Equality and equity to advance trusted research

Ensuring everyone benefits from scholarship and scientific advancement

STM is commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by reconfirming our commitment to advancing trusted research worldwide that educates, inspires and benefits society.   

STM members are responsible for around two-thirds of the world’s published research output. Our members, together with the stakeholders we support, comprise a global community, one of the shining examples of what happens when all people, regardless of place or politics, have the opportunity to freely pursue knowledge together. STM members are committed to preserving this ideal and advocating for equity and equality.  

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In line with Article 19 and 27 of the Declaration, we play our part to:

Ensure everyone can enjoy the benefits of scientific advancement and its applications

STM members strive to foster trust in research through promoting the dependability, replicability and openness of research findings. 

STM members are committed to ensuring the outcomes of research are communicated with pinpoint accuracy, clarity and integrity.   

STM is committed to promoting publishers’ contributions to make progress on innovation, openness and sharing of knowledge needed to benefit society.  

Respect, protect and advocate for Academic freedom

STM members universally provide outlets where independent academic thought and scholarly discussion are cultivated and thrive. 

STM recognises there are inherent biases and inequities in the research ecosystem that must be addressed by all stakeholders. As publishers, STM members are committed to working collaboratively to close gaps across research and scholarly communication.  

Promote, encourage and foster internationalisation and cooperation across regions and disciplines

As a global organisation, STM is committed to fostering greater collaboration, ensuring that everyone benefits and is recognised for their contribution to the advancement of trusted research. We do this through establishing and promoting standards, sharing best practices and upskilling members across borders and disciplines. 

Our shared diversity, equity and inclusion agenda

Society is changing. We acknowledge that there are challenges and issues that need to be addressed collectively and by each member. STM members are committed to embedding the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and supporting participation from all voices to make the research ecosystem more dynamic.   

STM will lead a DEI agenda across our core committees and through collaborative partnerships.  Each committee will identify gaps and action areas to lead sustained and transformative change within our publishing organisations and indirectly with the researchers, institutions and academic and professional societies that we serve. 

The Latest from STM

Statement on dismissal of Uddin v. Elsevier BV (E.D.N.Y.)

newsroom 02/02/26

On January 30, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed the antitrust lawsuit in Uddin v. Elsevier BV. Following the court’s decision, we are providing the statement below. Statement: We respect the court’s decision, which is consistent with our position throughout. Our focus, and that of our members, remains…

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In the media | The Scholarly Kitchen: “Call for Feedback: STM Task & Finish Group (TFG) Image-type Taxonomy for Alt Text”

*In the media *Social Responsibility *Standards and Technology 01/30/26

“The STM Association Alt Text Task & Finish Group (TFG) is excited to share its draft image-type taxonomy for scholarly images for comment and feedback. This taxonomy is a collaborative effort by members of the STM Association to develop a comprehensive classification system for images in scholarly publishing. In part, it is intended to assist authors…

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Global Reporting Standard for AI Disclosure in Research: first consultation is open

*AI *Announcements *Research Integrity *Standards and Technology 01/27/26

Transparency about the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research articles and other scholarly outputs is an important aspect of research integrity. At present, practices for  how  to disclose AI use vary widely across disciplines, regions, and publication cultures.  To address this issue, STM has released a report “Recommendations for a Classification of AI…

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Making scholarly images more accessible: STM’s Draft Taxonomy now open for feedback

*Announcements *Standards and Technology 01/21/26

The STM Alt Text Task & Finish Group (TFG) has released a draft image-type taxonomy for scholarly images — and we’re inviting your feedback.  This draft is the result of a collaborative effort by STM members to support accessible publishing, with a focus on helping authors and publishers write better image descriptions (alt text). Not only does…

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