Ethics And Contemporary Issues

In 1964 the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) adopted the Code of Ethics to protect everyone from unqualified practitioners in all engineering disciplines. As I discussed in journal 2, section II.4 of the Code of Ethics states, “Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.” The broad idea this section conveys is for engineers to be truthful and respectful to all employees and customers in the workplace without being influenced by anything unprofessional that clouds their thoughts. In a recent article, “Engineers must be wise stewards of the money and trust of the public”, published on October 1, 2019 it discusses a situation which violates several parts of the code of ethics II.4.

Section II.4 protects the society and other engineers from engineers who act unethically by being persuaded the wrong way. These wrongful decisions are most of the time done in a cloudy mind due to personal benefits or anything else that can lead to misguidance in their actions. When money is involved companies and employers find it hard to act ethically and abide the Code of Ethics. In a newspaper from a Mid-Atlantic state reviews a very unprofessional situation where a president and owner of an engineering firm was hold liable to charge for income tax and wire fraud. Using his titles, he was able to swindle the government and maintain his high-profile lifestyle. This engineer was bribing politicians and minimizing his companies earning in his reporting to the IRS along with over charging his politicians clients. By doing this he was not being honest to his employs and clients. He was using this earning for his benefits such as, expensive food, wine, and to contribute to projects that will later bring more wealth to him. He was also using these earnings to find expensive gifts for other to gain new ties and attain new contracts. To add on to his bad decisions, he hires employee’s son as a paid intern for several summers and in return he gains their loyalty. Furthermore, he uses the company’s money to pay his two children as company employees when one of them is still a college student. All the money spending on other people and using for his personal desires comes from the company’s federal tax return. It was reported that he used $250,000 in expenses for three years.

When all the engineers’ actions and spending come to light he pleads guilty and is sentenced to five years of probation plus paying back what he owes. This news article represents section II.4 because he bribed the customers such as politicians clouding their judgment and eventually attaining contracts with them. All his actions were unethical because he was using his position to lie about the company’s earning and pay less federal taxes along with hiring his own children to gain more money within his family. On the other hand, the politicians and customers receiving gifts had an ethical obligation to deny his offerings since they are doing business together.

To avoid these situations the engineer must report all earning as they are and not use them for his benefit. He must not offer gifts to other because it creates conflict when they are deciding who they want to give the business to. If someone every receives offering from someone who they are professionally connected to they must reject the gifts to maintain a clear mind and professional relationship.

Citations:

1. “Code of Ethics for Engineers.” NSPE, Mar. 2019, www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/pdfs/Ethics/EthicsReferenceGuide.pdf.
2. “Engineers Must Be Wise Stewards Of the Money and Trust of the Public.” American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), https://www.asce.org/question-of-ethics-articles/oct-2019/.