CODES
OF ETHICS
1
National Society of Professional Engineers
Preamble
Engineering is
an important and learned profession. As members of this profession, engineers
are expected to exhibit the higher standards of honesty and integrity.
Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all
people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require honesty,
impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of
then public health, safety, and welfare. Engineer must perform under a standard
of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest principles of
ethical conduct.
I
Fundamental Canons
Engineers in the
fulfillment of their professional duties 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 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.
II
Rules of Practice
1.
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
(a) If
engineers’ judgment is overruled under circumstances that endanger life or
property, they shall notify their employer or client and such other authority
as may be appropriate.
(b)
Engineers shall approve only those engineering documents that are in conformity
with applicable standards.
(c)
Engineers shall not reveal facts, data, or information without prior consent of
the client or employer except as authorized or required by law or this code.
(d) Engineers
shall not permit the use of their name or associate in business ventures with any
person or firm that they believe are engaged in fraudulent or dishonest
enterprise.
(e)
Engineers shall not aid or abet the unlawful practice of engineering by a person
or firm.
(f)
Engineers having knowledge of any alleged violation of this Code shall report
thereon to appropriate professional bodies and when relevant, also to public
authorities, and cooperate with the proper authorities in furnishing such
information or assistance as may be required.
2.
Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.
(a)
Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or
experience in the specific technical fields involved.
(b) Engineers
shall not affix their signatures to any plans or documents dealing with the subject
matter in which they lack competence, nor to any plan or document not prepared under
their direction and control.
(c)
Engineers may accept assignments and assume responsibility for coordination of
an entire project and sign and seal the engineering documents for the entire
project, provided that each technical segment is signed and sealed only by the
qualified engineers who prepared the segment.
3.
Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful
manner.
(a)
Engineers shall be objective and truthful in professional reports, statements,
or testimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinent information in such
reports, statements, or testimony, which should bear the date indicating when
it was current.
(b)
Engineers may express publicly technical options that are founded upon
knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter.
(c)
Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments on technical
matters that are inspired or paid for by interested parties on prefaced their
comments by explicitly identifying the interested parties on whose behalf they
are speaking and by revealing the existence of any interest the engineers may
have in the matters.
4.
Engineers shall at for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees
(a)
Engineers shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest that
could influence or appear to influence their judgment or the quality of their
services.
(b)
Engineers shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise, 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 and agreed to by all
interested parties.
(c)
Engineers shall not solicit or accept financial or other valuable
consideration, directly or indirectly, from outside agents on connection with
the work for which they are responsible.
(d)
Engineers in public service as members, advisers, or employees of a
governmental or quasi-governmental body or department shall not participate in
decisions with respect to services solicited or provided by them or their
organizations in private or public engineering practice.
(e)
Engineers shall not solicit or accept a contract from a governmental body on
which a principal or officer of their organization serves as a member.
5.
Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts
(a)
Engineers shall not falsify their qualifications or permit misrepresentation of
their or their associate’s qualifications. They shall not misrepresent or
exaggerate their responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior
assignments. Brochures or other presentations incident to the solicitation of
employment shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning employers,
employees, associates, joint ventures, or past accomplishments.
(b)
Engineers shall not offer, give, solicit or receive, either directly or
indirectly, any contribution to influence the award of a contract by public
authority, or which may be reasonably construed by the public as having the
effect of intent to influence the awarding of a contract. They shall not offer
any gift or other valuable consideration in order to secure work. They shall
not pay a commission, percentage, or brokerage fee in order to secure work,
except to a bonafide employee or established commercial or marketing agencies
retained by them.
III
Professional Obligations
1.
Engineers shall be guided in all their relation by the highest standards of
honesty and integrity.
(a)
Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the
facts.
(b)
Engineers shall advice their clients or employers when they believe a project
will not be successful.
(c)
Engineers shall not accept outside employment to the detriment of their regular
work or interest. Before accepting any outside engineering employment they will
notify their employers.
