Introduction
At Luminous Insights, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in all of our business activities. Our code of conduct reflects this commitment and helps ensure that we are able to attract and retain distinguished researchers, publish original and high-quality articles, and provide valuable knowledge to our global readership. We strive to support researchers in their efforts to make scientific contributions and transfer their skills and expertise, all while adhering to the highest ethical standards in scientific research.
As a member of the Luminous Insights community, whether you are an employee, researcher, reviewer, editorial board member, or reader, we invite you to uphold and promote our code of values in all of your practices. We encourage you to speak up if you witness or believe that any member of our community is not upholding these values. At Luminous Insights, we are committed to upholding the highest standards in everything we do and we appreciate your help in maintaining these standards
People's compliance with our code
At Luminous Insights, we expect all researchers, reviewers, editorial boards, and administrators to adhere to our code of conduct. This code applies to anyone who has a direct or indirect relationship with our organization, including those who are permanently or temporarily contracted to perform work or provide services. Any failure to follow the rules may result in termination of the individual's relationship with Luminous Insights and potential liability. Similarly, employees who do not follow the rules may face termination of their employment.
We recognize that it is not always possible to anticipate every ethical or legal scenario that may arise. However, we rely on the sound judgment of our community members to maintain a high level of integrity for ourselves and Luminous Insights. This code is both literal and spiritual, and we expect it to guide everyone in all aspects of their work. If you are unsure of the appropriate course of action in a given situation, we encourage you to seek guidance from the head department, editorial management, legal affairs, ethics, and compliance. If mistakes do occur, we strive to correct them as quickly as possible
Code-related inquiries
If you have any questions or concerns about a potential violation of Luminous Insights' rules or policies, you can contact the administration staff directly using the provided contact information. You can also report any concerns about violations of the law, ethics, or compliance to the administration staff or to relevant government agencies. If you have concerns about wrongdoing by the administration, editors, or any members of the editorial board, you can report these to the temporary audit compliance representatives designated for this purpose. You can use email to report a violation and remain anonymous, but we prefer that you provide your name and contact information so that we can reach out to you directly if needed. To report a violation, please send an email to: [email protected].
You can use this email to receive updates about the investigation into non-compliance. It will serve as the official point of contact for this matter.
At Luminous Insights, we take a strong stance against retaliatory behavior, which is considered a violation of our rules, policies, and possibly even the law. If you believe that you are experiencing retaliation, we encourage you to report it to the head department or Ethics and Compliance. We will take steps to prevent any further retaliation and will turn the case over to Ethics and Compliance for investigation and appropriate action. We value members of our community who report potential violations and will ensure that they are protected from retaliation.
Luminous Insights is recognized by our community for not only its contributions to the open-source community, but also for its strict adherence to leading criteria in the acceptance of manuscripts for publication and maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards. The principles that drive our work at Luminous Insights enable us to consistently deliver high quality services.
1- Laws commitment
At Luminous Insights, we prioritize following the laws and regulations that govern our work, as well as taking legal responsibilities seriously. It is important that everyone is aware of the relevant laws and regulations that apply to our business. If you are unsure, please reach out to the Legal, Ethics, and Compliance team for guidance. We adhere to various laws in the United States, including those related to publication, confidentiality, financial and accounting disclosure, fair competition, employment, trade, anti-bribery, insider trading, intellectual property, inventions, personal relationships, non-governmental relations, and communication with government officials.
2- Principles of ethical practice
At Luminous Insights, we strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all researchers to thrive and reach their full research potential. Our team and editors are committed to providing access to high-quality articles without any illegal or unethical bias or discrimination. We will make every effort to ensure that all researchers feel supported and empowered to succeed in their research endeavors.
Luminous Insights partners will do their utmost to create a supportive atmosphere where all researchers can utilize their research potential. Our staff and leading editors will afford sufficient efforts to ensure access to high-quality articles, without regard to illegal and unethical bias and discrimination.
