[ Ethics ]

“Deal with ethical issues” is number one in Engineer Australia’s elements list of competencies required for Chartered status.

It’s true that ‘proving’ you’re ethical is more fuzzy than ‘proving’ you’re good at math or that you can finish your work to a deadline. Proving personal ethicality does require some thought.

But don’t romanticise ethics into grand whistle-blower newsworthy cases with heroes and villains. Engineering ethics are shown in our daily tasks and activities: they are in budgets, in spreadsheets, and in daily decisions like resource planning. Everyday decisions that show what is important to you and your company: that’s ethics.