Editorial Decisions
The editors are responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal will be published. The editor will evaluate manuscripts without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, citizenship, or political philosophy. The decision will be based on the importance, originality, and clarity of the article, the validity of the work, and its relevance to the journal's scope. Existing legal requirements regarding defamation, copyright infringement, and plagiarism should also be considered.
Confidentiality
The editor and any editorial staff should not disclose information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, other editorial advisors, and the publisher as appropriate.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
The editor or editorial board members will not use unpublished material disclosed in a submitted manuscript for their research purposes without the author's express written permission.
Source
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). (2011, March 7). Code of Conduct and Best-Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. Retrieved from http://publicationethics.org/files/Code_of_conduct_for_journal_editors_Mar11.pdf
Elsevier Publishing Ethics. https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/publishing-ethics