PLOS, a leading publisher of Open Access scientific journals, has joined over 290 other publishers in signing the UN SDG Publisher’s Compact. The agreement aims to inspire action among publishers in advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by actively seeking and promoting scientific content related to the goals, as well as committing to sustainable actions across their businesses.
PLOS believes that Open Science is a critical accelerator for achieving the SDGs and tackling the greatest challenges of our time. Through its participation in the SDG Compact, PLOS seeks to focus and expand its work, share and learn best practices from other stakeholders, and collectively harness open research to improve lives across the planet.
A significant portion of the articles currently published in PLOS journals are applicable to at least one SDG, and PLOS expects that percentage to grow in the coming years. The SDGs will continue to influence the development of PLOS's portfolio and its work with research communities to seek and promote research critical to the health of the planet and its people.
In addition to the content PLOS publishes, the ways in which it surfaces research and how it represents the broadest spectrum of researchers matter greatly to the success of these goals. PLOS is working to eliminate financial barriers to Open Access publishing and partnering with research communities around the world to co-create more equitable solutions for sharing research and ensuring inclusive policies shape its journals.
Through its commitment to Open Access and Open Science, PLOS is helping researchers increase the real-world impact of their work by ensuring it can be shared, applied, and reused by anyone who needs it. That commitment extends to research artifacts such as data, protocols, and code that strengthen reproducibility and accelerate progress.
Becs Kirk, Publisher, Portfolio Development at PLOS and HESI fellow, will act as a spokesperson for PLOS in coordinating its activities and sharing resources with other organizations aligned with the SDG Compact.
To drive forward its efforts in advancing these goals, PLOS will be appointing an SDG Steering Committee led by its CEO, Alison Muddit, and drawing on the expertise of staff that have led its progress thus far in becoming a more sustainable and inclusive organization.
To keep track of progress, research content, and initiatives at PLOS related to the SDGs, a new section of its website will be introduced where its communities can learn more about the work it is doing. More updates will be shared in this space and on the PLOS website as progress towards these goals is made.
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