IJHACSS upholds transparency, impartiality and academic independence across research, peer review and publication. Authors, reviewers, editors and editorial board members must disclose any interests that could influence, or reasonably appear to influence, scholarly judgment. A conflict of interest is not automatically misconduct: disclosure allows the journal to assess and manage it fairly.

• Financial: grants, consulting, honoraria, sponsorships, employment, investments, royalties and commercial benefits.
• Professional: recent collaborations, research competition, supervisory relationships and close academic partnerships.
• Personal: family ties, close friendships, adversarial relationships or other connections affecting independent judgment.
• Institutional: shared affiliations, partnerships or organizational interests connected to the manuscript.
• Intellectual or ideological: commitments that materially undermine independent assessment of the specific work.

Holding an academic, political, religious or philosophical position is not itself a conflict. The question is whether relevant circumstances could reasonably compromise impartiality.

All authors must identify relevant competing interests during submission and update those disclosures if circumstances change. Disclosures should explain the nature of the relationship, organization involved and its connection to the research. The corresponding author must consult co-authors and ensure that declarations are complete; each author remains responsible for their own information. Disclosed interests do not automatically disqualify a manuscript.

Authors must state funding sources, grant identifiers where available, and the role of funders in study design, data collection, interpretation, writing and publication decisions. Where a sponsor had no such role, that may be stated explicitly. Agreements that prevent authors from reporting credible findings or that grant inappropriate sponsor control must be disclosed and may raise editorial concerns.

Reviewers should promptly disclose financial, personal, professional or institutional connections with the authors, their organizations or the research. They must decline or request reassignment when independent evaluation cannot reasonably be maintained. Reviewers must not exploit unpublished material, request irrelevant citations for personal benefit, or use confidential manuscripts to advance competing work.

Editors must declare significant competing interests and recuse themselves from managing affected submissions. Manuscripts submitted by editors, board members, close collaborators or family members should be handled by an independent, appropriately qualified editor. Editors must not use their authority to favor collaborators, institutions or their own research interests. Publisher or sponsor interests must not influence scholarly decisions.

When a competing interest is reported, the editorial office considers its nature, proximity, seriousness and potential effect on impartiality. Appropriate measures may include publishing a disclosure statement, appointing an independent editor, replacing a reviewer, seeking an additional assessment, obtaining clarification or restricting a conflicted individual's role. Actions should be proportionate and appropriately documented.

Competing interests should be disclosed at initial submission, before accepting an editorial or review assignment, during revisions if circumstances change, and whenever a significant new interest becomes known before or after publication. Authors and reviewers should promptly inform the editorial office rather than waiting for a later stage.

When no competing interests exist:

“The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this manuscript.”

When interests exist:

“[Author initials] received [type of support] from [organization]. The organization [describe any role] in the research. All other authors declare no competing interests.”

These are examples; declarations must accurately describe the actual circumstances and should not be copied if inaccurate.

Where relevant, IJHACSS will include a clear competing-interest statement in the published article alongside funding and contribution information. A statement of no competing interests may also be published. Disclosure does not imply endorsement, wrongdoing or that a conflict has necessarily influenced the findings.

If a potentially material interest becomes known, the journal may ask for clarification, examine the circumstances and allow affected persons to respond. Depending on the evidence, action may include updating a declaration, replacing a conflicted reviewer or editor, conducting additional independent review, correcting the published record or taking other proportionate editorial action. Serious intentional concealment may be referred for appropriate investigation. An allegation alone is not proof of misconduct.

Individuals may raise a concern about a potential conflict through the editorial office. Concerns should identify the manuscript or article and explain the relevant relationship. The journal will seek to protect confidentiality where appropriate, manage conflicts within the complaint process, and provide a fair opportunity for clarification. Appeals should be reviewed, where practical, by an independent editor.

Article processing charges and other journal finances must not affect acceptance, rejection, reviewer selection or substantive editorial decisions. Editors and reviewers must not receive inducements for favorable evaluations. A decision to publish must be based on scholarly merit, ethical compliance and the journal's stated editorial standards.

For competing-interest declarations, clarifications, concerns or appeals, contact editor@ijhacss.com or support@ijhacss.com. You may also use the journal Contact page. Include a manuscript reference number where available, but do not send confidential reviewer reports or unnecessary personal information through public channels.