Last updated: September 2025

The Emirati Journal of Business, Economics & Social Studies (EJBESS), published by the Emirates Scholar Research Center (ESRC), is fully dedicated to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of its authors, reviewers, editors, and readers.

This Privacy Policy provides a detailed explanation of:

• What personal data do we collect and why?
• How your data is stored, processed, and secured
• With whom your data is shared and the conditions involved
• Your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – EU 2016/679)
• How our practices align with DOAJ Transparency Standards and Scopus indexing criteria

Our goal is to promote maximum transparency and build trust with our community.

1. Data Controller and Contact Information

Emirates Scholar Research Center (ESRC)
Publisher of the Emirati Journal of Business, Economics & Social Studies (EJBESS)
Address: [Insert full postal address]
Email: ejbess@emiratesscholar.com
Phone: [Insert phone number]
Data Protection Officer (DPO): dpo@emiratesscholar.com

The DPO oversees compliance with data protection laws and manages all user requests related to personal data.

2. Types of Data We Collect

We gather only the essential data needed to handle the journal’s editorial and publishing processes.

A. Data provided directly by users

• Full name and surname
• Institutional affiliation and academic position
• ORCID ID or other researcher identifiers
• Email address and phone number (optional)
• Country and institutional address
• Author contributions and funding disclosures

B. Data generated during editorial processes

• Manuscript metadata, submitted files, revisions, supplementary materials
• Peer-review reports and editorial decisions
• Communication between editors, authors, and reviewers

C. Technical and website usage data

• IP addresses, browser information, and access logs
• Cookies and session identifiers (essential only)
• Analytics data collected in aggregated, anonymized form

D. Newsletter and communication preferences

• Email addresses collected only with explicit consent
• Topics of interest, if voluntarily provided

Note: EJBESS does not collect sensitive personal data, such as racial origin, political opinions, health information, or biometric data.

3. Purposes of Data Processing

Personal data is processed exclusively for the following purposes:

1. Manuscript submission and peer review
   • Managing, evaluating, and processing submitted manuscripts
   • Coordinating peer-review workflows with independent reviewers
   • Archiving editorial decisions and associated correspondence
2. Publication and indexing
   • Assigning DOIs and depositing metadata in Crossref
   • Ensuring article discoverability in DOAJ, Scopus, Google Scholar, ROAD, etc.
   • Making author information, affiliations, and ORCID IDs publicly visible in published articles
3. Communication and editorial support
   • Providing updates on manuscript status
   • Contacting authors, reviewers, and editors
   • Offering technical and editorial support
4. Analytics and platform optimization
   • Monitoring website performance and traffic (aggregated, anonymized data)
   • Improving usability and editorial workflows
5. Newsletter and marketing (optional)
   • Sending journal announcements, special issue calls, and editorial updates
   • Sent only after explicit opt-in consent

4. Legal Basis for Data Processing (GDPR)

Under the GDPR, data processing is lawful when based on one or more of the following:

• Performance of a contract: managing submissions and editorial workflows
• Legal obligation: following academic publishing rules
• Legitimate interest: ensuring smooth journal operations and editorial quality
• Consent: required for newsletters, marketing communications, and analytics tracking

Users may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the legality of prior processing.

5. Data Retention Periods

EJBESS retains personal data only as long as necessary for editorial and legal purposes:

Type of Data	Retention Period
Manuscripts, reviews, metadata	10 years after publication or rejection
Editorial correspondence	5 years after closure
Author and reviewer accounts	Until account deletion
Newsletter subscriptions	Until consent is withdrawn
Anonymized analytics data	Up to 24 months

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

EJBESS does not sell or trade personal data to third parties. However, data may be shared with trusted partners where strictly necessary:

• Crossref: DOI registration and metadata dissemination
• DOAJ, Scopus, Google Scholar, ROAD: indexing and discoverability
• Cite Scholar Platform Hosting Providers: secure manuscript management
• Analytics services: anonymized traffic reporting

All third parties are GDPR-compliant and process data on behalf of EJBESS.

7. Cookies and Tracking

EJBESS uses essential cookies only to:

• Maintain secure sessions during login
• Ensure smooth submission and peer-review processes
• Collect aggregated, anonymized analytics data

For more information, see our Cookie Policy. EJBESS does not use profiling or targeted advertising cookies. Users can disable cookies through their browser settings, but some features may become unavailable.

8. Data Security Measures

• SSL encryption for all website traffic
• Secure servers hosted in GDPR-compliant data centers
• Multi-factor authentication for editorial accounts
• Regular platform updates and vulnerability scans
• Restricted access to authorized editorial staff only

9. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: obtain a copy of your data
• Right of Rectification: correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right of Erasure: request deletion (“right to be forgotten”)
• Right to Restrict Processing: limit data usage
• Right to Data Portability: receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: oppose certain types of processing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: revoke your consent at any time
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: file a claim with your local Data Protection Authority

To exercise your rights, contact: dpo@emiratesscholar.com

10. International Data Transfers

EJBESS operates internationally and may transfer data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In such cases, we ensure GDPR compliance through:

• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• Secure, encrypted transmission protocols

11. Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect:

• Changes in legal requirements
• DOAJ and Scopus indexing standards
• Enhancements to the journal’s editorial platform

The “Last Updated” date at the top always indicates the latest version.