September/October 2019

PE Report
‘Dignity, Respect, Fairness, and Without Discrimination’

Since the 1940s, NSPE has provided members with advice on the proper ethical behavior of engineers. Now that advice explicitly includes an obligation to antidiscrimination and fairness.

During NSPE’s Professional Engineers Conference in July, the House of Delegates unanimously accepted the following addition to the “professional obligations” section of the Code: “Engineers shall treat all persons with dignity, respect, fairness, and without discrimination.” The House of Delegates is made up of representatives from all state and territorial societies.

The Board of Ethical Review offered this amendment to the Code based on a review of cases, reported complaints, observed incidents, and ethics code changes made by other professional and technical societies. Those organizations include the American Institute of Architects, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, IEEE, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

This change to the Code of Ethics also builds upon a policy adopted by NSPE last year calling for a “diverse and welcoming environment for everyone interested in the licensed practice of engineering.”

Underrepresentation and treatment of women and racial and ethnic minorities in STEM fields have been major points of contention in the workplace, according to a Pew Research Center report issued lasted year on perceived inequalities.

According to the study, 50% of women in STEM jobs say they have experienced discrimination at work. Not only did 20% say that their gender has made it harder to succeed at work, 36% found that sexual harassment is a problem in the workplace. Although STEM jobs have grown substantially over time, women make up only 14% of the engineering workforce.

In engineering, blacks make up a mere 5% of workers and Hispanics make up 8%. Along with underrepresentation, most blacks in STEM jobs have also experienced discrimination at work. The study found that 62% of blacks have experienced discrimination at work due to their race or ethnicity, and 57% say their workplace pays too little attention to increasing racial and ethnic diversity.

NSPE recognizes the benefits of a diverse population of licensed engineers in shaping the future of the profession. Diverse backgrounds foster unique contributions and capabilities and create an inclusive community, ultimately leading to a more creative, effective, and technically respected community. The Society encourages diversity in all areas of the engineering profession and within the organization. Business entities and volunteer groups are advised to commit to developing business practices and position statements in support of this policy.

NSPE is also a member of the 50K Coalition, a collaboration of more than 40 organizations focused on producing 50,000 diverse engineering graduates annually by 2025.