ABSTRACT
Trust is tied up with ethics in a fundamental way. The operation of ethics concerns behaviour that is beyond compliance. Trust means that there is a move away from action guided by fear of penalty or punishment to action which is guided by belief and understanding, so there is an implicit connection with ethical behaviour. Ethical behaviour depends upon a reciprocal behaviour which recognises the integrity of ‘keeping your word’ (one area of trust), reliability and loyalty. In our context of the built environment, there are many situations not tied by contract and many situations which, when they are, are not successful in obtaining the outcomes which both sides had envisaged. Trust remains critical even where a contract exists, although a contract may help to initiate actions which are understood to both sides. Situations such as submitting a planning application or signing a contract also necessitate a relationship to be developed which requires the building up of trust.
