Editorial Policy
Mind is an independent business platform centred on the Mind.ua business media. Our media outlet is committed to international standards of professional journalism, which form the basis of this Media Code.
The independence of our editorial team is guaranteed by the outlet's executive body: the editor-in-chief, the copy editor, and department heads.
The following are Mind's guidelines that define the internal and external activities of our business platform.
No person (shareholders, partners, advertisers, etc.) outside the Editorial Team has access to the editorial plan and does not influence our media’s editorial policy.
Mind strives to fulfill its mission of creating high-quality practical content for the business audience and developing markets through objective analysis – in any way that allows it to do so in the most reliable and impartial way possible.
The key area of Mind's activity is explanatory journalism. The goal of Mind’s employees is to create high-quality content, analysing the essence of processes, not the form.
Mind does not serve anyone's interests and seeks to avoid any possible conflicts of interest. Mind does not support any political party, politicians, authorities or officials. At the same time, the editors provide equal opportunities and conditions for everyone in covering their activities.
Mind's Editorial Team
Our main task is to offer the reader the most complete and verified information possible, and Mind reserves the right not to publish a point of view that is deliberately and obviously manipulative or false.
Here is what distinguishes Mind's editorial content:
- we provide our readers with analytics;
- our materials present verified facts, figures, and data that confirm the state of the market, its segment, or a particular business;
- we go deep into the essence of an issue or problem;
- we carry out investigations impartially and fairly, not concealing essential details and not ignoring the major involvees.
The editorial content is always based on verified information and is published with the views/positions of the parties involved.
Any statistical data is cited with the source.
The editors ensure that the authors of a piece do not have a biased attitude towards characters or events, thereby eliminating the possibility of distortion of information in personal interests, deception or deliberate error.
In case the information is of particular value, Mind may publish it on the condition of anonymity, but this does not negate the need to verify this information. In this case, the team assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
Nevertheless, Mind always protects its sources of information as well as its authors.
Mind does not remove publications, but is always ready to admit our mistakes. Should there be any inaccuracies or factual errors in the material, Mind will publish a refutation and update the material with the corrected information and a corresponding note in the text of the publication.
Mind's journalists are prohibited from accepting gifts and gratitudes worth more than the equivalent of UAH 3,000 from the characters of publications.
Mind's journalists always introduce themselves, say their names, publication’s title and the topic they are working on, and warn the interviewee about recording the conversation with an audio or video device. The only exception is when working on an investigative report that could be harmed by the respective information.
When a Mind's journalist is subjected to pressure, threats or harassment, our outlet provides physical and legal protection to the author of the material.
Mind protects business against unfair actions by the government or competitors, but does not participate in corporate conflicts.
Guided by international human rights documents, including the Lisbon Treaty, Mind does not discriminate against people and social groups in any way, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, origin, nationality or sexual orientation.
Mind's Business Model
Mind's editorial team has four sources of income: subscriptions, special projects and promotional content, and affiliated projects and platforms.
All materials created and published on a commercial or barter basis are marked with the following labels: "Advertising", "Company News", "Point of View", "Partner Material". The latter always indicates the partner with whom the material was produced.
Mind cooperates only with companies for which open standards are normal and which do not require the release of promotional content without appropriate labelling.
Special Projects and Native Advertising
A partner material is first and foremost the material created by the editorial team, so it:
- is in line with Mind's style;
- is a finished, complete material;
- is consistent and does not contradict editorial materials;
- does not impose anything or persuade anyone.
The partner only initiates the topic/project, while the implementation is carried out by Mind’s Editorial Team, ensuring the standards of the publication and focusing on the media audience.
Mind values its reputation, so we always check all the information provided by the partner and the partner himself – his interests and competitors.
Fundamental principle of sponsoring editorial projects/ratings. Mind involves sponsors and partners to support editorial special projects. A sponsor/partner cannot be a participant in the rating or an object of analysis/evaluation. A partner is not allowed to participate (be a member of the jury) in the calculations/evaluation within the rating special projects in case the companies being evaluated include the partner's clients.
Mind's commercial department and special projects department operate independently of the Editorial Team.
The editorial department is not involved in creating special projects, and vice versa, the special projects department is not involved in creating editorial content. The Editorial Team does not have access to the sales plan and special projects, and the commercial department, to the editorial and investigative plans. Therefore, there is no way that an outlet's advertiser can learn about a journalistic piece before it is published.
Mind respects its partners, advertisers and readers. Therefore, we do not publish unverified information. Mind's journalists and editors are obliged to check the facts even in partner and promotional content.
Mind does not publish texts sent by advertisers. The only exceptions are pieces with the rights of advertising, company news, and copyrighted materials written by the client on a previously agreed topic.
Mind reserves the right to refuse to cooperate with an advertiser if the advertisement is unfair or the product has signs of manipulation, such as pyramid schemes, network marketing, casinos, etc.
Platforms
A standalone area of Mind's activities is developing platforms – service projects for business. Mind serves as a media, technical and information partner for platforms.
Relations with clients and residents are governed by an agreement between the partner and clients.
Mind strives to prevent and eliminate any possible conflicts of interest.
A conflict of interest is considered by Mind to be a situation where partners or advertisers may become the subject of investigations by our outlet.
All partners who cooperate with Mind are aware and clearly understand that any form of partnership does not grant them privileges in our outlet's editorial policy.
That said, Mind values cooperation with each partner and will always approach them first with offers to participate in new projects or for expert comments.