(d)
Engineers shall not attempt to attract an engineer from another employer by
false or misleading pretenses.
(e)
Engineers shall not promote their own interest at the expense of the dignity
and integrity of the profession.
2.
Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.
(a)
Engineers shall seek opportunities to participate in civic affairs, career
guidance for youths, and work for the advancement of the safety, health, and
well-being of their community.
(b)
Engineers shall not complete, sign, or seal plans and/or specifications that
are not in conformity with applicable engineering standards. If the client or
employer insists on such unprofessional conduct, they shall notify the proper
authorities and withdraw from further service on the project.
(c) Engineers shall endeavor to extend
public knowledge and appreciation of engineering and its achievements.
3.
Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.
(a)
Engineers shall avoid the use of statements containing a material
mis-representation of fact or omitting a material fact.
(b)
Consistent with the foregoing, engineers may advertise for recruitment of
personnel.
(c)
Consistent with foregoing, engineers may prepare articles for the lay or
technical press, but such articles shall not imply credit to the author for
work performed by other.
4.
Engineers shall not disclose, without consent, confidential information
concerning the business affairs or technical processes of any present or former
client or employer, or public body on which they serve.
(a) Engineers
shall not, without the consent of all interested parties, promote or arrange for
new employment or practice in connection with a specific project for which the engineer
has gained particular and specialized knowledge.
(b)
Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested parties, participate
in or represent in adversary interest in connection with a specific project or
proceeding in which the engineer has gained particular specialized knowledge on
behalf of a former client or employer.
5.
Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional duties by conflicting
interests.
(a)
Engineers shall not accept financial or other consideration including free
engineering designs, from material or equipment suppliers for specifying their
product.
(b)
Engineers shall not accept commission or allowances, directly or indirectly,
from contractors or other parties dealing with clients or employers of the
engineer in connection with work for which the engineer is responsible.
6.
Engineers shall not attempt to obtain employment or advancement or professional
engagements by untruthfully criticizing other engineers, or by other improper
methods.
(a)
Engineers shall not request, propose, or accept a commission on a contingent
basis under circumstances in which their judgement may be compromised.
(b)
Engineers in salaried positions shall accept part-time engineering work only to
the extent consistent with policies of the employer and in accordance with
ethical consideration.
(c)
Engineers shall not, without consent, use equipment, supplies, laboratory, or
office facilities of an employer to carry on outside private practice.
7.
Engineers shall not attempt to injure, maliciously or falsely, directly or
indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects, practice, or employment of
other engineers. Engineers who believe others are guilty of unethical or
illegal practice shall resent such information to the proper authority for
action.
(a)
Engineers in private practice shall not review the work of another engineer for
the same client, except with the knowledge of such engineer, or unless the
connection of such engineer with the work has been terminated.
(b) Engineers in governmental,
industrial, or educational employment are entitled to review and evaluate the
work of other engineers when so required by their employment duties.
(c)
Engineers in sales or industrial employ are entitled to make engineering
comparisons or represented products with products of other suppliers.
8.
Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for their professional
activities, provided, however, the engineers may seek indemnification for
services arising out of their practice for other than gross negligence, where
the engineer’s interests cannot otherwise be protected.
(a) Engineers
shall conform to state registration laws in the practice of engineering.
(b)
Engineers shall not use association with a non-engineer, a corporation, or
partnership as a ‘cloak’ for unethical acts.
9.
Engineers shall give credit for engineering work to those to whom credit is
due, and will recognize the proprietary interests of others.
(a)
Engineers shall, whenever possible, name the person or persons who may be
individually responsible for designs, inventions, writings, or other
accomplishments.
(b)
Engineers using designs supplied by a client recognize that the designs remain
the property of the client and may not be duplicated by the engineer for
others, without the express permission.
(c)
Engineers before undertaking work for others in connection with which the
engineer may make improvements, plans, designs, inventions, or other records
that may justify copyrights or patents, should enter into a positive agreement
regarding ownership.
