The joint statement of ethical principles issued by the RAE has 4 fundamental principles: Honesty and Integrity, Respect for Life, Law, Environment and Public Good, Accuracy and Rigour, and finally Leadership and Communication. These principles are the fundamental to being successful in the engineering world, and as an aspiring electrical engineer, as well as a student and IET member, I have a duty to uphold and promote these principles in all aspects of my professional career.

Honesty and Integrity are the duty of an engineer to act reliably and in a trustworthy manner while in a professional environment. This means I need to take steps to avoid deception or corrupt practices and reject bribery or improper influences, which is something I take very seriously as ignoring such principles often means taking advantage of the working class and/or the environment – and this is action I wish to actively fight against during my life as an engineer. Respect for Life, Law, Environment and Public Good is a principle that also supports the protection of the planet and people on it, which is something I feel particularly passionate about, and it is also mentioned several times in the IET rules of conduct, specifically no. 15, where members must take all reasonable steps to avoid waste of natural resources or damage to the environment.

Accuracy and Rigour is perhaps the most important principle, and it is my responsibility to acquire and wisely use my understanding, knowledge, and skills needed to perform my role. This means that it is the engineer’s responsibility to educate themselves, fairly and objectively, in the skills they need, while also assisting in the development of other engineers. However, I believe that the most important part of this principle is the promise that I will use my understanding wisely, and to always act with care. This is because the trust and power given to us as engineers is reliant on our ability to use it responsibly and it is something I plan to hold myself to very strictly.

The last principle is Leadership and Communication, which states that I must be aware of issues that engineering raises for society, promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, and be objective and truthful in any professional capacity. As a woman in a field where less than 17% of the workforce are women, promoting equality and diversity is a very important commitment that I swear to uphold and respect to the absolute best of my ability, and will work to ensure all those around me do the same, to create an environment where everyone is welcomed and respected. This principle is backed by the IET’s code of conduct, no. 24, and I have chosen to include EngineeringUK’s specific page on what actions a company can take to help ensure that EDI is taken seriously, as it has excellent guidance on how to respect this ethical principle: https://www.engineeringuk.com/about-us/purpose-and-strategy/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/.

Statement of ethical principles-  https://www.engc.org.uk/standards-guidance/guidance/statement-of-ethical-principles/

 Rules of IET-  https://www.theiet.org/about/governance/rules-of-conduct