ACS Publications commits hybrid journal portfolio to open access Plan S

On April 26, American Chemical Society Publications committed its full portfolio of more than 60 hybrid journals—which offer both open-access and subscription-​only content—to becoming Plan S–aligned transformative journals.

Plan S is the open-access publishing strategy of cOAlition S, an international consortium of research-funding organizations. All scientists who receive grants from Plan S signatories are required to publish their research in a completely open-access journal or, until the end of 2024, in a hybrid journal with transformative journal status. To earn and maintain transformative journal status, publications must achieve an absolute growth in open-access articles of 5% per year, or a relative growth of 15% year on year.

ACS already publishes 12 gold open-access journals, which are all compliant with Plan S requirements. “The transformative journal designation is a further commitment to embrace open access across our publishing activities,” says Sybille Geisenheyner, director of open science strategy and licensing at ACS.