Background
Engineering ethics is the field of applied ethics and system of moral principles that apply to the practice of engineering. The field examines and sets the obligations by engineers to society, to their clients, and to the profession. We as a collective group of engineers are obligated by state laws and requirements to fulfill, uphold and operate within standards of a Code of Ethics. The engineering profession as a whole is basically a self governing body charged with the responsibility to uphold these standards. However, as a result of the economic downturn we have observed to key areas where ethical standards have gone out the window in an effort to win additional contracts.

History
Ethical standards have a long history dating back to the early 20th century. They originally arose mainly as a result of a series of structural failures in the late 19th century and in the early 20th century. However, before that time growing professionalism in the industry gave way to the development of four founding engineering societies American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (1851) American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) (1884), ASME (1880), and the American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME) (1871). The first official code of ethics was adopted by AIEE in 1912. This started the process of evolution of these standards and the adoption and incorporation of ethical standards in state engineering laws as they stand today. » Read more: Engineering Ethics in a Slow Economy