Why We Value Acting with Integrity

As we invest in the next generation of engineers, we look for students who already live with integrity—and then we equip them to carry that integrity into the workplace.

This post is the fifth in a series exploring the values that guide our work at Colman Engineering. These reflections aren’t declarations of perfection—they’re guideposts for how we aim to show up every day, as individuals and as a team.

When Gil started Colman Engineering in 2010, he knew he wanted integrity to be a foundational value. "We need to do what's right," he'd say. Here we are, 15 years later, and integrity is deeply embedded in our DNA.

It forms the foundation for how we work, how we treat each other, and how we build trust with clients, partners, and the community. Let's look a little deeper at how it plays out for us, day-to-day:

Integrity means doing what you say you’re going to do. If we commit to a deadline, we do our best to meet it—or communicate early if something changes. If we say we’ll follow up, we try to do so promptly. (That one is really tough when we're managing so many projects!) Following through builds reliability, and reliability builds trust.

Integrity means taking accountability for our work. When you're responsible for the quality of your product—whether it’s a set of plans, an environmental impact report, or a site inspection—you take ownership, not just of getting it done, but of doing it well. That doesn't mean every project goes perfectly. But when something falls short, we don’t deflect or hide. We own it and make it right.

Integrity means showing up on time. Timeliness demonstrates respect—for your teammates, your clients, and the work itself. Meetings that start on time are more productive. Site visits that run on schedule avoid costly delays. Being present and prepared matters.

Integrity means giving your best effort, even when no one is watching. That quiet moment of double-checking your calcs? The thoughtful email to a client explaining a change? The way you organize your files so someone else can easily pick up where you left off? Those things matter.

Over time, integrity helps make our work more dependable, our team stronger, and our reputation solid. It's just one more way we're aiming to make the world a better place.