(d)
Engineers’ designs, data, records, and notes referring exclusively to an
employer’s work are the employer’s property. The employer should indemnify the
engineer for use of the information for any purpose other than the original
purpose.
(e)
Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their
careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in
professional practice, participating in continuing education course, reading in
the technical literature, and attending professional meetings and seminars.
2. ASME code of ethics (American Society of
Mechanical Engineers)
ASME requires
ethical practice by each of its members and has adopted the following Code of
Ethics of
Engineers as referenced in the ASME Constitution, Article C2.1.1.
CODE OF ETHICS
OF ENGINEERS: The
Fundamental Principles Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and
dignity of the engineering profession by:
I. Using their
knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare;
II. Being honest
and impartial, and serving with fidelity their clients (including their employers)
and the public; and
III. Striving to
increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession.
The Fundamental Canons
1. Engineers
shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance
of their professional duties.
2. Engineers
shall perform services only in the areas of their competence; they shall build their
professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly
with others.
3. Engineers
shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall
provide opportunities for the professional and ethical development of those engineers
under their supervision.
4. Engineers
shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful
agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of
conflicts of interest.
5. Engineers
shall respect the proprietary information and intellectual property rights of others,
including charitable organizations and professional societies in the engineering
field.
6. Engineers
shall associate only with reputable persons or organizations.
7. Engineers
shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner and shall
avoid any conduct which brings discredit upon the profession.
8. Engineers
shall consider environmental impact and sustainable development in the performance
of their professional duties.
9. Engineers
shall not seek ethical sanction against another engineer unless there is good
reason to do so under the relevant codes, policies and procedures governing that
engineer’s ethical conduct.
10. Engineers
who are members of the Society shall endeavor to abide by the Constitution,
By-Laws and Policies of the Society, and they shall disclose knowledge of any
matter involving another member’s alleged violation of this Code of Ethics or the
Society’s Conflicts of Interest Policy in a prompt, complete and truthful
manner to the chair of the Ethics Committee.
3.
ASCE code of ethics: (American Society of Civil Engineers)
In its 1976
retooling of the Code of Ethics, ASCE's Board of Direction revised the nine canon
model, which focused primarily on an engineer's business obligations to clients
and employers, to one with seven canons that emphasized service to the
profession and to the public at large. The change was signaled by the inclusion
of four fundamental principles. Although the seven canons and their guidelines
have undergone numerous revisions over the past 32 years, the four principles
have remained virtually unchanged since their adoption and currently read as
follows:
Engineers uphold
and advance the integrity, honor, and dignity of the engineering profession by using
their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare and the
environment; being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public,
their employers, and clients; striving to increase the competence and prestige
of the engineering profession; and supporting the professional and technical
societies of their disciplines.:
The seven canons
reflect an attempt to span the potentially infinite range of circumstances in
which an engineer's commitment to these fundamental principles may be put to
the test. Today these canons read as follows
1. 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 professional
duties.
Perhaps the most
demanding of ASCE's ethical standards is the engineer's duty to "hold
paramount" the public's safety and welfare. Under this canon an engineer
is expected not only to protect the public in his or her own work but also to
take action if he or she has knowledge that any other person's actions may undermine
the public welfare, a requirement that may include reporting such actions to a
government authority with the power to act on behalf of the public. In 1996
ASCE added the "sustainable development" language to this canon,
reflecting its belief that ensuring public welfare also requires consideration
of ecological and environmental factors.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.
In addition to
the more obvious guidelines here, for example, the requirement to take work
only when qualified by education or experience to carry out the work, this
canon means that an engineer may not seal an engineering plan or document
unless that document has been prepared or reviewed under his or using their
knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare and the environment; being
honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers, and
clients; striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering
profession; and supporting the professional and technical societies of their
disciplines.
3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and
truthful manner.
