By Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., F.ASCE
Civil engineers’ work directly impacts the health and safety of our communities. Our decisions must consider the environmental and cultural consequences of our projects, minimize adverse impacts, and promote sustainability and resilience. This all relies on professionals who adhere to good ethical principles.
If you haven’t faced an ethical dilemma in your career, you will eventually. I’ve faced many in my career, and some seem less daunting than others. The most egregious occurred when I was asked to change lab data results, which would’ve allowed for a less expensive design option. My reaction was swift and vehement in declining to do such a thing. I was very young when this happened. I’ve since grown and learned from these experiences. Today I’d report the engineer to the licensing board for such a blatant violation of professional standards.
But the real test of ethics is often subtle: Can you sign off on this project even though it’s just slightly outside code requirements? You may be told, “It’s just a small deviation, and it’ll save us time.” Or maybe the contractor didn’t follow the specifications, but it’s already installed. These scenarios can seem minor or justified when dealing with tight deadlines and budget constraints, and you feel pressure to go against your gut instinct and acquiesce.
Understand that these minor ethical infractions can lead to serious consequences for public safety and trust in the profession. The Hyatt Regency walkway collapse resulted from a minor change during construction. The collapse killed 114 people and injured hundreds more. As engineers, everything we design has human impacts, so we must maintain ethical rigor in our work and decisions.
Growing ethical rigor is multifaceted. Being a member of ASCE has given me the roadmap to follow an ethical code of conduct. With ongoing ethical training and the reinforcement of the ASCE Code of Ethics, there is a culture of expected ethical behavior.
Through the code, civil engineers have a vastly satisfying opportunity to contribute to a more equitable society by upholding the fundamental principle of fostering equitable participation without regard to personal identity. Equitably designed and built infrastructure creates an economic ecosystem that drives opportunity and social well-being for individuals, families, communities, and businesses. It also improves public services and enhances accessibility and mobility for everyone. When all members of society can participate in long-term prosperity, it sets a solid foundation for sustained growth that fosters public trust and stability for future generations.
That’s why I’ve signed the Engineer’s Charter, and I believe all engineers should. Adopted in 2005, the charter was a response to corruption in the global construction industry. All engineers must agree to demonstrate zero tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption. I’m convinced there are far more ethical engineers than unethical engineers. So we need to show that we represent a significant and growing population of our profession who demand integrity and high ethical standards for the benefit of all.
Good ethical practices are integral to every facet of our work as civil engineers. We must invest more energy in spotlighting good ethical behavior than dwelling on unethical incidents. After calling those out, we must then focus on the good stories that are out there. This way, we can highlight ethical practice as a beacon to others.
Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., F.ASCE, is a regional director for Lochmueller Group. She is the 2023-24 ASCE president.
This article first appeared in the September/October 2024 issue of Civil Engineering.
