WHAT IS ETHICS
ETHICS IS A BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY THAT DEALS
WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS MORALLY
RIGHT AND WRONG GOOD AND BAD, JUST AND
LINJUST, IT EXPLORES AND RESPONSIBILITY ETHICS
SEEKS TO PROVIDE FRAMEWORKS AND PRINCIPLES
FOR EVALUATING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND
DECISION- MAKING IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS,
INCLLIDING PERSONAL, SOCIAL, PROFESSIONAL,
AND POLITICAL REALMS IT INVOLVES CRITICAL
THINKING, REFLECTION, AND REASONING TO
DISCERN THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES THAT
SHOULD GUIDE INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE
ACTIONS TO PROMOTE HUMAN WELL-BEING AND
FLOURISHING ETHICS CAN BE APPROACHED FROM
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, INCLUDING
DEONTOLOGICAL (DUTY-BASED)
CONSEQUENTIALIST (OUTCOME-BASED), AND
VIRTUE ETHICS.
ETHICAL VALUES
• an individual’s moral compass, guiding
their actions and behaviors.
• work ethics are guiding principles
designed to serve the well-being of
others over self-interest.
6 DIFFERENT KINDS OF ETHICAL VALUES
HONESTY
• Core value of great leaders.
• It is the foundation to how you
communicate with others.
• It is essential to building trust in
relationships and is a core value in any
ethical decision making or behavior.
• Requires coherence between our thoughts
and actions include being truthful, reliable
and consistent with ones spoken words
and actions.
INTEGRITY
• you're committed to doing what's right,
even if nobody credits you for it or
people dislike it. This might mean
avoiding a conflict of interest that could
personally benefit you, complying with
policies and regulations, and being
consistent in your behavior and decision-
making.
• Foundation of moral virtue and bedrock
upon which good character is build.
• Understanding, accepting, and choosing
to live in accordance with one’s
principles, which include honesty,
fairness, and decency.
CHARITY
• This shows kindness and support for a
local community or global cause and that
the organization cares about more than
itself. It encourages employees to
practice self-reflection, hold themselves
accountable, and stimulate collaborative
action.
• Don’t always hold themselves directly
accountable to chose they aim to serve
ethical philanthropy would require the
donor to respect the dignity, capacity
and aspirations of the people it seeks to
help and therefore give at least equal.
FIDELITY
• Key ethical principle which is linked in all
ethical values which is building trust
relationship between two people.
TRUSTWORTHINESS.
RESPONSIBILITY (accountability)
• Duty to deal with something or having
control over someone.
• Ensure that one’s work is conducted with
integrity – adheres to standard.
• Potential impact on society
SELF-DISCIPLINE
• Controls one-self
• Make positive choices
• Face challenges/temptation
• High standards of work, meeting, deadlines.
CIVIL ENGINEERING CODE OF ETHICS
Fundamental Principles
Civil engineers uphold and advance the integrity,
honor and dignity of the civil engineering
profession by:
1. Using their knowledge and skill for the
enhancement of human welfare and the
environment;
2. Being honest and impartial and serving and
fidelity the public, their employers/employees
and clients;
3. Striving to increase the competence and
prestige of the civil engineering profession; and
4. Supporting the professional and technical
societies of their disciplines
Fundamental Canons
1. Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
health and welfare of the public and shall strive to
comply with the principles of sustainable
development in the performance of their duties.
2. Civil Engineers shall perform services only in the
areas of their competence
3. Civil Engineers shall issue public statement only
in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Civil Engineers shall act in professional matters
for each employer or client as faithful agents or
trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
5. Civil Engineers shall build their professional
reputation on the merit of their services and shall
not compete unfairly with others.
6. Civil Engineers shall act in such manner as to
uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and
dignity of the civil engineering profession.
7. Civil Engineers shall continue their professional
development throughout their careers, and shall
provide opportunities for the professional
development of those civil engineers under their
supervision.
