Ethics Bistro

In the bustling offices of YKF Technical Solutions, a mid-sized IT firm, Lai-mui, its project manager, was leading a high-stakes software deployment for a government client. With tight deadlines and mounting pressure, Lai-mui delegated expense reporting to her trusted team lead, Deejay. Weeks later, during a routine audit, discrepancies surfaced as receipts for meals, travel, and equipment were inflated or entirely fabricated. Deejay admitted to falsifying receipts to “compensate for overtime and stress.” Lai-mui was stunned. What seemed like a minor infraction was, in fact, a serious ethical breach.

This scenario is not uncommon, yet it strikes at the heart of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which is built on four core values: Responsibility, Respect, Fairness, and Honesty.

Violations of PMI’s Core Values

• Responsibility: Deejay failed to take ownership of his actions and misused organizational resources. Ethical responsibility demands accountability, especially in financial stewardship. Falsifying receipts undermines trust and exposes the organization to legal and reputational risks.
• Respect: By manipulating expense reports, Deejay disrespected the trust placed in him by Lai-mui, the client, and the company. Respect includes honoring the dignity of others and the resources entrusted to us—including budgets and public funds.
• Fairness: Inflated claims create an uneven playing field. Honest employees, unlike Deejay, who follow protocol are disadvantaged, and project funds are misallocated. Fairness requires transparency and equal treatment, not personal gain at the expense of others.
• Honesty: The act of falsifying receipts is a direct violation of truthfulness. PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct emphasizes that honesty is the cornerstone of ethical project management. Deejay’s deception eroded stakeholder confidence and jeopardized the integrity of the project.

Applying the PMI Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF)

Lai-mui, now faced with an ethical dilemma, turned to the PMI Ethical Decision-Making Framework. The EDMF guided her through:

1. Assessment: Identifying the facts and stakeholders affected.
2. Alternatives: Considering disciplinary action, restitution, and process improvements.
3. Analysis: Evaluating options against PMI’s values.
4. Application: Choosing a course of action aligned with ethical standards.
5. Action: Reporting the incident, initiating corrective measures, and reinforcing ethical training.

Call to Action

The project management community must treat ethics as a living practice, not a checkbox. We must:

• Educate teams on PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
• Embed ethical discussions into retrospectives and planning.
• Encourage transparent reporting and protect whistleblowers.
• Use the EDMF to navigate gray zones with clarity.

Conclusion

Ethical leadership is not just about doing things right; it’s about doing the right things. Falsifying receipts may seem minor, but its ripple effects can compromise entire projects. Let’s recommit to the values that define our profession and lead with integrity, every step of the way.

Questions for Reflection

1. How can organizations prevent expense fraud without creating a culture of fear?
2. What systems should be in place to detect and deter falsified claims?
3. How do we empower team members to report unethical behavior safely?
4. What role should project managers play in modeling ethical financial practices?

References:

Project Management Institute, Inc. (2025). Ethics. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics

Project Management Institute, Inc. (n.d.). Ethics Guidelines. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics/guidelines

Project Management Institute, Inc. (n.d.). PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/pmi-code-of-ethics.pdf

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Collusion in the Bidding Process—A Breach of PMI’s Ethical Foundations

Source credit: istockphoto.com

In a recent workplace incident, Pamela, a project team member, conspired with Donald, a representative of an external vendor, to submit a bid with padded estimates. Their intent was to defraud the firm overseeing the procurement process by inflating costs and securing unjust financial gain. This act of collusion is not only unethical; it is a direct contravention and blatant violation of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which is built upon four foundational values: responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty.

🔹 Responsibility

Responsibility requires project professionals to own their decisions and uphold the integrity of their roles. Donald’s participation in the fraudulent scheme demonstrates a clear abdication of this duty. Instead of acting in the best interest of the organization and the project, he prioritized personal or external interests. By enabling inflated estimates, he compromised the financial stewardship expected of project professionals and failed to report unethical behavior—a core tenet of responsible conduct.

🔹 Respect

Respect in project management means honoring the dignity and rights of all stakeholders. Pamela’s collusion with Donald disrespected the trust placed in him by his team, leadership, and the broader organization. It undermined the collaborative spirit of the procurement process and devalued the contributions of honest vendors who participated in good faith. Respect also includes fostering an environment where ethical concerns can be raised without fear—something this scenario clearly lacked.

🔹 Fairness

Fairness is the bedrock of any competitive bidding process. It ensures that all vendors have an equal opportunity to win contracts based on merit, quality, and cost-effectiveness. By padding estimates and manipulating the outcome, Pamela and Donald created an uneven playing field. Their actions disadvantaged other vendors, distorted market competition, and potentially led to the selection of a less qualified or overpriced provider. This breach of fairness erodes trust in the procurement system and damages the reputation of the organization.

🔹 Honesty

Honesty is the cornerstone of ethical project management. It demands transparency, truthfulness, and integrity in all communications and decisions. The deliberate inflation of estimates and concealment of collusion are blatant acts of deception. Pamela’s failure to disclose the true nature of the bid and his relationship with Donald violates the expectation that project professionals will act truthfully and avoid conflicts of interest. This dishonesty not only jeopardizes the project’s financial health but also tarnishes the credibility of the individuals involved.

Conclusion: A Serious Ethical Breach

This scenario is a textbook example of unethical behavior that contravenes every principle outlined in PMI’s Code of Ethics. It highlights the dangers of unchecked collusion and the importance of ethical vigilance in project environments. The consequences of such misconduct extend beyond economic loss, such as reputational damage, legal exposure, and / or erosion of stakeholder trust.

Call to Action

It is time for the project management community to take a stand. We must reinforce ethical education, implement robust checks and balances, and cultivate environments where integrity is non-negotiable. Fraudulent behavior like this must be confronted—not with silence, but with decisive action.

Let us recommit to the values that reflect the highest standards of responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty define our profession. Let us share best practices, strengthen oversight, and recommit to the values that define our profession. Fraudulent behavior must be confronted—not with silence, but with action. Together, we can build a project management culture rooted in integrity.

Questions for the Project Management Community

• How can we strengthen ethical oversight in procurement processes?
• What mechanisms should be in place to detect and deter collusion?
• How do we empower team members to report unethical behavior safely?
• What role should project managers play in fostering a culture of integrity?

References:

Project Management Institute, Inc. (2025). Ethics. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics

Project Management Institute, Inc. (n.d.). Ethics Guidelines. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/about/ethics/guidelines

Project Management Institute, Inc. (n.d.). PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. pmi.org. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/pmi-code-of-ethics.pdf