Approved by the Engineering Practice Policy Committee on March 12, 2020
Approved by the Policy Review Committee on May 11, 2020
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 11, 2020
Policy
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supports a zero tolerance policy toward bribery, fraud, and corruption in engineering and construction. ASCE further actively supports the global effort to stem corruption in the procurement and execution of engineering services and construction projects. ASCE openly seeks cooperation with others in a domestic and international effort to empower individual engineers in the fight against global corruption through education, awareness, and the adoption and enforcement of the Principles and Guidelines for Professional Conduct.
Issue
The estimated annual expenditure worldwide on construction in 2018 was $11.4 (USD) trillion. Transparency International conservatively estimated 10% of the global infrastructure investment was lost through bribery, fraud, and corruption diverting funds from projects that provide water, pollution control, electricity, roads, housing, and other basic human needs. Fighting corruption can facilitate proper use of assets thus mitigating poverty, disease, and famine and assisting in building a fair and civil society.
Rationale
Transparency International cites construction as one of the most corrupt industries worldwide, and the world community has responded with a number of anti-corruption initiatives. The World Bank sanctions violators and protects project funding from losses to corruption. Large engineering and construction companies in the World Economic Forum have gathered signatories to a Partnership Against Corruption Initiative. The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) also stresses integrity in its firms' businesses. Engineering societies and their individual members are also involved and active participants in a global, united, and sustained effort to fight corruption.
This policy has worldwide application
ASCE Policy Statement 510
First Approved in 2005