Editorial Independence

At Athena International Publishing we believe strongly in ensuring that editorial decision-making processes of our publications are kept separate from our commercial interests. Safeguarding this editorial independence requires that all editorial decisions, but also any concerns or complaints about editorial decisions, are dealt with strictly within the editorial structures of a publication. These structures typically include Editors-in-Chief, Editors, Editorial Boards or Review Boards, or any other structures which are involved with the editorial governance of a given publication. We believe that, while publication owners or publishers can enter into discussions about editorial processes and policies with Editors to provide recommendations only, no one outside of the editorial structure of a publication should get involved in or interfere with any editorial decisions for individual articles.

We realize that certain situations may arise in which it may not be possible to keep editorial decision-making processes completely separate from commercial considerations. However, in such cases we work with all the parties involved to establish workflows and editorial structures which minimize the risk of having editorial decisions being influenced by external factors. As such, Editors should have the freedom at all times to evaluate submissions based on their scientific merit and their potential contribution to the community only. More information on editorial independence can be found on the website of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and associated resources.