The document discusses proposed additions to engineering codes of ethics regarding sustainability. It presents arguments that sustainability should be integrated as a core principle rather than considered redundant or lesser in value. Specifically, it argues sustainability should be defined in terms of engineered systems and framed as a justice concept to avoid disproportionate impacts on subgroups. Adding sustainability to the paramount clause could expand engineers' commitment to virtues like honesty, trust, and humility needed for social change.

1. Sustaining Engineering
Codes of Ethics for the 21st
century
Diane Michelfelder -- Philosophy
Macalester College
Sharon A. Jones -- Engineering
Lafayette College
fPET 2010

2. 6 Fundamental Canons & Rules of Practice (NSPE)
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 an 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.
2. Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.
a)Engineers are encouraged 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 are encouraged to extend public knowledge and appreciation of engineering
and its achievements.
d)Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the principles of sustainable development
9 Professional Obligations (NSPE)

3. 4 Fundamental Principles (ASCE)
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering
profession by:
a. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare and the
environment;
b. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers and
clients;
c. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession; and
d. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.
a. 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.
b. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.
c. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
d. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful
agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
e. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and
shall not compete unfairly with others.
f. 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.
g. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers, and
shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under
their supervision.
7 Fundamental Canons (ASCE)

4. • No consensus on the meaning of sustainability
• Sustainability is redundant with the Code
• Sustainability is outside of the “paramountcy clause”
and thus devalued
The debate centers around three issues …

5. We suggest that…
from a justice framework,
the addition of a commitment to
sustainability within the engineering codes of
ethics is necessary and is neither redundant
nor of lesser value.
• Define sustainability in terms of engineered systems
• Frame sustainability as a justice
• Propose that to be “sustained”, sustainability goes beyond
mere inclusion in professional obligations; instead it requires
integrating personal with professional virtues

6. Sustainable development is ‘development which
meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs’
1987, United Nations Brundtland Report
Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the principles of
sustainable development not sustainability.

7. Sustainability [engineering] is the design of
human and industrial systems to ensure
humankind’s use of natural resources and
cycles do not lead to diminished quality of life
due either to losses in future economic
opportunities or to adverse impacts on social
conditions, human health, and the
environment. (Mihelcic et. al., 2003)
• Economic opportunities
• Social conditions
• Human & environmental health
The Needs

8. Present Best Solution
Select Best Solution
Analyze Possible Solutions
Develop Alternative Solutions
Establish Criteria & Constraints
Narrow Research
Conduct Research
Identify Need
The Engineering Design
Process
Want

9. Techniques to include costs and
environmental/health impacts are often
aggregate
• Cost – CBA
• Environmental health impact -- LCA
• Human health impact -- risk assessment
Cost
Environmental Health
Human Health
Social & Economic
Opportunities

10. One approach to avoid disproportional
impacts is to examine how various
subpopulations are affected
Environmental Justice Guidance
National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA):
Scoping
Public Participation
Determining the Affected Environment
Alternatives
Mitigation
Record of Decision

11. What does it mean to think of
sustainability as a justice concept?
EPA definition of environmental
justice stresses
design that avoids
disproportional impacts and
allows all affected groups equal
access to decision-making.

12. What does it mean to think of
sustainability as a justice concept?
“Place and time do not
provide a morally relevant
basis on which to
differentiate the weight to
be given to the interests of
different people”
—Brian Barry

13. How to best distribute social goods within
a Rawlsian framework?
• One possibility would be to use the principle of utility -- to
maximize (aggregate) anticipated value
• Another possibility would be to use the maximin principle --
to maximize the least worse outcome
• Rawls believes that when determining principles of justice
in an ideal society, those making the determination would
use maximin over maximizing anticipated value as a
principle of rational choice.

14. Now that we have a better handle on
definitions, is sustainability redundant with
the Code?
• In considering how engineering projects affect the public’s
health, safety, and welfare, aggregate impacts are often the
ones taken into account.
• In some sense, integrating sustainability into engineering
projects represents an additional constraint, but if
sustainability is a normative concept then it represents,
however defined, a moral vision as well.

15. Sustaining sustainability within the Code
... requires the integration of professional
with personal virtues:
“For social change to occur, it is important that
there be people of integrity and character who
can act on the basis of principles and ideas”
--Dale Jamieson, “Ethics, Public Policy, and
Global Warming”

17. Social change in the context of
thinking sustainability as a justice
concept rests on social virtues
Honesty Adding sustainability to the
paramountcy clause would
expand the place of honesty
within professional codes of
engineering.
Trust
Openness
Humility and
others...

18. Your feedback is most welcome
fPET-2010
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
health and welfare of the public and the
[just] sustainable design of human and
industrial systems in the performance of their
professional duties.