We are committed to scrutinising our own processes at each stage 鈥� and we鈥檙e calling on other publishers to do the same. We want to work with them to make our industry fit for the modern age.
We are not only a professional body but also a publisher of peer-reviewed research articles for the chemical sciences.
Recognising that both the publication of research articles and the number of citations that those articles gather are established markers of scientific success, we have carried out the first in-depth gender analysis of each stage of the publication process within the chemical sciences community.
On this page:
Director of publishing Dr Emma Wilson introduces the report
Is publishing in the chemical sciences gender biased? report
Director of publishing Dr Emma Wilson introduces the report
Read the report 鈥� Is publishing in the chemical sciences gender biased?
Biases exist at each step of the publishing profile. Many of these appear minor in isolation, yet their combined effect puts women at a significant disadvantage.
Only by recognising the biases introduced at decision points by authors, reviewers, editors and publishers, can we act to reduce them.
We have identified four key areas for action
We will:
1 Increase transparency
Undertake the most comprehensive analysis and reporting to date of our authors, reviewers and editorial decision makers by sub-discipline 鈥� and publish this annually. We call on other publishers to do the same.
2 Reflect our research community
Recruit and train reviewers, editorial board members and associate editors to reflect the current gender balance of our research community: the target is 36% women by 2022.
3 Empower and innovate
Provide new training and resources to empower our editors to eliminate bias. We will test new models throughout the publishing profile to address bias: from submission to publication.
4 Encourage intervention
Partner with others and lead the development of a new Inclusion & Diversity Framework for Action to set the standard for driving change within the academic publishing industry.
Help us share the report
You can find a range of ready-made digital items to download and use on different platforms.
Help us share the report
#ChemEquality
Read the Chemical Science paper
This report is based on a peer-reviewed Chemical Science :
Is there a gender gap in chemical sciences scholarly communication? Day A E, Corbett P, Boyle J (2020) Chemical Science 2041-6520 doi: 10.1039/C9SC04090K
Related pages
- See all of our inclusion and diversity surveys and reports
- Read our inclusion and diversity strategy
- Use our resources to promote inclusion and diversity
- See relevant events and activities
- Sign up for Broadening Horizons - our pilot to support chemistry students and graduates from minoritised racial and ethnic backgrounds to pursue careers in chemistry
- Access our bullying and harassment support
- See our other inclusion and diversity work