This canon
considers the many ways in which an engineer may share his or her expertise
with the public and reflects principles that underlie many other provisions of
the code. For example, an engineer may apply his or her technical expertise
only when competent to do so (as per canon 2), must indicate when a statement
has been paid for by an interested party (much like the conflict disclosures
required by canon 4), and may not promote his or her own interests in a manner
derogatory to the integrity of the profession (canon 6).
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client
as faithful agents or
trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
With its focus
on fidelity to employers and clients, canon 4 is in some respects reminiscent
of the original, 1914 code. But whereas that code barred an engineer only from
"accept[ing] remuneration other than his stated charges for services
rendered," the current canon provides a more complete picture of the types
of conflicts that can lead an engineer astray. Under today's canon, engineers
may not use confidential information in a way that is detrimental to an employer's
or client's interests, may not take part in decisions as a public servant for
services involving their own private practice, and are obliged to notify their employers
before availing themselves of outside employment opportunities or engaging in
work that may give rise to a conflict of interest.
5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of
their services and shall not
compete unfairly with others.
An important
point to remember here is that this canon does not restrict competition among
engineers per se, only methods by which an engineer may attempt to gain an
unfair advantage over his or her competitors. Such unfair practices include
bestowing gifts or gratuities to obtain work, falsely portraying one's
qualifications and credentials, taking credit for the work of another, and
maliciously criticizing the work of another.
6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor,
integrity, and
dignity of the engineering profession and shall act with zero tolerance for
bribery, fraud, and
corruption.
This canon can
be viewed as a catchall for acts that while not expressly proscribed in other
canons nevertheless violate the spirit of the code. It promotes transparency
and scrupulous control of funds and prohibits engineers from knowingly
participating in fraudulent or dishonest practices. This canon also reflects
the most recent revision to the code, a 2006 amendment stating that bribes and
corruption are not to be tolerated and warning engineers to beware of situations
where such practices have broad, even institutionalized, support.
7. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their
careers, and shall
provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers
under their
supervision.
The final canon is unique in that its focus is
on professional growth rather than professional conduct. Engineers are
encouraged to continue honing their skills, to share their knowledge by, for
example, attending conferences and seminars, and to support the development of
engineer employees by providing them with an environment that encourages
professional growth and licensure.
3.
The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Code
of Ethics
We the members
of the IEEE, in recognition of the importance of our technologies in affecting
the quality of life throughout the world, and in accepting a personal
obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct and
agree:
1. To accept
responsibility in making engineering decisions consistent with the safety,
health and welfare of the public, and to disclose prompt factors that might
endanger the public or the environment.
2. To avoid real
or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected
parties when they do exist.
3. To be honest
and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data.
4. To reject
bribery in all its forms.
5. To improve the
understanding of technology, its appropriate application, and potential consequences.
6. To maintain
and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others
only if qualified by training or experience, or after full disclosure of
pertinent limitations.
7. To seek,
accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and
correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others.
8. To treat
fairly all persons regardless of such factors as race, religion, gender,
disability, age, or national origin.
9. To avoid
injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or
malicious action.
10. To assist
colleagues and co-workers in their professional development and to support them
in
following code
of ethics.
4.
Institution of Engineers (India)
Code
of Ethics (Effective from March 2004)
Introduction
Engineers serve
all members of the community in enhancing their welfare, health, and safety by
a creative process utilizing the engineers’ knowledge, expertise and
experience. The code of ethics is based on broad principles of truth, honesty,
justice, trustworthiness, respect and safeguard of human life and welfare,
competence and accountability, which constitutes the moral values every corporate
member of the institution must recognize, uphold and abide by.
Preamble
The corporate
members if the IEI are committed to promote and practice the profession of
engineering for
the common good of the community bearing in mind the following concerns:
1. The ethical
standard
2. Social
justice, social order, and human rights
3. Protection of
the environment
4. Sustainable
development
5. Public safety
and tranquility
The
Tenets of the Code of Ethics
A corporate
member
1. Shall utilize
his/her knowledge and expertise for the welfare, health, and safety of the community
without any discrimination for sectional or private interests.
