Springer Nature

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are at the forefront of strategic priorities at SSCI Journal Indexing. We are committed to serving a diverse and global research community.

SSCI Journal Indexing believes a truly inclusive publishing landscape should represent all communities, globally and across multiple dimensions of diversity. We have released our first benchmarking report, examining geographic and gender diversity of our academic editors. By sharing our findings in this way, we aim to inform, inspire, and drive forward action across the industry. Explore the report here.

As editors, you play a pivotal role in championing inclusive practices and ensuring we reflect our diverse communities through our publication process. We have created this hub with actionable guides, data insights, reports, case studies, and more to inform, inspire and support you in developing inclusive publishing practices.

Get the information and inspiration you need to be a DEI champion and to make your journals, books and published works inclusive, and representative.

Addressing Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias (also known as implicit bias) occurs without deliberate effort in all of us, as the brain makes automatic judgements about situations and people by relying on stereotypes and often incorrect assumptions. In the research and publishing ecosystem, it can affect decisions about funding, hiring, promotion, collaboration, credit, recognition, and publication.

Learn more about unconscious bias and how to address it through our customized resources. Our new short course, Addressing Unconscious Bias, explores how unconscious bias works and introduces some strategies for challenging it as we work to create more open, diverse, and inclusive cultures within our professional/research communities.

Download this primer for a handy summary of key information from the short course.

Resources and guides for inclusive publishing

Wondering how you can incorporate and promote inclusive publishing practices? Use these resources and guides to take intentional steps toward greater inclusion.

Inclusive Language Guide and Sensitivity Reading Guide

How we communicate research findings can have an impact on their interpretation and wider application. Find out more about SSCI Journal Indexing’s Inclusive Language Guide and Sensitivity Reading Guide – two resources to support editors, and others (including authors and peer reviewers), to use bias-free language and presentation in research communication.

Ensuring diversity and inclusion in editorial board and peer reviewer recruitment

It is vital that our editorial decision makers and our peer reviewers are representative of the global and diverse communities we serve. In these easy-to-use guides on editor and peer reviewer recruitment, you will find practical tips and resources for what to consider when creating diverse and representative editorial boards and peer reviewers.

Find out more about diversity and inclusion in editorial boards and peer reviewers.

Intentional Content Strategy: Embedding representation and inclusion into your content strategy

We can influence, and inform our readers, the communities we serve and the broader research environment through what we publish. Find out more in this infographic which sets out some practical ideas for how to develop an intentional content strategy with a focus on representation, equity and inclusion.

Inclusive Language Guide

(PDF, 597.58 KB)

Sensitivity Reading Guide

(PDF, 298.73 KB)

Addressing Diversity & Inclusion in EBM and Reviewer Recruitment

(PDF, 8.33 MB)

Managing the Peer Review Process

(PDF, 2.96 MB)

Intentional Content Strategy

(PDF, 67.55 MB)

Editor case studies

Journal of Plant Pathology introduces several initiatives and by doing so emerges as one of the most diverse journals.

Celebrating Editorial Impact: Editorial Fellowship equips early career researchers with journal publishing experience.

Prof. Joanna M. Setchell, EiC of the International Journal of Primatology, talks about the actions she took to amplify underrepresented voices in research.

Prof. Mamba's deliberate steps to expand representation on the journal’s editorial board and its positive impact.