Ethical Declaration

Code of Éthics of the European Public & Social Innovation Review (EPSIR)

The European Public & Social Innovation Review (EPSIR) is committed to ethical publishing practices and applies ethical standards to all its articles. To this end, we follow the principles set by major international initiatives established by entities such as COPE.

In all cases of ethical issues that may arise in academic publishing, we strive to act professionally and efficiently, be fair and objective, maintain smooth communication with the accused party—and provide the necessary time—to establish their position before making a decision, keep all parties informed of the decisions, and protect the moral rights of the authors.


Basic Principles

  1. Originality and Honesty: Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration by any other publication. Authors must ensure there are no instances of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism.

  2. Copyright and Authorship: All works must respect copyright. Authorship should be justly attributed to all contributors according to their level of contribution, and no one who has contributed significantly will be excluded.

  3. Conflicts of Interest: Any situation that may be seen as a potential conflict of interest must be declared. This includes, but is not limited to, personal or financial interests of funders in the outcomes of the research.

  4. Research Ethics: All studies must have been conducted in accordance with the corresponding international and national ethical standards, including informed consents when necessary.


Editorial Responsibilities

  1. Objectivity and Neutrality: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic content without discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, nationality, or political ideology.

  2. Confidentiality: All details of the review process must be kept confidential and not reveal any information about a manuscript except to those legitimately involved in the process.

  3. Publication Decisions: Editorial decisions should be fair, impartial, and timely.

 

Reviewer Responsibilities

  1. Contribution to the Editorial Process: Reviewers should provide objective and constructive evaluations of the assigned work, clearly stating their arguments and recommendations.

  2. Timeliness and Conduct Standards: Any selected reviewer who feels unqualified to review the manuscript or knows that timely review will be impossible should notify the editors.

  3. Confidentiality: Every manuscript received for review must be treated as a confidential document.

 

Reviewer Timelines and Processes

  1. Efficiency: EPSIR commits to strict timelines for the review and publication of articles to avoid unnecessary delays in the publishing process.

  2. Dispute Resolution: A good conduct committee will be established to address any discrepancies or appeals in the review and editorial decision process.

 

Diversity and Inclusion

EPSIR ensures a commitment to inclusion and diversity at all stages of the editorial process. We strive to eliminate any bias and promote an inclusive and respectful environment.

 

Management of Complaints and Appeals

Complaints will be managed transparently and efficiently, ensuring that all parties are heard and treated with respect.

This code of ethics is fundamental to ensure the quality and integrity of EPSIR, and it is expected that all participants in the editorial process—editors, reviewers, and authors—follow it rigorously.