2. Shall
maintain the honour, integrity and dignity in all his professional actions to
be worthy of the trust of the community and the profession.
3. Shall act
only in the domains of his competence and with diligence, care, sincerity and honesty.
4. Shall apply
his knowledge and expertise in the interest of his employer or the clients for whom
he shall work without compromising with other obligations to these tenets.
5. Shall not
falsify or misrepresent his own or his associates qualification, experience
etc.
6. Wherever
necessary and relevant, shall take all reasonable steps to inform, himself, his
employer or clients, of the environmental, economic, social and other possible consequences,
which may arise out of his actions.
7. Shall
maintain utmost honesty and fairness in making a statement or giving witness
and shall do so on the basis of adequate knowledge.
8. Shall not
directly or indirectly injure the professional reputation of another member.
9. Shall reject
any kind of offer that may involve unfair practice or may cause avoidable damage
to the eco-system.
10. Shall be
concerned about and shall act in the best of his abilities for maintenance of sustainability
of the process of development.
11. Shall not
act in any manner which may injure the reputation of the institution or which may
cause any damage to the institution financially or otherwise.
General
Guidance
The tenets of
the code of ethics are based on the recognition that-
1. A common tie
exists among the humanity and that the Institution of Engineers (India) derives
its value from the people, so that the actions of its corporate members should indicate
the member’s highest regard for equality of opportunity, social justice and fairness
2. The corporate
members of the institution hold a privileged position in the community so as to
make it a necessity for their not using the position for personal and sectional
interests.
And
as Such, a Corporate Member
1. Should keep
his employer or client fully informed on all matters in respect of his assignment
which are likely to lead to a conflict of interest or when, in his judgment, a
project will not be viable on the basis of commercial, technical, environment
or any other risks.
2. Should
maintain confidentiality of any information with utmost sincerity unless
expressly permitted to disclose such information or unless such permission, if
withheld, any adversely affects the welfare, health and safety of the
community.
3. Should
neither solicit nor accept financial or other considerations from anyone
related to a project or assignment of which he is in the charge.
4. Should
neither pay nor offer direct or indirect inducements to secure work.
5. Should
compete on the basis of merit alone.
6. Should
refrain from inducing a client to breach a contract entered into with another duly-appointed
engineer.
7. Should, if
asked by the employer or a client, to review the work of another person or organization,
discuss the review with the other person or organization to arrive at a balanced
opinion.
8. Should make
statements or give evidence before a tribunal or a court of law in an objective
and accurate manner and express any opinion on the basis of adequate knowledge
and competence.
9. Should reveal
the existence of any interest-pecuniary or otherwise—which may affect the
judgment while giving an evidence or making a statement.
5.
Indian Institute of Material Management
Code
of Ethics15
1. To consider
first the total interest of one’s organization in all transactions without
impairing the dignity and responsibility to one’s office.
2. To buy
without prejudice seeking to obtain the maximum ultimate value for each rupee
of expenditure.
3. To subscribe
and work for honesty and truth in buying and selling.
4. To denounce
all forms and manifestations of commercial bribery and to eschew anti-social practices.
5. To respect
one’s obligations and those of one’s organization consistent with good business
practice.
6.
Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers
Preamble
1. To uphold the
concept of professional conduct amongst its corporate members, the Council of
the Institution felt the need to evolve a Code of Ethics for corporate members.
2. A corporate
member should develop spirit-de-corps among the fraternity and uphold
the principles of honesty, integrity, justice, and courtesy to guide him in the
practice of his responsibilities and duties to the public and the profession.
3. He should
scrupulously guard his professional and personal reputation and avoid
association with persons and organizations of questionable character and uphold
the dignity and honour of the institution.
The
Codes
1. A corporate
member will, at all times, endeavour to protect the engineering profession from
misrepresentation and misunderstanding.
2. A corporate
member will interact with others in his profession by free exchange of
information and experience. He will contribute to the growth of the institution
to maximum effectiveness to the best of his ability.
