Editorial standards
Sourcing
Every fact in a story comes from a named source, and we link to it. We prefer the record: the notice of appointment, the court filing, the regulator’s statement, the administrator’s report. We state only what the sources support, and we say who said it. When sources disagree, we say so.
The words we use
Administration, liquidation, receivership and bankruptcy are different things with different consequences. We use each word only when the record supports it. A company that has stopped trading has closed; it is in liquidation only once a liquidator is appointed. When the status is not yet clear, we say what is known and what is not.
Failure is not wrongdoing
Most companies fail without anyone breaking the law. We report what happened and who is affected. We don’t suggest that directors or owners did something wrong unless a court, a regulator or an appointed insolvency practitioner has said so, and then we attribute it.
Allegations and charges
Charges, lawsuits and regulators’ claims are allegations until a court decides, and we say so. We don’t name private individuals who are charged, arrested or wanted but not convicted, even when the police publish the name. We do name companies, and we name directors and officials when official records name them.
Reporting trouble before a collapse
Saying a business is in trouble can harm it. We report warning signs only when they are on the record: a winding-up petition, a court order, a regulator’s notice, the company’s own statement, filed accounts. We don’t predict that a company will fail.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we fix it and add a note at the end of the story saying what changed and when. To report an error, write to [email protected] with a link to the story.
Independence and advertising
Advertisers and sources have no say in what we cover or how we cover it. Sponsored material is always labeled and never mixed into the news.
News, not advice
We report and explain. Our stories are general information, not legal or financial advice about your claim, your job or your contract. Rules differ by country and by case: the appointed administrator, liquidator or trustee, the regulator and your own adviser are the ones to ask about your situation.
Contact
Write to the editor at [email protected].