This is the second of four posts on the DEI-focused sessions at the 43rd Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) Annual Meeting earlier this year. Each includes a session summary from one of the panelists, as well as reflections and responses from members of our community. Reflections that cover more than one session have been broken up and included with the relevant post.  Each of the four posts will cover the sessions sequentially:

1. Fighting Racial Inequity in the Publishing Industry, with a summary by Cason Lynley (who introduced Dr. Williams) and reflections by Miranda Walker, Steven D. Smith, George Neame, and Dana Compton
   
2. The Glass Ceiling You Don’t Know About Yet, with a summary by Simon Holt and reflections by Hannah Vinchur, Georgie Field, Nicola Poser, Damita Snow, and George Neame
3. Accelerating DEI: Have the Data? Use the Data!, with a summary by Susan Spilka that includes results from the Vital Signs survey and poll conducted before and at the conference by TBI Communications, as well as reflections by Nicola Poser and Michelle Urberg
4. Retrogressing Research and Limiting Diversity, with a summary by Steph Pollock, and reflections by Sneha K. Rhode, Susan J. Harris, Timothy McAdoo, and Jiayn Wang

To keep the conversation going on these important topics, we invite you to add your thoughts to the comment thread.

The Glass Ceiling You Don’t Know About Yet

Session Summary

Simon Holt, Senior Publisher, Elsevier

My main takeaways from this session were:

• People with disabilities and long-term health conditions make up a substantial proportion of the workforce (approximately 15% of the working age population, according to the UN.) With 80% of disabilities not visible, it’s likely we all have worked with somebody with a disability without even knowing it
• There is no one ‘magic bullet’ that will make workplaces instantly disability-inclusive. A cultural shift has to evolve gradually, one conversation at a time — a good way to drive change is to ask people what they need
• The language we use every day is important — it can either actively include or accidentally exclude. It’s important to be clear about job requirements and avoid euphemisms in recruitment communications, so candidates can decide for themselves whether a role is right for them

Two recent Scholarly Kitchen posts provide more insights by the session’s speakers on disability inclusion in the publishing industry:

• Some Perspectives on Disability Disclosure in the Publishing Industry
• Job Hunting with an “Invisible” Disability: A Conversation

Community Reflections

Georgie Field, Associate Publisher, PLOS

My takeaway is that every individual has agency to impact disability equity and inclusion. This is particularly important for early career individuals and new managers, as advocating for themselves and others can be challenging. Individuals need to feel confident enough to come forward and say, ‘I need more from my organization’ or ‘we don’t have this right yet’, as those conversations and inquiries are what drives change. Acknowledging that everyone, at every organizational level, can effect change is an important first step, empowering people to step up to challenge inequitable systems and structures.

At PLOS, we are approaching DEI in two strands, via the culture we create within the organization, and by building out more equitable participation in scholarly publishing. There is much to learn and improve, but empowering each and every individual to join the conversation is a critical first step.

Nicola Poser, Director, Marketing & Sales, American Mathematical Society

Two questions [from this session] stood out to me: Do our online submission/reviewing/editing systems pose unnecessary hurdles to authors and reviewers? Does a culture of rigid work hours and “presenteeism” pose challenges to colleagues with health issues or caregiving responsibilities?

Damita Snow, Senior Manager, Publishing Technologies, American Society of Civil Engineers

There are many takeaways from this session that I can use immediately. For me, one of the most valuable points made was that you don’t determine your role as an ally. Ask how you can help and, if your help is needed, you will be told what you can do. An excellent newsletter, Better Allies, is very helpful to anyone looking for “everyday actions to create inclusive, engaging workplaces.” It is sent out weekly and you can download tips on how to support people from the global majority, examples of how to write image descriptions to inform people with vision difficulties, and more.

I found it so interesting that 50% of staff are dyslexic at NASA, an organization that.values the “superb problem-solving skills and excellent 3D and spatial awareness” that frequently accompany dyslexia. Hopefully other organizations will follow NASA’s lead. Interesting stuff! And a good reminder that we all have different abilities and ways of solving problems. There is more than one way to get to a desired result. All of the speakers provided helpful advice on how to understand and manage disabilities in the workplace. Because individual conditions and experiences vary, what may work for one person, may not work for others. Ask if you aren’t sure. Always ask!

After the session, I joined Publishing Enabled. While I may not encounter some of the issues that people with particular disabilities face, I wish to learn and to understand.

Hannah Vinchur, Editorial Associate, AAAS

Build on what already exists: An encouraging takeaway from this session is the idea that we can build on the already great work happening in other sections of DEI. In this way, we aren’t, as Simon said, “re-invent[ing] the wheel.” We are adjusting existing structures to work best for different needs. This provides a starting point and lead-in to further change.

Accidental vs. Actual Accessibility: I also found the discussion of accidental vs. actual accessibility enlightening. A good example is working from home, which offers flexibility and accommodations for people with mobility and other challenges. Because WFH is largely a pandemic work-around, rather than a deliberate act of accessibility, organizations need to make sure they are creating accessibility for the long-term, not relying on temporary by-products.

George Neame, Publishing Executive, BMJ

Simon Holt’s presentation on workplace barriers for people with disabilities highlighted that some employers only start to discuss the use of special equipment for people with disabilities once the employee has started the role, leaving a period of time in which they can’t begin work. It is not enough simply to have the technology to hand when requested, or to be able to prove that you can accommodate someone’s needs; what is instead required is a proactive discussion about the employee’s needs and to prepare to facilitate those in advance, in a process that’s distinct from the recruitment process. Action rather than reaction.