3. A corporate
member will not offer his professional services by advertisement or through any
commercial advertising media, or solicit engineering work, trading, teaching
either directly or indirectly or through agencies/organizations in any manner
derogatory to the dignity of the profession and the institution.
4. A corporate
member will not directly or indirectly injure the professional reputation,
work, or practice of another corporate member.
5. A corporate
member will not divulge confidential findings or actions of the council or committee
of which he is a member, without obtaining official clearance.
6. A corporate
member will not take credit for an activity, professional work, engineering proposal
when engaged in a team and give due recognition to those where due.
7. A corporate
member will express an opinion only when it is founded on facts and honest conviction
before a forum, court, commission or at an inquiry.
8. A corporate
member will exercise due restraint in criticizing the work or professional
conduct of another corporate member which would impinge or hurt his character
and reputation.
9. A corporate
member will not try to supplant another corporate member in a particular employment,
office or contract.
10. A corporate
member will be upright in all his dealings with person(s), organizations, in business,
contractors, agencies. He should not take actions that lead to groupism,
political connotation or unethical conduct in the discharge if his official
powers.
11. A corporate
member will not misrepresent his qualification to gain undue advantage in his profession.
12. A corporate
member will act with fairness and justice in any office, employment or
contract.
13. A corporate
member will not associate in engineering work which does not conform to ethical
practices.
14. A corporate
member will not compete unfairly with another corporate member by means, which
in the opinion of others, are based on garnering support for personal gain,
enlisting uncalled for sympathy, espousing unjust cases or amounts to use of
unconstitutional methods.
15. A corporate
member will act in professional matters as a faithful agent or trustee.
16. A corporate
member will not receive remuneration, commission, discount or any indirect profit
from any work with which he is entrusted, unless specifically so permitted.
17. A corporate
member will not accept financial or other compensation from more than one source
for the same service or work connected thereto, unless so authorized
18. A corporate
member will immediately inform his organisation/institution of any financial interest
in a business, and engineering work which may compete with, adversely affect or
hamper the growth of parent body.
19. A corporate
member will engage or enlist the services of specialist/experts when in his judgement,
such services are in the best interest of his employer or to the profession.
20. A corporate
member will endeavour to develop a team among his colleagues and staff and provide
equal opportunity to them for professional development and advancement.
21. A corporate
member will subscribe to the principle of appropriate norms, appreciation and adequate
compensation for those engaged in office, technical and professional employment
including those in subordinate positions.
22. A corporate
member, if he considers that another corporate member is guilty of unethical, illegal,
unfair practice, defalcation, will not present such information to the Council
of the Institution for necessary action, unless armed with substantial proof.
7.
ENGINEERING COUNCIL OF INDIA
Engineering
Council of India was formed in 2002 with one of its objectives as “to establish
a common code of ethics for professional and consulting engineers for adoption
by Associations/Professional Societies and to evolve the strategy for its
enforcement.” The IEI, IETE, and Consulting Engineers Association of India
(CEAI), AICTE, and NBA are the members of this council. The Engineers Bill, drafted
in 2004, and aimed to introduce the common codes of ethics, is yet to enter the
statute books.
CODES
OF ETHICS FOR TATA GROUP18
Several Indian
companies have risen to the challenge and have established a reputation for
fair play and ethics. Among leaders of IT companies, there are models of good
governance.
The 15 million $
Tata Group upholds the leadership with trust as its key asset and holds
up the Tata codes of Conduct to its 2.2 million plus employees. Founded on the
five core values, namely Integrity, Understanding, Excellence, Unity,
and Responsibility, the code is enunciated in 24 canons embracing ethical
conduct, conflict of interest, corporate governance, whistle blowing, and
national interest, health, safety, and welfare of the public including
environmental concern.
An elaborate
mechanism to monitor the management of business in each of the 91 member companies
is provided. All the IT professionals in the group numbering 50 000 plus
worldwide, sign allegiance to the code and in particular to mandates on equal
opportunity, prevention of gender inequality, concurrent employment, quality of
services, and integrity of data furnished.
