PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (Key Factors)

• Integrity – Being honest and having strong moral principles in professional

dealings.
• Accountability – Taking responsibility for one’s actions and decisions.
• Confidentiality – Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Competence – Maintaining and improving skills, knowledge, and expertise in
the field.
• Respect – Treating colleagues, clients, and stakeholders with fairness and
consideration.
• Transparency – Being open and clear about processes, decisions, and potential
conflicts of interest.
• Fairness – Ensuring impartiality and justice in professional interactions.
• Loyalty – Upholding commitments to employers, clients, and the profession.
• Compliance with Laws and Regulations – Adhering to legal and regulatory
requirements relevant to the profession.
• Social Responsibility – Acting in a way that benefits society and upholds
ethical standards beyond personal or business gain.
 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (Engineering)
• Honesty and Integrity – Engineers must be truthful in all professional matters and avoid
deception or misrepresentation.
• Responsibility and Accountability – Engineers are responsible for their work and must take
accountability for their decisions and actions.
• Public Safety and Welfare – The primary duty of an engineer is to ensure the health, safety,
and welfare of the public.
• Competence and Lifelong Learning – Engineers should maintain and continuously improve
their technical knowledge and skills.
• Confidentiality – Engineers must protect proprietary or sensitive information related to their
clients or employers.
• Fairness and Non-Discrimination – Engineers should treat all individuals fairly, without bias
based on race, gender, religion, or other factors.
• Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility – Engineers should consider the
environmental impact of their projects and strive for sustainable solutions.
• Professionalism and Respect – Engineers should act with dignity, treat colleagues
respectfully, and avoid conflicts of interest.
• Compliance with Laws and Standards – Engineers must follow all applicable laws,
regulations, and industry standards.
• Commitment to Society – Engineers should contribute to the advancement of society and the
ethical development of technology.
 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (Electrical Engineering)
• Public Safety and Welfare – Ensure that electrical systems and designs do not pose risks to people,
property, or the environment.
• Integrity and Honesty – Be truthful in reports, designs, and communications, avoiding falsification
of data or misleading claims.
• Competence and Continuous Learning – Stay updated with advancements in electrical engineering,
codes, and best practices.
• Confidentiality – Protect sensitive technical information and proprietary knowledge of clients or
employers.
• Responsibility and Accountability – Take ownership of engineering decisions and their
consequences, ensuring work meets safety and regulatory standards.
• Sustainability and Environmental Consideration – Design energy-efficient and environmentally
friendly electrical systems to minimize waste and pollution.
• Fairness and Non-Discrimination – Treat colleagues, clients, and stakeholders with respect,
ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace.
• Avoiding Conflicts of Interest – Disclose any potential conflicts and prioritize ethical decision-
making over personal or financial gain.
• Compliance with Laws and Standards – Follow national and international electrical codes,
regulations, and safety standards.
• Professionalism and Ethical Responsibility – Uphold the reputation of the electrical engineering
profession by demonstrating ethical behavior and fostering trust in engineering solutions.
 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS (Importance)
• Ensures Public Safety and Welfare.
• Builds Trust and Credibility.
• Encourages Accountability and Responsibility.
• Promotes Fairness and Justice.
• Enhances Professional Reputation.
• Prevents Legal Issues.
• Fosters a Positive Work Environment.
• Encourages Sustainable and Responsible Practices.
• Supports Professional Growth and Development.
• Contributes to Society’s Progress.
 HU-322 - Professional Ethics (Theory)

2022-EE 6th Semester Spring 2025

CLO Taxonomy Mapped
Statement
Number Level PLO(s)

Identify the content of religious, national, or international law

1 C2 PLO-4
dealing with engineering ethics.

Apply the knowledge of ethics in their personal and professional

2 C3 PLO-8
life.

Demonstrate the ability to enhance key factors of interpersonal

3 A2 PLO-12
relations.

• PLO-4: Investigation C2: Comprehension, comprehends…

• PLO-8: Ethics C3: Application, applies…
• PLO-12: Lifelong Learning A2: Responds to Phenomenon, answers…
 Find me

• Office

– Room 11 (Extension Block) Electrical Engineering Department

• Email

– [email protected]

• Cell No.

– +92-312-051-0085

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 Policies
➢ The Lecture will always start on time, otherwise the changed
schedule/timetable will be communicated with you in advance.

➢ The quiz once taken will not be re-taken. There will be no makeup quiz.

➢ Assignments can be submitted before or on mentioned time.

– If submitted after 24 hours of the due time, half marks shall be granted.

– After that zero marks will be given.

Honesty is the best Policy!