3- Confidentiality
Luminous Insights is committed to protecting the confidentiality of information shared within our community and to preserving the company's intellectual property. This includes ensuring that articles and other intellectual contributions are not leaked or shared before they are published on our open-access platform. Some types of information may not be disclosed or shared without obtaining approval from the editorial department, as this could damage our products or compromise our competitive advantage.
As a member of the Luminous Insights community, it is your responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of articles and information before they are published, and to protect any private information you receive from researchers, reviewers, editorial board members, or anyone else involved under nondisclosure agreements. We take appropriate steps to safeguard our intellectual property and to properly dispose of confidential information when necessary.
According to our data security policy, we classify certain information as confidential and essential to our work or knowledge. If you need to share this type of private information with other parties in the course of your work, our disclosure policy requires that you follow the terms of any relevant disclosure agreements. Luminous Insights reserves the right to conduct security assessments of any parties to whom the information will be disclosed or who will receive the information.
There may be situations in which you are required to disclose confidential information, and your judgment may be called into question. For example, you may have personal or family relationships with people who work for competitors or partners. In these cases, we ask that you do not disclose any confidential information to them, nor seek any confidential information from them about their companies. If you are offered confidential information by an outsider, we recommend that you do not accept it unless you have a contractual arrangement in place. If you have the opportunity to obtain such information from a competitor, partner, or other entity, please contact Luminous Insights to take appropriate action to address the situation. When sharing information to provide advice or solve a problem, it is important to be careful in how you present the information and to seek guidance from Luminous Insights or the legal department if necessary.
When speaking on behalf of Luminous Insights on social media or other public platforms, you must obtain permission to do so and follow our public communications and disclosure policy. If you need to share confidential information in the course of these external communications, please consult with the head department, Legal Affairs, and Ethics and Compliance for guidance.
Finally, no one at Luminous Insights has the authority to sign any contracts with internal or external parties unless they have been granted signing authority or have received approval under our signing authority or consent policy. Any contracts must also be reviewed and approved by the legal affairs department.
4- Protect Intellectual Property
Luminous Insights is committed to supporting the publication of open-access (OA) articles in our journals. We adhere strictly to all publishing requirements and licensing policies that allow for the publication of OA articles, and we respect the intellectual property rights of others. Any failure to comply with intellectual property laws and OA licensing policies could result in legal claims being filed against us and seriously damage our reputation and position in the OA community. We recommend seeking guidance from the head department of legal affairs before using any information that is protected by intellectual property rights.
Luminous Insights values the intellectual property rights of our community and external parties. The inappropriate use of intellectual property can lead to fines, as well as criminal and civil penalties. Whenever you request, accept, or use intellectual property information from a journal, a member of our community, or an external party, you should seek legal advice before doing so. If you wish to use any protected information for Luminous Insights journals or any other purpose, we recommend consulting with the head department for legal advice. We encourage you to report any suspected misuse of trademarks, logos, or other proprietary property to the head department, legal department, ethics and compliance.
Intellectual property rights include trademarks, logos, copyrights, technical knowledge, patents, and trade secrets, and unauthorized use can result in the loss or devaluation of these rights. We respect all referenced copyrights and intellectual property laws, including those governing the fair use of copyrights and trademarks. When using the Luminous Insights logo or any other protected property of any business or entity, you must obtain prior permission.
Luminous Insights also prohibits the use of any of our protected properties for personal use. All materials produced by Luminous Insights are our property and are protected by intellectual property rights, and should not be used without obtaining prior permission. Please be sure to follow all security policies and report any violations that could expose our intellectual property to loss.
5- Avoid conflicts of interest
The purpose of this section of the principles is to address conflicts of interest within the organization of Luminous Insights, which includes employees, editorial departments, editorial boards, and those responsible for managing associated journals. It also includes contractors who are currently or will be performing specific tasks.
Conflicts of interest may arise in a variety of areas within Luminous Insights, such as personal investments, advisory roles, editorial management, editorial board membership, starting a private business, job opportunities found through working at Luminous Insights or its associated journals, inventions, relationships with friends and relatives, accepting gifts and other business courtesies, and use of publisher content.
