ABSTRACT
Professional ethics are above and beyond what is required of everyone outside of that particular profession. The reader may find that the concept of professional ethics presented in this book is broader than many others that view professional ethics within the context of a code of ethics for a specific professional society. We see it as fundamental to the whole idea of project success.
This chapter gives the authors’ perspective on professional ethics for the built-environment professional. By the end of this chapter, the reader will be able to describe the role of professional ethics in a business environment; understand what it means to behave as a professional with integrity; become familiar with a recently published AEC Industry code of conduct; and distinguish between the reader’s ethical and legal responsibilities. The chapter starts with a case study that describes professional ethics and outlines the process of building an ethics culture within a construction organization. It ends with a case study that illustrates, among other things, how difficult professional ethical decisions can become.
