Overview
Public Library of Science (PLOS) is a non-profit open access scientific publisher founded in 2000 and launching its first journal in 2003. It was created by scientists to transform research communication by making scientific literature freely accessible and reusable worldwide. PLOS promotes open science principles to broaden access to research outputs and accelerate knowledge sharing.
Mission and focus areas
PLOS’s mission is to drive open science and open access in research publishing, policy and practice. It aims to remove barriers to access and reuse of scientific findings by publishing content under open-content licences that allow unrestricted online availability. Although not specifically focused on sustainable finance or ESG, its commitment to transparent and open dissemination supports accessibility of research across all disciplines, including environmental, health and interdisciplinary fields. PLOS also works with institutions and funders to explore equitable models of open access publishing.
Structure and governance
PLOS operates as an independent non-profit organisation headquartered in San Francisco with additional offices internationally. It is governed through a formal leadership structure that includes an executive team and editorial boards for its journals. The organisation collaborates with academic editors, professional boards, member institutions and external partners to support its strategic mission. Membership in scholarly associations reflects its integration in the global open access community.
Programs and offerings
PLOS publishes a portfolio of peer-reviewed open access journals covering scientific research in areas such as biology, medicine and genetics. Titles include PLOS ONE, PLOS Biology and PLOS Medicine, all freely accessible online and indexed in major directories. Beyond journals, PLOS offers resources and guidance on open science practices, institutional partnerships to support open access publishing, and initiatives to address affordability and recognition in the research ecosystem. Its outputs are widely used by researchers, educators and practitioners seeking accessible, high-quality scientific literature.
PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice.
Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.
