A Chemical Engineer offered to do the same project for half the price for a good friend. Is this ethical?

• A. Unethical
• B. Ethical
• C. Justifiable action since it is for a good friend
• D. Understandable, anyway it will depend on the decision of his friend

Answer: (A)

Offering to do the same project for half the price for a friend creates a conflict of interest and raises concerns about impartiality. When personal relationships influence professional work, judgment can be biased, which can affect the level of care, safety, and quality relied upon by the public and other clients. Codes of engineering ethics emphasize independence, objectivity, and fair treatment of all clients; discounting pricing for a friend can undermine trust and appear to compromise professional standards. While helping a friend might feel harmless, it conflicts with the obligation to provide consistent, unbiased service to everyone. For these reasons, this action is considered unethical.