To avoid conflicts of interest, we ask that you refrain from engaging in any activities within these areas that could reasonably be seen as a conflict, or that may create a personal incentive for you or the appearance of a conflict to others. This includes any activities that may benefit you, your family, or any business ventures related to the work of Luminous Insights. If you are planning to start a business, it is important to discuss this with the administrators of Luminous Insights, as well as the ethics and compliance department, to ensure that it does not present a conflict of interest or have the potential to create a conflict in the future.
As a member of the board of directors, editorial department, or employee of Luminous Insights, it is important to avoid investing in journals or other competing activities, or with business partners of Luminous Insights, if such investments may cause you to act in a way that is detrimental to the organization. If you had any commercial activity or investment in a business prior to joining Luminous Insights, you should disclose your role and ownership percentage in that company. You should also report any other connections with governmental or private agencies before joining the Luminous Insights community. Investing in venture capital or corporate investment funds does not necessarily create a conflict, unless you are responsible for managing those investments. It is also important not to start a business that competes with Luminous Insights. If you discover business opportunities through your work with Luminous Insights or as an editor-in-chief or employee of an associated journal, these opportunities belong primarily to the organization, unless otherwise agreed upon with Luminous Insights or the journal.
A conflict of interest may also arise if you use the content, products, services, or internal tools of Luminous Insights, or the information associated with them, in a way that benefits you or your friends or relatives, giving them an unfair advantage over others inside or outside the organization. We ask that you do not accept any information or content that may provide you or your relatives or friends with an illegal advantage. You should also not use the tools and information provided to you for personal gain or to benefit others, such as using content produced by Luminous Insights to create your own platform for financial gain, unless permitted under the open access policy. If you encounter a situation that may create a conflict of interest, it is important to discuss this with the head department, ethics, and compliance at Luminous Insights.
Employees, editors-in-chief of associated journals, and contractors of Luminous Insights are not allowed to accept positions or leadership roles in other fields or similar and competing activities, such as serving as editor-in-chief of another competing journal or head of a business partner. This is to avoid the appearance that your judgment may be influenced in a way that could harm Luminous Insights. If you are considering accepting a leadership position or serving as editor for another journal, or serving as a competitor or business partner, it is important to inform the head department at Luminous Insights beforehand. You should also not accept gifts or other
6- Privacy and security
Luminous Insights values the privacy and security of personal information shared by researchers, reviewers, editorial board members, and staff. We have strict measures in place to protect this information and expect all members of our community to respect and protect the privacy of others. Access to and use of personal data is regulated by these security measures, and all individuals associated with Luminous Insights are required to take appropriate steps to protect the data of others from unauthorized access. When collecting, accessing, or using the personal information of others, it is important to follow the security policies, privacy policies, and data protection laws in place in the relevant jurisdiction.
Luminous Insights may share contact information for employees, the board of directors, the editorial review board, or researchers with our wider audience through various means, such as texts, audios, or visuals on our website and social media platforms, or through other media channels. However, this will only be done in accordance with relevant privacy policies and the information that is permitted for distribution.
Luminous Insights takes strong measures to protect freedom of expression and privacy for all individuals within our community. We follow internationally accepted standards in our publishing and activities in other countries. If we receive a request from a government to access critical information or user data, or if we need to remove content, we will follow the guidance of the ethics and compliance department at Luminous Insights.
Access to personal data by administrative staff, employees, researchers, reviewers, editorial board members, and others should only occur in accordance with local laws and Luminous Insights policies. The collection, storage, and processing of personal information should be consistent with data classification and Luminous Insights community data collection policies.
For individuals who use accounts owned by Luminous Insights, we reserve the right to monitor the contents of company emails and files, and access other materials as needed to comply with laws, respond to court or legal subpoenas, protect individuals, maintain the security of resources and property, or investigate misconduct by a Luminous Insights employee. We have the authority to monitor individual email messages and access other data when necessary.
