Chapter 9 – Ethics – British Columbia and Canadian Cases
Code of Ethics from Engineers and Geoscientists, BC
https://www.egbc.ca/About/Governance/The-Act,-Bylaws-and-Code-of-Ethics
THE ACT, BYLAWS AND CODE OF ETHICS
The Engineers and Geoscientists Act, the professions’ governing legislation, as well as the Bylaws and Code of Ethics, guide the association and its members and licensees in performing their duties.
THE PURPOSE OF THE ACT, BYLAWS AND CODE OF ETHICS IS TO:
- Define the association’s mandate;
- Outline its governing powers with respect to members and non-members alike; and
- Provide general statements regarding principles of ethical conduct to prepare professional engineers and geoscientists for the fulfillment of their duty to the public, the profession and fellow Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia members.
Code of Ethics
https://www.egbc.ca/getmedia/e8d858f5-e175-4536-8834-34a383671c13/APEGBC-Code-of-Ethics.pdf.aspx
The purpose of the code of ethics is to give general statements of the principles of ethical conduct in order that members and licensees may fulfill their duty to the public, to the profession and their fellow members and licensees. Members and licensees shall act at all times with fairness, courtesy and good faith to their associates, employers, employees and clients, and with fidelity to the public needs. They shall uphold the values of truth, honesty and trustworthiness and safeguard human life and welfare and the environment. In keeping with these basic tenets, members and licensees shall:
1) Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public, the protection of the environment and promote health and safety within the workplace;
2) Undertake and accept responsibility for professional assignments only when qualified by training or experience;
3) Provide an opinion on a professional subject only when it is founded upon adequate knowledge and honest conviction;
4) Act as faithful agents of their clients or employers, maintain confidentiality and avoid a conflict of interest but, where such conflict arises, fully disclose the circumstances without delay to the employer or client;
5) Uphold the principle of appropriate and adequate compensation for the performance of engineering and geoscience work;
6) Keep themselves informed in order to maintain their competence, strive to advance the body of knowledge within which they practice and provide opportunities for the professional development of their associates;
7) Conduct themselves with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and others, give credit where it is due and accept, as well as give, honest and fair professional comment;
8) Present clearly to employers and clients the possible consequences if professional decisions or judgments are overruled or disregarded;
9) Report to their association or other appropriate agencies any hazardous, illegal or unethical professional decisions or practices by members, licensees or others; and
10) Extend public knowledge and appreciation of engineering and geoscience and protect the profession from misrepresentation and misunderstanding.
