Ethical Guidelines for Engineers  

Derived from original text in Swedish, published by The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers (Civilingenjörsförbundet, CF) at www.cf.se 
  

Technology and science are powerful tools in the service of Mankind, tools with great advantages and significant dangers. Engineering has profoundly transformed our society and will deeply influence humanity also in the future.

Engineers are bearers and trustees of technological knowledge. This gives them a special responsibility to assure that technology is applied for the benefit of society and humanity. Engineers also have a responsibility to promote the engineering culture in an enhanced form to future generations.

In 1929, The Swedish Association of Technologists (Svenska Teknologföreningen) adopted a Code of Honour. An update was agreed upon in 1988, then motivated by recent development within the society and within engineering science. The most recent update is widened to embrace all categories of engineers.

As a guide for the engineer's personal standpoint in ethical questions, The Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers (CF), in an assembly of delegates on 20 November 2000, decided upon the following 
 

CODE OF HONOUR for Engineers

1. In exercising his/her profession, each engineer shall feel personally responsible that technology is applied for the benefit of Mankind, Ecosystems and Society.

6. An engineer may not use improper methods in competition for employment, assignments or orders, neither may he/she try to disrepute colleagues through unjustified accusations.

2. Each engineer shall strive to improve technology and engineering knowledge towards a more efficient use of resources, without causing damages.

7. Each engineer shall respect the confidential nature of entrusted information and honour the rights of other parties to their ideas, inventions, investigations, plans, drawings and other documentation.

3. Each engineer shall make his/her skills available in the appropriate public and private forums, in order to reach the best possible basis for decisions, and explain the potentials and risks of the technology used.

8. An engineer may not favour unauthorized interests and shall openly declare economical or other interests that may influence the credibility for him/her being impartial and unbiased.

4. The engineer shall avoid working within or cooperating with any organization of dubious character, or any organization the goals of which are in conflict with the engineer's personal conviction.

9. In the private and public arena, in speech and writing, the engineer shall strive for objective presentations and avoid incorrect, misleading or exaggerated statements.

5. Each engineer shall act with full loyalty towards his/her employer and towards colleagues. Any difficulties in this respect should be openly discussed, if possible on the place of work.

10. The engineer should actively support colleagues that get into trouble for acting in accordance with those rules. He/she should with the best possible judgment act to prevent violations of those rules.