7- Service performance rules
Luminous Insights is committed to publishing high-quality, useful, and scientifically valuable open access articles that are available to the public worldwide. Our reputation as publishers in a variety of fields depends on the efforts of researchers, reviewers, editorial staff, administrative staff, and employees to ensure the quality of our published articles. All members of the Luminous Insights community are dedicated to increasing the trust of the public in our work.
If you are a member of the Luminous Insights audience, a researcher, reviewer, or member of the editorial board for one of our journals and encounter inappropriate communication or service, please contact the head department. We strive to create a positive and collaborative environment for knowledge sharing and are committed to following the highest standards in our communication with all parties. We prioritize promptly responding to all comments and concerns, and will take appropriate and immediate actions to address any issues that may arise. Our focus on responsive and reliable communication reflects our commitment to being a trusted and appreciated member of the academic community.
8- Relationships and support
Luminous Insights strictly prohibits all forms of harassment, bullying, and discrimination, including verbal or physical harassment. We also condemn any misconduct, abusive behavior, and vindictive actions. We are committed to creating a respectful and safe work environment and strive to prevent and address harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. We value and respect all members of our community and will not tolerate behavior that goes against laws and morals. We also stand in solidarity with individuals or groups who have been subjected to abuse or misconduct.
We have established clear and effective processes for addressing misconduct, including open channels for reporting and responding to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. We believe in holding all individuals accountable for their actions, and strive for fairness and equity in our approach. At Luminous Insights, we do not tolerate discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, identity, age, marital status, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also seek to support and provide resources for vulnerable groups in society.
If you believe that you have experienced harassment or any form of discrimination by anyone in the Luminous Insights community, please contact the administration, ethics, and compliance department to initiate an appropriate investigation and take immediate action.
Luminous Insights also does not allow the promotion of drugs and alcohol, as this goes against health and safety regulations in any country. We do not allow the publication of any material containing promotional content for alcohol or drugs. If you encounter content that risks health and safety, the safety of others, or violates the law and incites violence, we encourage you to report it to the appropriate authorities. You can also contact government agencies to report such content.
9- Financial integrity
Luminous Insights follows legal, financial, accounting, tax, and regulatory requirements in compliance with United States and state laws, and wherever we operate. This includes preparing necessary reports for our financial records and ensuring that the money we control is used and collected appropriately and in legitimate ways, in accordance with publishing agreements with our journal partners, shareholders, and other partners. We also ensure that our financial records are complete and accurate and adhere to internal regulations and accounting standards for the declaration of entries.
We expect all individuals responsible for managing our financial resources to follow internal regulations and to contact management, ethics and compliance, or legal affairs if there are any questions related to financial integrity and responsibility. It is important for those responsible for reporting financial transactions, revenues, and purchases to be fully familiar with all relevant revenue and purchase policies and procedures. Any financial or accounting irregularities, falsification, such as misreported time, expenses, or any accounts, should also be disclosed. We encourage anyone to report any financial and accounting concerns or any violations of financial integrity or liability, no matter how small, to the head department, legal affairs, ethics and compliance.
To maintain financial and accounting integrity, Luminous Insights maintains records for a certain period of time in accordance with our record-keeping policy. There may be specific legal requirements, external accounting rules, or external references that require longer retention periods for certain records and documents, such as those related to audits, investigations, or litigation. It is not permitted to dispose of financial or accounting records without consulting the head department and legal affairs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Luminous Insights has a number of policies in place to ensure the integrity of our activities and practices, including policies on conflicts of interest, ethics, compliance with antitrust laws, anti-corruption, and bribery. We also have policies related to social responsibility, open access, cultural diversity, and more. While our policies provide guidance, they cannot cover every ethical situation that may arise. It is important to use good judgment, seek expert advice, and ultimately rely on personal judgment to make ethical decisions.
For more information on our code of conduct, laws and regulations, ethics and compliance, and policies, please see our website or contact the relevant department.
Website: luminousinsights.net
Code updated on 25/12/2022