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 MORALS
• Morals are the welfare principles enunciated
by the wise people, based on their experience
and wisdom.
VALUES
• A value is defined as a principle that promotes
well-being or prevents harm.
• Another definition is: Values are our
guidelines for our success—our paradigm
about what is acceptable.”
 ETHICS
• Ethics is the word that refers to morals, values,
and beliefs of the individuals, family or the
society.
• INTEGRITY
• Integrity is defined as the unity of thought, word
and deed (honesty) and open mindedness.
• WORK ETHICS
• Work ethics is defined as a set of attitudes
concerned with the value of work, which forms the
motivational orientation.
 SERVICE LEARNING
• Service learning refers to learning the service
policies, procedures, norms, and conditions,
other than ‘the technical trade practices’.
VIRTUES
• Virtues are positive and preferred values
CIVIC VIRTUES
• Civic virtues are the moral duties and rights, as
a citizen of the village or the country or an
integral part of the society and environment.
 Civic virtues
▪ Civic knowledge
▪ Self-Restraint
▪ Self-Assertion
▪ Self-Reliance
RESPECT FOR OTHERS
• Recognize and accept the existence of other persons as
human beings, because they have a right to live, just as
you have.
• Respect others’ ideas (decisions), words, and labor
(actions).
• Show ‘goodwill’ on others.
 Living peacefully
• To live peacefully, one should start install
peace within (self). Charity begins at home.
• Then one can spread peace to family,
organization where one works, and then to the
world, including the environment.
• Only who are at peace can spread peace.
 Caring
• Caring is feeling for others. It is a process which
exhibits the interest in, and support for, the
welfare of others with fairness, impartiality and
justice in all activities, among the employees, in
the context of professional ethics.
SHARING
• Primarily, caring influences ‘sharing’. Sharing is a
process that describes the transfer of knowledge
(teaching, learning, and information), experience
(training), commodities (material possession) and
facilities with others.
 HONESTY
▪ Honesty is a virtue, and it is exhibited in two aspects namely,
(a) Truthfulness and
(b) Trustworthiness
• COURAGE
➢ Courage is the tendency to accept and face risks and difficult tasks
in rational ways. Self-confidence is the basic requirement to nurture
courage.
➢ Courage is classified into three types, based on the types of risks,
namely
(a) Physical courage,
(b) Social courage, and
(c) Intellectual courage.
 VALUING TIME
• Time is rare resource. Once it is spent, it is lost
for ever.
• It can not be either stored or recovered.
• Hence, time is the most perishable and most
valuable resource too.
COOPERATION
• It is a team-spirit present with every individual
engaged in engineering. Co-operation is activity
between two persons or sectors that aims at
integration of operations (synergy),
 COMMITMENT
• Commitment means alignment to goals and
adherence to ethical principles during the
activities.
• This is a basic requirement for any profession.
• EMPATHY
➢It is also defined as the ability to put one’s self
into the psychological
frame or reference or point of view of another, to
know what the other person feels.
 SELF-CONFIDENCE
• Certainty in one’s own capabilities, values, and
goals, is self-confidence.
• Self-confidence is positive attitude, wherein
the individual has some positive and realistic
view of himself, with respect to the situations
in which one gets involved.
 CHALLENGES IN THE WORK
PLACE
• Character
➢ It is a characteristic property that defines the
behavior of an individual. It is the pattern of
virtues (morally-desirable features).
➢ Character includes attributes that determine a
person’s moral and ethical actions and responses.
• Ethics and Character
➢ The effect on the person’s character of a particular
form of conduct is a universally accepted as a test
of its moral quality.
 Education and Character
• The aim of education is not only the cultivation of
the intellect but also the formation of moral
character.
➢ Building Character in the Workplace
1) Employee Hiring, Training, and Promotion
Activities
2) Internal Communication
3) External Communication
4) Financial and Human Resources
5) Community Outreach
 SPIRITUALITY
• Spirituality is a way of living that emphasizes the
constant awareness and recognition of the
spiritual dimension (mind and its development) of
nature and people, with a dynamic balance
between the material development and the
spiritual development.
▪ Spirituality in the Workplace
➢ Verbally respect the individuals as humans and
recognize their values in all decisions and actions.
➢ State your personal ethics and your beliefs clearly.
➢ Support causes outside the business.
 Spirituality for Corporate
Excellence
• Self-awareness
• Being visionary and value based
• Holism
• Compassion
• Respect for diversity
• Moral Autonomy
• Creative thinking and constant reasoning
• Humility
 How Does Integrity Influence Decision-Making in
Professional Ethics?
Integrity is the foundation of ethical decision-making in any profession.
It involves being honest, maintaining strong moral principles, and
adhering to ethical standards even in challenging situations. Integrity
influences decision-making by ensuring that professionals:
1. Make Honest and Fair Choices
2. Uphold Ethical Standards
3. Build Trust and Credibility
4. Take Responsibility for Their Actions
5. Ensure Long-Term Success

