Engineer A$,$ a licensed professional engineer with expertise in computer programming and computer coding, is employed by Company X$,$ which manufactures air pollution monitoring equipment for power generation companies. Engineer A is asked to design, program, and develop code for a new type of equipment the company is planning to develop. The computer code Engineer A develops performs well during testing but causes the company$$s equipment to reduce its pollution monitoring capacity during peak periods of energy consumption, which decreases the amount of actual pollution reported to the power generating companies$$data that is then routinely reported to state and federal officials. Company X officials advise Engineer A that this reduced capacity feature will extend the life of the equipment and provide better value to power generation companies who will purchase it$.$

Source: https:$//$www$.$nspe.org$/$sites$/$default$/$files$/$BER$15-4\%20$APPROVED.pdf

$1.$

Question $1$

Engineer A has an ethical obligation not to disclose confidential information concerning the business affairs of Company X$,$ so that engineer A can be a faithful and reliable agent or trustee for the company.

Which type of value does this statement assign to confidentiality?

$1$ point

Absolute

Instrumental

Intrinsic

Prima facie