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Business & Labor
Engineers Commit to Ending Corruption
(midwest.construction.com,
October 2006 issue)
About 10 percent of the approximately
$4 trillion spent annually for engineering and construction
worldwide is lost to corrupt activities, according to conservative
estimates.
The current forecast for a dramatic
increase in infrastructure spending, particularly in developing
countries, will lead to an unprecedented globalization of
engineering and construction-and the potential for an equally
dramatic increase in losses to corruption.
As a result, the American Society of
Civil Engineers has adopted an amendment to its 92-year-old
Code of Ethics that further expanded its zero-tolerance policy
for bribery and corruption.
The society also committed to publicizing
these new guidelines among other construction industry organizations
in the United States and working to encourage the 67 civil
engineering organizations worldwide it has Agreements of Cooperation
with to adopt similar guidelines.
"Engineers have an ethical obligation
to take a stand against corruption in all its forms, because
not only do bribery and corruption have a high economic cost,
but they also have an equally high human cost," said
ASCE past president William Henry.
The new guidelines are the result of
two years of work by ASCE's Task Committee on Global Principles
for Professional Conduct, Committee for Professional Practice
and Committee for Professional Conduct.
The initiative is chaired by Black and
Veatch Associate Vice President Robert Crist.
The new guidelines were amended to Cannon
6 of the Society's Code of Ethics, which states that: "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."
They also call for engineers to do the
following:
- Not knowingly engage in business
or professional practices of a fraudulent, dishonest or
unethical nature.
- Be scrupulously honest in their control
and spending of monies, and promote effective use of resources
through open, honest and impartial service with fidelity
to the public, employers, associates and clients.
- Act with zero-tolerance for bribery,
fraud and corruption in all engineering or construction
activities in which they are engaged.
- Be especially vigilant in maintaining
appropriate ethical behavior where payments of gratuities
or bribes are institutionalized practices.
- Strive for transparency in the procurement
and execution of projects, including disclosure of names,
addresses, purposes and fees or commissions paid for all
agents facilitating projects.
- Encourage the use of certifications
specifying zero-tolerance for bribery, fraud and corruption
in all contracts.
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