A consultant recommends that a client purchase goods from a company from which the consultant...

The ASET Code of Ethics unequivocally requires members to act with integrity towards clients and employers and to actively avoid conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest exists when a professional has a personal or financial interest that could inappropriately influence their objective professional judgment. Receiving a "secret commission" or "kickback" from a supplier while advising a client to purchase from that supplier is a textbook and severe conflict of interest. The client trusts the engineering technologist to provide unbiased, optimal technical advice based solely on the client's needs and project specifications. By accepting a secret commission, the consultant is financially incentivized to recommend a product that benefits their own wallet, rather than what might be best or most cost-effective for the client. This deeply violates the professional trust placed in the technologist. To resolve such an issue ethically, any existing financial relationships must be fully disclosed to the client upfront, before any recommendations are made.