Trust is built from small, repeatable habits. This page sets out the standards we hold ourselves to, so that you can judge our work against them.
Independence
Our editorial decisions are made by editors, not by advertisers, sponsors, partners or the subjects of our stories. Nobody can buy coverage, and nobody can buy silence. Commercial relationships, where they exist, sit behind a firewall and have no say over what the newsroom reports or how.
Accuracy and attribution
We aim to get facts right the first time and to show our work. Claims are attributed to whoever makes them. When we cannot verify a statement ourselves, we say who said it and what we could not confirm. We distinguish between what we know, what is reported by others, and what is analysis or opinion.
Sourcing tiers
Not all sources carry equal weight, and we tell readers which kind we are leaning on:
- Primary: documents, datasets, filings, direct observation and first-hand accounts.
- Credible secondary: established reporting, peer-reviewed research and recognized institutions, cited as such.
- Self-reported: figures and claims from the organization concerned, always labeled with phrases such as 'the operator reports' or 'according to the programme'.
How we label numbers
A number without a source is just decoration. Every figure in our reporting is either attributed, hedged or explained. Self-reported numbers are never presented as independently confirmed, and estimates are described as estimates.
News and opinion are separate
Opinion columns and editorials are written by named columnists or by the Editorial Board, written in the first person where appropriate, and labeled clearly. They are produced separately from the newsroom and do not shape news coverage.
Use of AI tools
We may use AI-assisted tools for tasks such as transcription, translation support, or drafting suggestions. When such tools contribute materially to a piece, we disclose it. Humans remain responsible for everything we publish: a person reviews, edits and approves each story, and no tool is an excuse for an error.
Conflicts of interest
Staff are expected to disclose financial or personal interests relevant to what they cover, and editors will reassign work where a conflict cannot be managed. Where a conflict exists in a published piece, we say so in the piece itself.
Sponsored content
Anything paid for by a third party is labeled clearly as sponsored, kept visually distinct from reporting, and never written by the newsroom. We do not currently run sponsored content, and our Ad Choices page describes the rules we will follow if we do.
Updates and corrections
When a story changes, we mark it with an update note rather than quietly rewriting it. Errors are handled under our Corrections Policy, and the Fact-Check Lab explains our verification process in more detail.