallbuildtheirprofessionalreputationonthemeritoftheir
servicesandshallnotcompeteunfairlywithothers.
6. Engineersshallactinsuchamannerastoupholdandenhancethe
honor,integrity,anddignityoftheengineeringprofession.
7. Engineersshallcontinuetheirprofessionaldevelopmentthroughout
theircareers,andshallprovideopportunitiesfortheprofessional
developmentofthoseengineersundertheirsupervision.

GuidelinestoPracticeUndertheFundamentalCanonsofEthics

CANON1.
Engineersshallholdparamountthesafety,healthandwelfareofthepublic
andshallstrivetocomplywiththeprinciplesofsustainabledevelopmentin
theperformanceoftheirprofessionalduties.

a. Engineersshallrecognizethatthelives,safety,healthandwelfareof
thegeneralpublicaredependentuponengineeringjudgments,
decisionsandpracticesincorporatedintostructures,machines,
products,processesanddevices.
b. Engineersshallapproveorsealonlythosedesigndocuments,
reviewedorpreparedbythem,whicharedeterminedtobesafefor
publichealthandwelfareinconformitywithacceptedengineering
standards.
c. Engineerswhoseprofessionaljudgmentisoverruledunder
circumstanceswherethesafety,healthandwelfareofthepublicare
endangered,ortheprinciplesofsustainabledevelopmentignored,
shallinformtheirclientsoremployersofthepossibleconsequences.
d. Engineerswhohaveknowledgeorreasontobelievethatanother
personorfirmmaybeinviolationofanyoftheprovisionsofCanon1
shallpresentsuchinformationtotheproperauthorityinwritingand
shallcooperatewiththeproperauthorityinfurnishingsuchfurther
informationorassistanceasmayberequired.
e. Engineersshouldseekopportunitiestobeofconstructiveservicein
civicaffairsandworkfortheadvancementofthesafety,healthand
wellbeingoftheircommunities,andtheprotectionoftheenvironment
throughthepracticeofsustainabledevelopment.
f. Engineersshouldbecommittedtoimprovingtheenvironmentby
adherencetotheprinciplesofsustainabledevelopmentsoasto
enhancethequalityoflifeofthegeneralpublic.

CANON2.
Engineersshallperformservicesonlyinareasoftheircompetence.

a. Engineersshallundertaketoperformengineeringassignmentsonly
whenqualifiedbyeducationorexperienceinthetechnicalfieldof
engineeringinvolved.
b. Engineersmayacceptanassignmentrequiringeducationor
experienceoutsideoftheirownfieldsofcompetence,providedtheir
servicesarerestrictedtothosephasesoftheprojectinwhichtheyare
qualified.Allotherphasesofsuchprojectshallbeperformedby
qualifiedassociates,consultants,oremployees.
c. Engineersshallnotaffixtheirsignaturesorsealstoanyengineering
planordocumentdealingwithsubjectmatterinwhichtheylack
competencebyvirtueofeducationorexperienceortoanysuchplan
ordocumentnotreviewedorpreparedundertheirsupervisorycontrol.
CANON3.
Engineersshallissuepublicstatementsonlyinanobjectiveandtruthful
manner.

a. Engineersshouldendeavortoextendthepublicknowledgeof
engineeringandsustainabledevelopment,andshallnotparticipatein
thedisseminationofuntrue,unfairorexaggeratedstatements
regardingengineering.
b. Engineersshallbeobjectiveandtruthfulinprofessionalreports,
statements,ortestimony.Theyshallincludeallrelevantandpertinent
informationinsuchreports,statements,ortestimony.
c. Engineers,whenservingasexpertwitnesses,shallexpressan
engineeringopiniononlywhenitisfoundeduponadequateknowledge
ofthefacts,uponabackgroundoftechnicalcompetence,andupon
honestconviction.
d. Engineersshallissuenostatements,criticisms,orargumentson
engineeringmatterswhichareinspiredorpaidforbyinterested
parties,unlesstheyindicateonwhosebehalfthestatementsare
made.
e. Engineersshallbedignifiedandmodestinexplainingtheirworkand
merit,andwillavoidanyacttendingtopromotetheirowninterestsat
theexpenseoftheintegrity,honoranddignityoftheprofession.

CANON4.
Engineersshallactinprofessionalmattersforeachemployerorclientas
faithfulagentsortrustees,andshallavoidconflictsofinterest.

a. Engineersshallavoidallknownorpotentialconflictsofinterestwith
theiremployersorclientsandshallpromptlyinformtheiremployersor
clientsofanybusinessassociation,interests,orcircumstanceswhich
couldinfluencetheirjudgmentorthequalityoftheirservices.
b. Engineersshallnotacceptcompensationfrommorethanonepartyfor
servicesonthesameproject,orforservicespertainingtothesame
project,unlessthecircumstancesarefullydisclosedtoandagreedto,
byallinterestedparties.
c. Engineersshallnotsolicitoracceptgratuities,directlyorindirectly,
fromcontractors,theiragents,orotherpartiesdealingwiththeir
clientsoremployersinconnectionwithworkforwhichtheyare
responsible.
d. Engineersinpublicserviceasmembers,advisors,oremployeesofa
governmentalbodyordepartmentshallnotparticipatein
 considerationsoractionswithrespecttoservicessolicitedorprovided
bythemortheirorganizationinprivateorpublicengineeringpractice.
e. Engineersshalladvisetheiremployersorclientswhen,asaresultof
theirstudies,theybelieveaprojectwillnotbesuccessful.
f. Engineersshallnotuseconfidentialinformationcomingtotheminthe
courseoftheirassignmentsasameansofmakingpersonalprofitif
suchactionisadversetotheinterestsoftheirclients,employersor
thepublic.
g. Engineersshallnotacceptprofessionalemploymentoutsideoftheir
regularworkorinterestwithouttheknowledgeoftheiremployers.

