1. To ensure, as much as possible, that their efforts will be used for good, software engineers must commit themselves to making software engineering a beneficial and respected profession.

2. In particular, software engineers shall continually endeavor to:Further their knowledge of developments in the analysis, specification, design, development, maintenance and testing of software and related documents, together with the management of the development process.

3. Improve their understanding of the software and related documents on which they work and of the environment in which they will be used.

4. Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (Full Version)PREAMBLEComputers have a central and growing role in commerce, industry, government, medicine, education, entertainment and society at large.

5. Support, as members of a profession, other software engineers striving to follow this Code.

6. Ensure that there is a fair agreement concerning ownership of any software, processes, research, writing, or other intellectual property to which a software engineer has contributed.

7. Strive to fully understand the specifications for software on which they work.

8. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.

9. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.

10. Be accurate in stating the characteristics of software on which they work, avoiding not only false claims but also claims that might reasonably be supposed to be speculative, vacuous, deceptive, misleading, or doubtful.

1. Review the work of others in an objective, candid, and properly-documented way.

2. Work to develop software and related documents that respect the privacy of those who will be affected by that software.

3. Strive to fully understand the specifications for software on which they work.

4. Obey all laws governing their work, unless, in exceptional circumstances, such compliance is inconsistent with the public interest.

5. The ultimate effect of the work should be to the public good.

6. Assist colleagues in being fully aware of current standard work practices including policies and procedures for protecting passwords, files and other confidential information, and security measures in general.

7. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.

8. Ensure proper and achievable goals and objectives for any project on which they work or propose.

9. These Principles should influence software engineers to consider broadly who is affected by their work; to examine if they and their colleagues are treating other human beings with due respect; to consider how the public, if reasonably well informed, would view their decisions; to analyze how the least empowered will be affected by their decisions; and to consider whether their acts would be judged worthy of the ideal professional working as a software engineer.

10. Accept no outside work detrimental to the work they perform for their primary employer.

1. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Accept full responsibility for their own work.

2. Because of their roles in developing software systems, software engineers have significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, to enable others to do good or cause harm, or to influence others to do good or cause harm.

3. Attract potential software engineers only by full and accurate description of the conditions of employment.

4. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.

5. s humanity, in special care owed to people affected by the work of software engineers, and the unique elements of the practice of software engineering.

6. In particular, those managing or leading software engineers shall, as appropriate:Ensure good management for any project on which they work, including effective procedures for promotion of quality and reduction of risk.

7. Ensure that software engineers are informed of standards before being held to them.

8. Principle 4: JUDGMENTSoftware engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.

9. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.

10. PRINCIPLESPrinciple 1: PUBLICSoftware engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.

1. The Code contains eight Principles related to the behavior of and decisions made by professional software engineers, including practitioners, educators, managers, supervisors and policy makers, as well as trainees and students of the profession.

2. The Code prescribes these as obligations of anyone claiming to be or aspiring to be a software engineer.

3. Express concerns to the people involved when significant violations of this Code are detected unless this is impossible, counter-productive, or dangerous.

4. Report significant violations of this Code to appropriate authorities when it is clear that consultation with people involved in these significant violations is impossible, counter-productive or dangerous.

5. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.

6. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:Encourage colleagues to adhere to this Code.

7. In accordance with that commitment, software engineers shall adhere to the following Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.

8. Avoid associations with businesses and organizations which are in conflict with this code.

9. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.

10. The Code helps to define those actions that are ethically improper to request of a software engineer or teams of software engineers.

1. Promote no interest adverse to their employer or client, unless a higher ethical concern is being compromised; in that case, inform the employer or another appropriate authority of the ethical concern.

2. The Code provides an ethical foundation to which individuals within teams and the team as a whole can appeal.

3. However, even in this generality, the Code provides support for software engineers and managers of software engineers who need to take positive action in a specific case by documenting the ethical stance of the profession.

4. Ethical tensions can best be addressed by thoughtful consideration of fundamental principles, rather than blind reliance on detailed regulations.

5. These situations require the software engineer to use ethical judgment to act in a manner which is most consistent with the spirit of the Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, given the circumstances.

6. As this Code expresses the consensus of the profession on ethical issues, it is a means to educate both the public and aspiring professionals about the ethical obligations of all software engineers.

7. The Code is not a simple ethical algorithm that generates ethical decisions.

8. The Principles identify the ethically responsible relationships in which individuals, groups, and organizations participate and the primary obligations within these relationships.

9. Not punish anyone for expressing ethical concerns about a project.

10. Identify, define and address ethical, economic, cultural, legal and environmental issues related to work projects.