Ethical Policy

This policy outlines the requirements for ethical conduct and reporting for all submissions to Insights Sustainable Engineering Practices (ISEP). As a journal dedicated to sustainable engineering, ISEP is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity, with a focus on environmental responsibility, social impact, and the ethical deployment of technology.

 

1. Ethical Conduct for Studies Involving Human Participants, Data, and Environmental Impact

ISEP requires that all research involving human participants (e.g., in usability studies, social impact assessments), the collection and use of personal data, or studies with a direct environmental impact must have been conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible institutional or national research committee.

 

1.1. Human Participants and Data Ethics

•       Mandatory Approval: Authors must confirm that all procedures were approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee. The manuscript must include a statement identifying the approving body and the relevant approval number.

•       Informed Consent and Privacy: Authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants and that data privacy and anonymity were maintained, especially in studies related to smart cities or digital infrastructure.

 

1.2. Environmental and Social Responsibility

•       Impact Assessment: Research on new engineering practices or technologies must include a discussion of the potential environmental and social consequences, ensuring that the proposed solutions are genuinely sustainable and do not lead to unintended negative outcomes.

•       Ethical Technology Deployment: Submissions concerning technologies like AI, IoT, or advanced materials must address the ethical implications of their large-scale deployment, including issues of equity, accessibility, and resource justice.

 

2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Registration (PRISMA)

For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, ISEP strongly encourages authors to register their protocol in a publicly accessible registry (e.g., PROSPERO) prior to commencing the review. Furthermore, authors must adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of their methodology and findings. Adherence to PRISMA, including the use of the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram, is a mandatory requirement for submission.

 

3. Conflict of Interest and Funding

Authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including financial, personal, or other relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work. All sources of funding for the research must be explicitly stated in the manuscript.