Is agency loyalty considered an obligation in engineering ethics?

Agency loyalty is indeed considered an obligation in engineering ethics. This principle emphasizes the responsibility of engineers to act in the best interests of their employers or clients while also adhering to ethical standards. Engineers are often entrusted with significant responsibilities and must prioritize the safety, welfare, and rights of the public, which can sometimes create a tension between loyalty to an employer and the duty to uphold ethical practices.

This commitment to agency loyalty does not mean that engineers should ignore ethical dilemmas. Instead, it reinforces the importance of maintaining integrity and ensuring that their decisions or designs do not compromise ethical standards. The obligation of agency loyalty is foundational in establishing trust and accountability within professional relationships in engineering, helping to ensure that both the engineer and the organization act responsibly and ethically in their work.