CANON 1. Civil Engineering shall hold paramount
the safety, health and welfare of the public and
shall strive to comply with the principles of
sustainable development in the performance of
their professional duties. (Health and Safety –
Public and Welfare; it reflecting its belief that
ensuring public welfare also requires
consideration of ecological and environmental
factors.)
a. Civil Engineers shall recognize that the lives,
safety, health and welfare of the general public are
dependent upon engineering judgements,
decisions and practices incorporated into
structures, machine, products, processes and
devices. (take consideration of the safety, check
the public along the site.)
b. Civil Engineers shall approve or seal only those
design documents, reviewed or prepared by them,
which are determined to be safe for public health
and welfare in conformity with accepted
engineering standards. (don’t approve any plan if
it’s in danger – make sure to know the content.)
c. Civil Engineers whose professional judgement is
overruled under circumstances where the safety,
health and welfare of the public are endangered, or
the principles of sustainable development ignored,
shall inform their clients or employers of the
possible consequences. (inform clients, eligible to
know its safety)
d. Civil Engineers who have knowledge or reason
to believe that another person or firm may be in
violation of any of the provisions of Canon 1 shall
present such information to the proper authority in
writing and shall cooperate with the proper
authority in furnishing such further information or
assistance as may be required. (report proper
authority if there are violations.)
e. Civil Engineers should seek opportunities to be of
constructive service in civic affairs and work for the
advancement of the safety, health and well-being
of their communities, and their protection of the
environment through the practice of sustainable
development. (always seek opportunities like
seminars)
CANON 3. Civil Engineers shall issue public
f. Civil Engineers should be committed to statements only in an objective and truthful
improving the environment by adherence to the manner. (Statement issued AUG. 2007)
principles of sustainable development so as to
a. Civil Engineers should endeavor to extend the
enhance the quality of life of the general public.
public knowledge of civil engineering and
(regarding the environmental safety)
sustainable development, and shall not participate
in the dissemination of untrue, unfair or
exaggerated statements regarding civil
CANON 2. Civil Engineers shall perform services
engineering. (it should give advancement but with
only in areas of their competence. (Competence –
not the statements that is untrue – not participate
qualified by Education; scope of profession)
in untrue)
a. Civil Engineers shall undertake to perform
b. Civil Engineers shall be objective and truthful in
engineering assignment only when qualified by
professional reports, statements or testimony.
education or experience in the technical field of
They shall include or relevant and pertinent
engineering involved. (are we qualified? Make
information in such reports, statements, or
yourself qualified)
testimony. (any reports, BOM have a true details;
b. Civil Engineers may accept an assignment do not disclose any agreements)
requiring education or experience outside of their
c. Civil Engineers, when serving as expert
own fields of competence, provided their services
witnesses, shall express civil engineering opinion
are restricted to those phases of the project in
only witnesses, shall express civil engineering
which they are qualified. All other phases of such
opinion only when it is founded upon adequate
project shall be performed by qualified associates,
knowledge of the facts, upon a background of
consultants, or employees. (accepting experience
technical competence, and upon honest conviction.
as long as in the field of expertise)
(consultation/hearing the testimony is for
c. Civil Engineers shall not affix their signatures or technical engineering knowledge)
seals to any civil engineering plan or document
d. Civil Engineers shall issue no statements,
dealing with subject matter in which they lack
criticisms, or arguments on civil engineering
competence by virtue of education or experience
matters which are inspired or paid for by interested
or to any such plan or document not reviewed or
parties, unless they indicate on whose behalf the
prepared under their supervision and control.
statements are made. (issue no statements, you
(don’t sign if you don’t know the content)
should not be biased)
d. Civil Engineers shall not use The Specialty
e. Civil Engineers shall be dignified and modest in
Engineering Title such as Structure Engineer,
explaining their work and merit, and will avoid any
Transportation Engineer, Water Engineer,
act tending to promote their own interests at the
Geotechnical Engineer, Construction Engineer, etc.
expense of the integrity, honor and dignity of the
without the PICE Specialist Accreditation. (don’t
civil engineering profession and/or related
use any title without approval or accredited by
professions. (shall be dignified, avoid any act on
PICE)
their own interest)
CANON 4. Civil Engineers shall act in professional
matters for each employers or clients as faithful
agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of
interest. (Fidelity – to employer/clients; to avoid
conflicts of interest)
a. Civil Engineers shall avoid all known or potential
conflicts of interest with their employers or clients
and shall promptly inform their employers or
clients of any business associations, interest, or
circumstances which could influence their
judgement or the quality of their services. (need to
inform and avoid influence)
b. Civil Engineers shall not accept compensation
from more than one party for services on the same
project, or for services pertaining to the same
project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed
to and agreed to, by all interested projects.