AIChE Code of Ethics
The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers adopted this Code of Ethics to which it expects that the professional
conduct of its members shall conform, and to which every applicant attests by
signing his or her membership application. Members of the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers shall uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of
the engineering profession by: being honest and impartial and serving with
fidelity their employers, their clients, and the public; striving to increase
the competence and prestige of the engineering profession; and using their
knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare. To achieve these
goals, members shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public
and protect the environment in performance of their professional duties.
2. Formally advise their employers or clients (and consider
further disclosure, if warranted) if they perceive that a consequence of their
duties will adversely affect the present or future health or safety of their
colleagues or the public.
3. Accept responsibility for their actions, seek and heed
critical review of their work and offer objective criticism of the work of
others.
4. Issue statements or present information only in an objective
and truthful manner.
5. Act in professional matters for each employer or client as
faithful agents or trustees, avoiding conflicts of interest and never breaching
confidentiality.
6. Treat all colleagues and co-workers fairly and respectfully,
recognizing their unique contributions and capabilities by fostering an
environment of equity, diversity and inclusion.
7. Perform professional services only in areas of their
competence.
8. Build their professional reputations on the merits of their
services.
9. Continue their professional development throughout their
careers, and provide opportunities for the professional development of those
under their supervision.
10. Never tolerate harassment.
11. Conduct themselves in a fair, honorable and respectful manner.
IIChE
CODES OF ETHICS
- Engineers must take pride in their profession. They have
to create a new world that never has been and see the world that has been given
to me by my predecessors and also conserve material and energy for the next
generation.
- They must be honest, sincere and exhibit fidelity. They
must work with integrity towards, their employer and client. They must put up
all their efforts and collective wisdom and knowledge of group members during
task fulfillment.
- Without reservation or prejudice, engineers must use their
knowledge for the benefit of mankind.
- They must strive to protect the interests and the good
name of any engineer and with hold oneself from disclosing the truth regarding
anyone by unscrupulous act.
- Knowledge is to be dissipated to the next your generation
and especially to younger members of the profession. Encourage the brightest and
best young people into the profession; and promote lifelong professional
development.
- Use skills to improve the quality of life-foster
employment, advance economic and social development and protect environment.
This challenge encompasses the essence of sustainable development to make the
world a better place for future generations.
- Design processes and products which are innovative,
energy-efficient and cost-effective, make the best use of scarce resources and ensure
that waste and adverse environmental impact are minimized
- Achieve the biggest
standards of safety in making and using products of all kinds; provide the
processes and products which give the people of the world, shelter, clothing,
food and drink, and which keep them in good health
- work with other disciplines to seek solutions; engage in
honest and open dialogue with the public on challenges presented by manufacture
of the products which the public requires; promote research to allow the
profession to respond fully to global demands.
- Special expertness carries with the obligation TO SERVE
HUMANITY WITH COMPLETE SINCERITY.”
ETHICS
AND CODES OF BUSINESS CONDUCT IN MNC19
Sarbans-Oxley
Act, 2002 (U.S.A.) and New York Stock Exchange listing standards have made many
corporate organizations ethics conscious. The organizations are to disclose
codes of business conduct and ethics for the organizations.
For example,
Texas Instruments a major MNC, has declared that “Ethical reputation is our
vital asset. Upon applying values each of the employee can say, TI is a good
company, and one reason is that I am part of it”.
Three major
values such as Integrity, Innovation and Commitment, have been elaborated in
the
form of 28
ethics statements (as pledges to keep) and 17 codes of business conduct have
been presented in their documents.
A quick ethics
test suggested by TI for all of its employees, without exception, will
sufficiently
explain their
commitment:
1. Is the action
LEGAL?
2. Does it
comply with our VALUES?
3. If you do it,
will you feel BAD?
4. How will it
look in the NEWSPAPER?
5. If you know
it is WRONG, don’t do it.
6. If you are
not sure, ASK
7. Keep asking until
you get an answer.
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