Research involving individuals, employees, consumers, communities, students, patients, respondents, or other human participants must protect their dignity, rights, safety, privacy, and confidentiality.

Where ethical approval is required by the author's institution or applicable regulation, the manuscript should identify the approving ethics committee or institution and the relevant approval information.

Where applicable, researchers must obtain appropriate informed consent from participants. Participation should be voluntary and participants should be adequately informed about the nature and purpose of the research.

Names, photographs, personal identifiers, confidential organizational data, and other identifiable information must not be published without appropriate permission, legal basis, or informed consent.

Research involving vulnerable individuals or groups requires particular care to ensure voluntary participation, appropriate consent, confidentiality, proportionality of risk, and protection from exploitation or harm.

Editors may request supporting ethical documentation or clarification when ethical compliance is unclear. Manuscripts may be rejected, corrected, retracted, or otherwise investigated when serious ethical concerns are identified.