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CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Synergy and Society Service requires all parties involved in the publication process to disclose and manage any conflicts of interest that could influence—or reasonably be perceived to influence—objectivity during the execution of activities, the preparation of articles, the peer review process, editorial decision-making, or the publication of articles.
Conflicts of interest (or competing interests) may be financial or non-financial in nature. The existence of a relationship or interest does not, in itself, constitute a violation. Such relationships must be disclosed transparently so that they can be assessed and managed according to their nature and their potential impact on the publication process.
This policy applies to authors, peer reviewers, the editorial team, the publisher, and journal management, and it adheres to the principles for handling conflicts of interest as outlined in the COPE Guidance on Conflicts of Interest.
Types of Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest that must be disclosed include, but are not limited to:
- financial interests, such as funding, honoraria, employment, consulting, stock ownership, business interests, patents, royalties, or other financial relationships related to the activities or the substance of the article;
- professional or academic relationships, such as close collaborations, supervisor-student relationships, superior-subordinate relationships, academic rivalry, or involvement in activities or projects related to the manuscript;
- personal or familial relationships that could influence—or create a perception of influencing—the objectivity of the review process or decision-making;
- institutional interests, including relationships with institutions, organizations, partners, sponsors, funders, or other parties with an interest in the activities or the reported results;
- intellectual, professional, or ideological interests, or specific beliefs, that could reasonably influence the objectivity regarding the substance of the manuscript. and
- relationships or interests of other individuals that could reasonably be perceived to influence independence, objectivity, or decision-making within the publication process.
Parties involved in the publication process must disclose any relationships or interests that remain relevant to the manuscript or the tasks being performed—including past relationships that could still reasonably be perceived to compromise objectivity.
Authors’ Conflicts of Interest
All authors are required to disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest related to community service activities, manuscript preparation, interpretation of results, or the publication of an article.
Disclosure must be made at the time the manuscript is written. If a conflict of interest arises or becomes known during the editorial process, the authors must promptly notify the Editorial Team so that the information can be assessed and managed before any subsequent editorial decisions are made.
Authors must disclose relationships with sponsors, funders, activity partners, providers of products or technologies, organizations, institutions, or any other parties if such relationships could influence—or reasonably be perceived to influence—the execution of activities, the interpretation of results, the preparation of the article, or the decision to publish the findings.
Every published article must include a "Conflict of Interest" (or "Competing Interests") statement. If no conflicts of interest exist, this must also be explicitly stated.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that the provided statement is complete, accurate, and updated should any relevant changes occur during the editorial process.
Funding and the Role of Funders
Sources of funding or support related to the activities and the preparation of an article must be disclosed transparently. If such funding has the potential to create a conflict of interest, this relationship must also be explained in a Conflict of Interest Statement.
If a funder or sponsor has played a role in the planning of activities, the execution of the work, data collection or analysis, the interpretation of results, the drafting of the article, or the decision to publish the findings, this role must be disclosed transparently.
Sources of funding, sponsors, or any form of financial support must not influence decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript, nor should they compromise the independence of the Editorial Team or the peer reviewers.
The disclosure of a conflict of interest does not replace the requirement to include a Funding Statement as a distinct section within the article.
Conflicts of Interest for Peer Reviewers
Peer reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest to the editorial team before accepting a review assignment. Reviewers must decline an assignment if any financial, professional, academic, institutional, personal, or other relationships could compromise—or could reasonably be perceived to compromise—the independence and objectivity of the review.
Conflicts of interest may arise from close collaborations, supervisor-student relationships, involvement in the same activities or projects, personal relationships, financial interests, direct competition, or any other circumstances relevant to the author(s) or the content of the manuscript.
If a potential conflict of interest is discovered after an assignment has been accepted or the review process has begun, the reviewer must promptly notify the editorial team and cease the review until the editorial team determines the appropriate course of action.
Peer reviewers are prohibited from using any information, ideas, data, methods, or materials obtained during the review process for their own personal gain or for the benefit of any other party. The principles regarding the disclosure of conflicts of interest, confidentiality, independence, and objectivity for peer reviewers are aligned with the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.
Conflicts of Interest for the Editorial Team
The Editorial Team must maintain independence and objectivity throughout all editorial processes and decision-making. Editorial Team members who have a conflict of interest regarding a manuscript must disclose such a conflict and recuse themselves from handling that specific manuscript.
Manuscripts authored by members of the Editorial Team, or by individuals with whom they have a relationship that could give rise to a conflict of interest, must be handled by other, independent members of the Editorial Team. Authors who also hold a position in the journal’s management must not be involved in the selection of peer reviewers, the peer-review process, or the decision-making process concerning their own manuscripts.
Editorial decisions must not be influenced by personal relationships, institutional interests, funding sources, publication fees, sponsorships, advertising, partnerships, or any other commercial interests.
Conflicts of Interest for the Publisher and Management
The publisher and management are responsible for safeguarding the independence of the Editorial Team. They must not intervene in the peer-review process, decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts, or post-publication actions based on institutional, financial, political, commercial, or other interests unrelated to academic assessment and publication integrity.
Sources of journal revenue, publication fees, sponsorships, partnerships, advertising, or other financial interests must not influence the peer-review process or editorial decisions.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Every published article must include a Conflict of Interest Statement in an easily accessible section. This statement must clearly indicate whether or not any conflicts of interest exist in relation to the activities and the publication of the article.
Example where no conflict of interest exists:
The authors declare that there are no financial or non-financial conflicts of interest related to the activities and the publication of this article.
Example where a conflict of interest exists:
The author(s) declare that [author name] has a [describe the financial/non-financial relationship] with [name of organization/party] related to the activities or material reported in this article.
Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest
If the Editorial Team receives information regarding a potential undisclosed conflict of interest, the information will be examined objectively, and the involved party will be given the opportunity to provide clarification and supporting information before a decision is reached.
If a conflict of interest is discovered prior to publication, the Editorial Team may request an updated disclosure, replace the involved Editorial Team member or peer reviewer, conduct additional reviews if necessary, or take other measures to safeguard the independence and objectivity of the editorial process.
If a relevant conflict of interest is discovered after an article has been published, the Editorial Team will assess the nature of the conflict, the available evidence, and its impact on the article and the editorial process. If necessary, the journal may issue a correction, an additional disclosure statement, or take other appropriate post-publication actions.
Failure to disclose a conflict of interest does not automatically result in rejection or retraction. Editorial actions are determined based on the nature of the conflict, the degree of non-disclosure, the available evidence, and the impact on the integrity of the article or the publication process. If the issue indicates a breach of integrity or affects the reliability of the publication record, it shall be handled in accordance with Synergy and Society Service’s procedures for addressing academic integrity violations, as well as those for the correction, retraction, and withdrawal of manuscripts, while taking into account the COPE Guidance on Handling Suspected Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest.
