Engineering ethics under the spotlight of new consultation

Engineering Ethics 2028 is aiming to establish a new ethical framework for the sector, as well as increase engagement with professional bodies and encourage sustainability. It’s estimated that just 15 per cent of engineers in the UK are members of a professional body, with PEIs Professional Engineering Institutions and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) seen as crucial touchpoints for ethical debate. Engineers who are not members of a professional institution are not necessarily ignoring their ethical and professional responsibilities but being part of a professional body strengthens the likelihood that those obligations will be met, said lead author Dr Jim Baxter, from Leeds University’s Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied Centre. Engineers have the power to do tremendous good but technology can also be harmful. The ethics vision, if the profession adopts it, will ensure they think about public opinion and the public good – and in some cases, they might have to say no to a project.