Our commitment to sustainability
through equitable open science
Today’s most pressing challenges demand concentrated, collaborative actions worldwide. Progress relies on a strong foundation of scientific knowledge that is accessible, inclusive, and rapidly available.
We are dedicated to paving the way for a more equitable open science future rooted in rigor, transparency, inclusion, and collaboration. As a proud signatory of the UN SDG Publisher’s Compact, we work with our communities to champion the 17 UN Sustainable Development goals through the open access research we publish and the meaningful actions we take across our organization.
Advancing sustainability through trusted research
Our open access portfolio of journals reaches across disciplines and geographies to advance global progress for a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future.
Many of our journals advance research aligned to the UN SDGs, shining a spotlight on challenges in health equity, igniting public policy discussion, informing actions we take to address climate change and use our planet’s resources more sustainably, and much more. Learn more about our titles and featured collections below.






“PLOS has a longstanding commitment to working with global research communities who are addressing societal challenges, and to focusing the development of our portfolio to support their needs. We’re shaping journal content, representation on our editorial boards, and the tools we offer researchers to share and promote their work around best practices for advancing a sustainable and inclusive future for all.”
Rebecca Kirk
Associate Editorial Director
Featured collections

This PLOS One collection, created in association with PLOS Global Public Health, PLOS Digital Health, and PLOS Medicine, explores how health literacy can be used to empower and positively affect health outcomes.

This PLOS Biology collection discusses issues around economics, policy, and how to conduct research that can help inform decisions around conservation and biodiversity initiatives.

This collection of articles from PLOS Climate and PLOS Water explores the evidence and critical perspectives that help support, enhance and challenge decision-making around natured-based solutions for climate and water related issues.
Leading responsibility
As an organization and as individuals, we are committed to advocating for and adopting practices that create a better future for both people and the planet. PLOS works beyond publishing to remove financial barriers to open access publishing by partnering with global research communities to co-create equitable solutions for sharing research. Our journals are guided by inclusive policies that reflect the diverse needs of our contributors.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at PLOS
We aim to learn from, and partner with, different communities to build an open science system that ensures everyone, everywhere benefits from unrestricted access and reuse of research and has the opportunity to contribute their knowledge. We are working to ensure every part of our organization is open to, and shaped by, diverse perspectives and that our journals represent the broadest range of expert knowledge. By doing so, we strive to ensure that research is representative of diverse stakeholders, assessed fairly and supports collaboration towards the common good.
SDG Steering Committee
To advance these efforts, we have appointed an SDG Steering Committee comprised of senior leaders and experts to guide progress towards sustainability and inclusivity across our organization.
The SDG Steering Committee consists of:

Alison Mudditt
Chief Executive Officer

Jocelyn Quigley
Executive Director, Marketing and Communications

Rebecca Kirk
Associate Editorial Director

Jamie Males
Executive Editor, PLOS Climate

Bekah Darksmith
Chief of Staff and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Sandra Upengui
General Counsel
