The Engineering Council and the Royal Academy of Engineering have updated their joint Statement on Ethical Principles for the engineering profession, first published over 20 years ago.
The Statement considers developments in professional practice, in the wider technology environment, and in society’s expectations more broadly. An important new fifth ethical principle has been added, focusing on engineering professionals’ responsibility for the future of technology, society, and the environment – particularly in an era of fast-moving technological change. Rapidly developing technologies such as AI have potentially transformative impacts, and ethical issues arise in their development and adoption. This new principle highlights the duty of engineers and technicians to develop these technologies responsibly, with awareness of the lasting system consequences for humankind, including intergenerational impacts.
The Statement’s five fundamental principles for ethical behaviour and decision-making are designed to apply to all engineering professionals and form the core of the specific codes of conduct set out by the individual professional engineering institutions.
The five ethical principles outlined are:
- Honesty and integrity, avoiding knowingly misleading others and taking steps to prevent corrupt practices, including plagiarism, misinformation, and false representation.
- Responsibility to society, including reporting malpractice and irresponsible or unsafe practice, whether within the workplace or outside.
- Accuracy and rigour, actively maintaining and enhancing knowledge, skills, and competence and supporting others to do the same.
- Leadership and communication, fostering a culture where concerns can be raised without fear of reprisal, and acting on well-founded concerns.
- Responsibility for the future of technology, society, and the environment, anticipating wider and emergent consequences, and potential for misuse of technologies, and applying precaution proportionately where potential harms are serious or irreversible.
Paul Bailey, CEO of the Engineering Council said: “The Engineering Council is responsible for setting and raising standards of competence and conduct for the engineering profession. This updated Statement of Ethical Principles supports those working in the profession to meet our standards, ensuring that ethical practice keeps pace with technological change. The introduction of a new fifth principle acknowledges this evolution by highlighting technicians and engineers’ responsibility towards the future of technology and the long-term impacts of engineering on society and the environment. As such, the Statement remains an essential source of guidance that helps engineering to be seen and recognised by the public as a trusted and ethical profession.”
Dame Tamara Finkelstein DCB, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: “The Royal Academy of Engineering is committed to supporting engineering in the service of society and ensuring that technology improves lives. Ethics and a commitment to public benefit must be at the heart of what we do. Growing an engineering community fit for the future means providing engineers with the vision, principles and guidance to bring ethics into the heart of the profession and inspiring a new generation of engineers to work in ways that have meaningful, positive impact and that reinforces the trust society places in us.”