(transparency – should within the group project as
long as they approved)
c. Civil Engineers shall not solicit or accept
gratuities, directly or indirectly, from contractors,
their agents, or other parties dealing with their
clients or employers in connection with work for
which they are responsible. (shall not accept
compensation unless both parties agreed)
d. Civil Engineers in public services as members,
advisors or employees of a governmental body or
department shall not participate in consideration
or actions with respect to services solicited or
provided by them or their organization in private or
public engineering practice. (do not be
accompanied/involved in solicitation (standing
jeopardy)
e. Civil Engineers shall advise their employers or
clients when, as a result of their studies, they
believe a project will not be successful. (report
uncertainties/problems in project)
f. Civil Engineers shall not use confidential
information coming to them in the course of their
assignments as a means of making a personal profit
if such action is adverse to the interest of their
clients, employers or the public. (don’t block
mailing – confidential information to gain profit)
g. Civil Engineers shall not accept professional
employment outside of their regular work of
interest without the knowledge of their employers.
(don’t do another project without knowledge of
the employer)
CANON 5. Civil Engineers shall build their
professional reputation on the merit of their
services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
(Own merits)
a. Civil Engineers shall not give, solicit or receive
either directly or indirectly, any political
contribution, gratuity or unlawful consideration in
order to secure work, exclusive of securing salaried
positions through employment agencies.
(give/receive outside amount to enter
government or organization; BACKER)
b. Civil Engineers should negotiate contracts for
professional services fairly and on the basis of
demonstrated competence and qualifications for
the type of professional service required. (bidding
should be negotiated)
c. Civil Engineers may request; propose or accept
professional commissions on a contingent basis
only under circumstances in which their
professional judgements would not be
compromised. (you can request in any
organization commission)
d. Civil Engineers shall not falsify or permit
misrepresentation of their academic or
professional qualifications or experience. (true to
your credentials)
e. Civil Engineers shall give proper credit for
engineering work to those to whom credit is due,
and shall recognize to proprietary interests of
others. Whenever possible, they shall name the
person or persons who may be responsible for
design, inventions, writings or other
accomplishments. (do not own anything that g. Civil Engineers shall not maliciously or falsely,
doesn’t belong to you) directly or indirectly, injure the professional
reputation, prospects, practice or employment of
f. Civil Engineers may advertise professional
another engineer or indiscriminately criticize
services in a way that does not contain misleading
another’s work. (don’t destroy the life of your
language or is in any other manner derogatory to
colleagues)
the dignity of the profession. (avoid information
that can be misleading) h. Civil Engineers shall not use equipment, supplies,
laboratory or office facilities of their employers to
Examples of permissible advertising are as follows:
carry on outside private practice without the
1. Professional cars in recognized, dignified consent of their employers. (don’t use equipment
publications, and listings in rosters or directories for personal)
published by responsible organizations, provided
that the card or listings are consistent in size and
content and are in a section of the publication CANON 6. Civil Engineers shall act in such a manner
regularly devoted to such professional cards. as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and
dignity of the civil engineering profession. (Prestige
2. Brochures which factually describe experience,
– respect and admiration)
facilities, personnel and capacity to render service,
providing they are not misleading with respect to a. Civil Engineers shall not knowingly act in a
the engineer’s participation in projects described. manner which will be derogatory to the
honor, integrity, or dignity of the civil
3. Display advertising in recognized dignified
engineering profession or knowingly engage
business and professional publications, providing it
in business or professional practices of a
is factual and it is not misleading with respect to
fraudulent, dishonest or unethical nature.
the engineer’s extent or participation in projects
(don’t do anything against all canons)
described.
4. A statement of the engineers’ names or the
CANON 7. Civil Engineers shall continue their
name of the firm and statement of the type of
professional development throughout their
service posted on projects for which they render
careers, and shall provide opportunities for the
services.
professional development of those Civil Engineers
5. Preparation or authorized of descriptive articles under their supervision. (CPD – Continuing
for the lay or technical press, which are factual and professional development)
dignified. Such articles shall not imply anything
a. Civil Engineers should keep current in their
more than direct participation in the project
specialty fields by engaging in professional practice,
described.
participating in continuing education courses,
6. Permission by engineers for their names to be reading in the technical literature, and attending
used in commercial advertisements, such as may professional meetings and seminars. (continue up
be published by contractors, materials suppliers, to date knowledge of engineering profession)
etc., only by means of a modest, dignified notation
b. Civil Engineers should encourage their
acknowledging the engineers’ participation in the
engineering employees to become registered at
project described. Such permission shall not
the earliest possible date. (encourage to take
include public endorsement or proprietary
board exam)
products.
c. Civil Engineers should encourage engineering
employees to attend and present papers at
professional and technical society meetings.
(support in seminars)
d. Civil Engineers shall uphold the principle of
mutually satisfying relationships between
employers and employees with respect to terms of
employment including professional grade
descriptions, salary ranges, and fringe benefits.
(salary must be right and equal)