CANON5.
Engineersshallbuildtheirprofessionalreputationonthemeritoftheir
servicesandshallnotcompeteunfairlywithothers.

a. Engineersshallnotgive,solicitorreceiveeitherdirectlyorindirectly,
anypoliticalcontribution,gratuity,orunlawfulconsiderationinorder
tosecurework,exclusiveofsecuringsalariedpositionsthrough
employmentagencies.
b. Engineersshouldnegotiatecontractsforprofessionalservicesfairly
andonthebasisofdemonstratedcompetenceandqualificationsfor
thetypeofprofessionalservicerequired.
c. Engineersmayrequest,proposeoracceptprofessionalcommissions
onacontingentbasisonlyundercircumstancesinwhichtheir
professionaljudgmentswouldnotbecompromised.
d. Engineersshallnotfalsifyorpermitmisrepresentationoftheir
academicorprofessionalqualificationsorexperience.
e. Engineersshallgivepropercreditforengineeringworktothoseto
whomcreditisdue,andshallrecognizetheproprietaryinterestsof
others.Wheneverpossible,theyshallnamethepersonorpersonswho
mayberesponsiblefordesigns,inventions,writingsorother
accomplishments.
f. Engineersmayadvertiseprofessionalservicesinawaythatdoesnot
containmisleadinglanguageorisinanyothermannerderogatoryto
thedignityoftheprofession.Examplesofpermissibleadvertisingare
asfollows:
o Professionalcardsinrecognized,dignifiedpublications,and
listingsinrostersordirectoriespublishedbyresponsible
organizations,providedthatthecardsorlistingsareconsistent
insizeandcontentandareinasectionofthepublication
regularlydevotedtosuchprofessionalcards.
o Brochureswhichfactuallydescribeexperience,facilities,
personnelandcapacitytorenderservice,providingtheyarenot
 misleadingwithrespecttotheengineer'sparticipationinprojects
described.
o Displayadvertisinginrecognizeddignifiedbusinessand
professionalpublications,providingitisfactualandisnot
misleadingwithrespecttotheengineer'sextentofparticipation
inprojectsdescribed.
o Astatementoftheengineers'namesorthenameofthefirmand
statementofthetypeofservicepostedonprojectsforwhich
theyrenderservices.
o Preparationorauthorizationofdescriptivearticlesforthelayor
technicalpress,whicharefactualanddignified.Sucharticles
shallnotimplyanythingmorethandirectparticipationinthe
projectdescribed.
o Permissionbyengineersfortheirnamestobeusedin
commercialadvertisements,suchasmaybepublishedby
contractors,materialsuppliers,etc.,onlybymeansofamodest,
dignifiednotationacknowledgingtheengineers'participationin
theprojectdescribed.Suchpermissionshallnotincludepublic
endorsementofproprietaryproducts.
g. Engineersshallnotmaliciouslyorfalsely,directlyorindirectly,injure
theprofessionalreputation,prospects,practiceoremploymentof
anotherengineerorindiscriminatelycriticizeanother'swork.
h. Engineersshallnotuseequipment,supplies,laboratoryoroffice
facilitiesoftheiremployerstocarryonoutsideprivatepracticewithout
theconsentoftheiremployers.

CANON6.
Engineersshallactinsuchamannerastoupholdandenhancethehonor,
integrity,anddignityoftheengineeringprofession.

a. Engineersshallnotknowinglyactinamannerwhichwillbederogatory
tothehonor,integrity,ordignityoftheengineeringprofessionor
knowinglyengageinbusinessorprofessionalpracticesofafraudulent,
dishonestorunethicalnature.

CANON7.
Engineersshallcontinuetheirprofessionaldevelopmentthroughouttheir
careers,andshallprovideopportunitiesfortheprofessionaldevelopmentof
thoseengineersundertheirsupervision.

a. Engineersshouldkeepcurrentintheirspecialtyfieldsbyengagingin
professionalpractice,participatingincontinuingeducationcourses,
 readinginthetechnicalliterature,andattendingprofessionalmeetings
andseminars.
b. Engineersshouldencouragetheirengineeringemployeestobecome
registeredattheearliestpossibledate.
c. Engineersshouldencourageengineeringemployeestoattendand
presentpapersatprofessionalandtechnicalsocietymeetings.
d. Engineersshallupholdtheprincipleofmutuallysatisfyingrelationships
betweenemployersandemployeeswithrespecttotermsof
employmentincludingprofessionalgradedescriptions,salaryranges,
andfringebenefits.

1. AsadoptedSeptember2,1914,andmostrecentlyamended
November10,1996.
2. TheAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineersadoptedTHEFUNDAMENTAL
PRINCIPLESoftheABETCodeofEthicsofEngineersasacceptedby
theAccreditationBoardforEngineeringandTechnology,Inc.(ABET).
(ByASCEBoardofDirectionactionApril1214,1975)
3. InNovember1996,theASCEBoardofDirectionadoptedthefollowing
definitionofSustainableDevelopment:"SustainableDevelopmentis
thechallengeofmeetinghumanneedsfornaturalresources,industrial
products,energy,food,transportation,shelter,andeffectivewaste
managementwhileconservingandprotectingenvironmentalquality
andthenaturalresourcebaseessentialforfuturedevelopment."