Publication Ethics

The Journal of CSR and Sustainable Development is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. To maintain the integrity and quality of the journal, we follow best practices and adhere to the guidelines established by leading organizations in the field of scholarly publishing, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The following publication ethics apply to authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process:

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

• Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that the manuscripts submitted are original works and have not been published elsewhere. Proper citation of others' work is required to avoid plagiarism. All content should be properly referenced, and the manuscript should not contain any form of duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, or data falsification.
• Authorship: Authors should include all individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication.
• Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation. All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission.
• Data Availability: Authors are encouraged to make their research data publicly available wherever possible, particularly for quantitative or experimental research. If the data cannot be made publicly available, authors must explain the reason.
• Correcting Mistakes: If errors or inaccuracies are discovered in a published article, authors must promptly notify the journal and work with the editorial team to correct the issue through errata or retraction if necessary.

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

• Confidentiality: Reviewers must treat the manuscripts as confidential documents. They should not share or discuss the manuscript with others outside the review process.
• Objectivity and Fairness: Reviewers should provide unbiased, objective, and constructive feedback. Personal criticism of the authors is not acceptable. Reviews should focus on the scientific merit, methodology, and clarity of the research.
• Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts if they have a conflict of interest that could affect their judgment. Conflicts of interest include financial, personal, or professional relationships with the authors or the research presented.
• Timeliness: Reviewers should complete their reviews within the agreed time frame and inform the editorial team if they are unable to review the manuscript in a timely manner.
• Acknowledging Sources: Reviewers should point out relevant work that has not been cited by the authors. If reviewers identify any significant similarity or overlap with other works, they should notify the editorial team.

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

• Decision Making: Editors are responsible for making publication decisions based on the scientific merit of the manuscript and the integrity of the research. Editors should ensure that decisions are free from bias and based on the quality of the work.
• Fairness and Impartiality: Editors should evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of their scientific content and relevance to the journal’s scope, without regard to the author’s race, gender, nationality, or institutional affiliation.
• Confidentiality: Editors must ensure that all manuscripts and reviewer comments are kept confidential throughout the review process. Manuscripts should not be disclosed to third parties without the author’s consent.
• Conflict of Interest: Editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decisions regarding manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest. Editors should not use unpublished materials from submitted manuscripts for their own research without the author's permission.
• Ensuring Quality: Editors are responsible for ensuring that published articles meet the journal's standards for scientific rigor, clarity, and ethical integrity. This includes preventing and addressing issues such as plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification.

4. Ethical Oversight and Compliance

• Plagiarism Detection: All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using advanced plagiarism detection tools. The journal follows a strict plagiarism policy and rejects any manuscripts found to contain plagiarized content.
• Retraction and Correction: If errors or ethical issues (such as plagiarism or data manipulation) are identified in a published article, the journal will take appropriate action. This may include issuing a retraction, correction, or erratum. The journal follows the COPE guidelines for retraction and correction of articles.
• Transparency and Accountability: The Journal of CSR and Sustainable Development is committed to transparency in its editorial and publication processes. We encourage authors to disclose any conflicts of interest, and we ensure that all decisions are made based on merit and scientific integrity.

5. Handling Complaints and Appeals

• If authors or reviewers have concerns about the editorial process or any ethical issue, they should contact the editorial board. The Journal of CSR and Sustainable Development takes all complaints seriously and investigates any ethical violations in a fair and transparent manner.
• Authors may appeal decisions related to the review process, publication, or retraction of articles. The editorial team will review the appeal and provide a fair resolution based on the journal's ethical standards.