Conflict of Interest Policy
Journal of Engineering Environtmental Energy and Science (JOE3S) is committed to maintaining transparency, impartiality, and ethical conduct throughout the scholarly publishing process.
This policy defines conflicts of interest and establishes procedures for identifying, disclosing, and managing potential conflicts involving authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and the publisher.
The journal follows recognized principles of publication ethics, including the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
https://publicationethics.org/core-practices
Definition of Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest, also referred to as a competing interest, occurs when an individual or organization has financial, personal, professional, academic, institutional, or other interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their objectivity and decision-making in research, peer review, editorial assessment, or publication.
The existence of a potential conflict does not automatically indicate misconduct. However, relevant conflicts must be disclosed and appropriately managed to maintain the integrity of the publication process.
Types of Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
- Financial interests: Research funding, employment, consultancy, honoraria, stock ownership, or other financial relationships related to the research.
- Personal relationships: Family relationships, close personal connections, personal disputes, or other relationships with authors, reviewers, or editors.
- Academic and professional relationships: Research collaboration, supervisory relationships, institutional affiliations, or professional associations that may compromise impartiality.
- Competing institutional interests: Relationships with institutions or organizations that have a direct interest in the research findings.
- Intellectual property interests: Patents, copyrights, licenses, or other intellectual property rights that may be affected by the research or publication.
- Other competing interests: Any circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the objectivity or independence of the research or editorial process.
Responsibilities of Authors
Authors must disclose all relevant financial and non-financial competing interests during manuscript submission.
Authors must also identify research funding sources and explain the role of the funding organization in the research process, where applicable.
If no competing interests exist, authors should include the following statement:
"The authors declare that they have no competing interests."
If a conflict of interest is identified after publication, authors must notify the Editor-in-Chief or editorial team promptly so that appropriate action can be taken.
Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could affect their impartiality.
Reviewers should decline review invitations when they have significant personal, professional, financial, or academic relationships with the authors or research that could compromise their independent assessment.
If a conflict is identified during the review process, reviewers must notify the handling editor immediately.
Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members
Editors and editorial board members must disclose relevant competing interests and must not handle manuscripts when their impartiality may reasonably be questioned.
Editors must recuse themselves from editorial decisions involving manuscripts authored by their close collaborators, research partners, students, supervisors, or individuals with whom they have significant personal or financial relationships.
When the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, the manuscript must be assigned to an independent editor.
Responsibilities of the Publisher
The publisher must support editorial independence and ensure that financial or institutional considerations do not improperly influence decisions concerning manuscript acceptance, rejection, or publication.
Transparency and Disclosure
Relevant authors' competing interests and funding disclosures will be published alongside the respective articles, as appropriate.
Conflicts involving reviewers and editors will be managed confidentially by the editorial team, unless further disclosure is necessary to protect publication integrity.
Conflicts of Interest Identified After Publication
If a conflict of interest is discovered after publication, the journal will assess its significance and determine whether a correction, additional disclosure, Expression of Concern, or retraction is necessary.
All cases will be handled fairly, transparently, and in accordance with applicable publication ethics guidance.
