Beginning in September 2022, the Annals of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery (ALES) adopted the Surgery Journal Editors Group (SJEG) joint statement and pledges to "strive for diversity in the peer review process and among the editorial boards and editorial leaders."
The Annals of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery (ISSN 2518-6973; Ann Laparosc Endosc Surg; ALES; ales.amegroups.com) is an international, open-access, peer-reviewed journal covering research and clinical aspects of minimal access surgery in general surgery, gastro-intestinal surgery, urological surgery, gynecology & obstetrics, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology and head & neck surgery. It aims at promoting the development of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery around the world. The main role of the Journal is to be a professional and comprehensive platform for surgeons around the world to share results of research, diffuse and analyze innovative or traditional surgical techniques, and provide the reader with up-to-date knowledge in the field of laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery, for the ultimate benefit of patients. ALES has been indexed by Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and scopus.
Currently, more than 100 surgical journals have signed on to this living pledge, which can be found on the American College of Surgeons website under the Surgery Journal Editors Group tab (https://www.facs.org/member-services/sjeg).