Sage is committed to ensuring that the commercial interests of the business do not have any impact or influence on individual editorial decision making and peer-review processes. Sage upholds editorial independence as a key principle and our journal editors have full authority over the article selection and peer review process, provided there are no concerns about the integrity of the article, the peer review process, or the editor. This is in accordance with COPE, WAME and ICMJE guidance on best practice. As a publisher, we have a responsibility to uphold editorial independence and enable legitimate free expression supported by academic rigor. We also play an important role in maintaining best practice and editorial accountability. We expect that the Editors will make decisions on submissions based on validity of their conclusions, contribution to the base of knowledge and in accordance with the journal’s policies and procedures, not the commercial implications for the Publisher.
The following statement supports Sage’s position on the importance of independent editorial decision making.