DP5

DecisionPoint
http://proethica.org/ontology/cases#DecisionPoint

DP5

Should the PE firm voluntarily apply baseline ethical standards rooted in honesty, non-deception, and professional dignity preservation to its sub-professional commercial activities, even though the formal Canons and Rules do not require it to do so?

Even though the Canons and Rules formally do not apply to the sub-professional bid and related commercial activities, the PE firm's principals hold active PE licenses and their conduct in commercial domains can still reflect on the engineering profession as a whole. The firm must decide whether and how to apply baseline ethical standards—honesty, non-deception, professional dignity preservation—to its sub-professional commercial conduct, given that the formal ethics code does not directly govern it.

Recognize that residual ethical obligations rooted in honesty, non-deception, fair competition, and professional dignity preservation persist through all commercial activities by virtue of the principals' PE licensure, and voluntarily apply these baseline standards to the sub-professional bid and related commercial work even where the formal Canons do not directly mandate it.

Rely strictly on the Board's ruling that the Canons and Rules do not apply to sub-professional services, treating the firm's commercial activities as entirely free from any ethics-code-derived obligations and subject only to general commercial law and procurement regulations, without voluntarily importing any professional ethical standards.

Voluntarily apply the complete Canons of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct to all sub-professional commercial activities as a precautionary measure, treating the formal ethics code as governing all firm activities regardless of work character, in order to eliminate any risk of conduct that could discredit the profession.

PE Firm Principals (Licensed PE Ethical Conduct Decision-Makers)