An engineer working on a construction project discovers that using lower-quality materials can
save money but may compromise safety. If the engineer lacks integrity, they might approve the
inferior materials to cut costs. However, a professional with integrity will prioritize public safety
and ethics by rejecting the substandard materials, even if it means increased expenses or pressure
from management.
 Why is Fairness Important in Maintaining Ethical
Workplace Relationships?
• Fairness is a key principle in professional ethics that ensures impartiality, justice,
and equal treatment for all employees. It promotes a positive and ethical work
environment by preventing discrimination, favoritism, and unethical behavior
Importance of Fairness in Workplace Relationships:
1. Promotes Equality and Inclusion.
2. Builds Trust and Teamwork.
3. Reduces Conflicts and Resentment.
4. Encourages Ethical Decision-Making.
5. Enhances Employee Morale and Productivity.

Example 1: Fair Promotions: A company follows a transparent promotion policy based on

merit and performance rather than favoritism. Employees feel motivated to work hard, knowing
that their efforts will be fairly recognized and rewarded.
Example 2: Equal Pay for Equal Work: Two employees in the same role with the same
qualifications and experience should receive equal pay. If one is paid less due to bias, it creates
workplace dissatisfaction and an unethical environment.
 Ethical Responsibilities of an Electrical Engineer
Regarding Safety Standards and Compliance?
Electrical engineers have a professional and ethical duty to ensure safety,
reliability, and compliance with industry standards. Their responsibilities
include:
1. Adhering to Safety Standards and Regulations: Electrical engineers must follow
national and international safety codes, such as:
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Standards
• National Electrical Code (NEC)
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Guidelines
These standards ensure the safe design, installation, and operation of electrical systems,
preventing hazards like electric shocks, short circuits, or fire hazards.
Example: An electrical engineer designing a power distribution system must ensure proper
grounding, insulation, and circuit protection to prevent electrical faults.
2. Prioritizing Public and Workplace Safety: Engineers must design systems that
minimize risks to human life and property. This includes proper load calculations, fault
tolerance, and fail-safe mechanisms in electrical systems.
Example: While installing power lines, an engineer must calculate safe distances and ensure
that insulation is adequate to prevent electrocution risks.
 Cont….
3. Ensuring Compliance with Environmental and Sustainability Standards:
Electrical engineers should adopt energy-efficient solutions and ensure their designs do not
harm the environment. Compliance with ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)
and sustainable energy practices is essential.
Example: When designing an industrial power system, an ethical engineer might choose
renewable energy sources or low-emission transformers to reduce environmental impact.
4. Conducting Regular Inspections and Maintenance: Engineers must ensure that
electrical systems are regularly tested, inspected, and maintained to prevent failures and
accidents.
Example: A manufacturing plant’s electrical systems must undergo periodic inspections to detect
faulty wiring or overloaded circuits before they cause a fire.
5. Reporting Safety Violations and Preventing Corruption: Engineers should report
any violations of safety codes or unethical practices. Ignoring safety concerns due to cost-cutting
or personal gain is unethical and dangerous.
Example: If a company insists on using substandard wiring materials to save costs, an ethical
engineer should report the issue and refuse to approve unsafe installations.
 Important Questions

1. Explain how Integrity and Accountability contribute to maintaining professional ethics

in engineering.
2. Discuss the role of Public Safety and Welfare in electrical engineering. How do
engineers ensure compliance with safety standards.
3. Analyse the impact of Work Ethics on professional growth and workplace culture.
Provide examples of good work ethics.
4. Compare and contrast Honesty and Confidentiality in professional ethics. When might
these two principles come into conflict.
5. How does Integrity influence decision-making in professional ethics? Provide an
example.
6. Explain the importance of Confidentiality in professional settings. What are the
consequences of breaching confidentiality?
7. Why is Fairness important in maintaining ethical workplace relationships? Discuss with
examples.
 Important Questions
8. How do engineers ensure Public Safety and Welfare in their projects? Provide real-
world examples.
9. Discuss the ethical importance of Competence and Lifelong Learning for engineers.
10. Explain how Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility impact engineering
decision-making.
11. What are the ethical responsibilities of an electrical engineer regarding Safety
Standards and Compliance?
12. How can Avoiding Conflicts of Interest improve ethical decision-making in electrical
engineering projects?
13. Discuss the significance of Integrity and Honesty in electrical engineering reports and
designs.
14. How do professional ethics build trust and credibility in an organization? Provide an
example.
15. Why is Accountability a key factor in preventing unethical practices in the workplace?
16. Discuss how Professional Ethics contribute to Society’s Progress and technological
advancements.
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