Journal of Sustainability

Special Issue Guidelines

A Special Issue is a focused collection of peer-reviewed articles centered on a specific topic within the field of sustainability. Each Special Issue is treated as a distinct issue within the volume of the calendar year in which it opens for submissions. Accepted articles are showcased on the Special Issue’s dedicated webpage and simultaneously listed in the “Recent Articles” feed and in the annual archive, alongside all other papers.

Each Special Issue is coordinated by one or more Guest Editors who are recognised experts in the topic. They are responsible for defining the theme, encouraging submissions, and providing academic guidance throughout the review process. The Journal of Sustainability editorial office supports Guest Editors by managing all technical and procedural aspects, including reviewer coordination and workflow oversight, through our Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.

Publishing in a Special Issue can enhance the visibility and reach of your work. Articles benefit from focused promotion, increased readership, and greater connectivity within a specific academic conversation.

How to Submit to a Special Issue

If you are submitting a manuscript in response to a Special Issue call, please follow our standard submission process through Open Journal Systems (OJS). To ensure your submission is correctly routed:

Include the title of the Special Issue in the “Comments to the Editor” field during submission and explicitly state that your manuscript is intended for that Special Issue.

Example:

“This manuscript is submitted for inclusion in the Special Issue titled ‘SI Title’, led by Dr. X and Dr. Y.”

All Special Issue submissions will be reviewed with the same rigour and transparency as regular submissions.

Guest Editor Responsibilities

Guest Editors are responsible for shaping and curating the content of their Special Issue. A dedicated Editorial Board member oversees their work to ensure journal standards are maintained. To also maintain the quality of the Journal of Sustainability’s rigorous editorial process, Guest Editors work alongside the journal’s internal editorial office, which manages most technical and procedural aspects of submission and review through the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.

Guest Editor duties include:

Defining the Special Issue Proposal (Title, Summary, Keywords, etc.)
Promoting the Special Issue and invite potential contributors
Recommending potential contributors and reviewers
Performing the initial editorial screening of submissions for suitability
Recommending final decision after peer review (Accept, Reject, or further revisions required)
Observing the journal’s ethical requirements, including conflict-of-interest management and citation integrity

Guest Editors should aim to secure a minimum of around 10 published articles for their Special Issue. Responsibility for gathering these submissions lies primarily with the Guest Editor, though the Journal of Sustainability will actively support the process by helping promote the Special Issue across its channels.

All procedural steps (assignment in OJS, reviewer management, timeline tracking, and final production) are handled by the editorial assistants under the supervision of the Editorial Office.

For full details, please consult the Journal of Sustainability Editorial Workflow document → Download the Editorial Workflow.

Any submissions to the Special Issue authored by one of the Guest Editors will be handled independently by a member of the Editorial Board.

Proposing a Special Issue

Increase the impact and visibility of your research by guest editing a Special Issue for the Journal of Sustainability. Special Issues bring together high-quality papers on timely and relevant topics, offering authors greater exposure, opportunities to build academic networks, and a rigorous peer-review process.

We welcome proposals from researchers and practitioners working within the field of sustainability. A designated member of the Editorial Board approves Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, ensuring each topic’s relevance and suitability for the journal.

To propose a Special Issue, please include the following information:

Proposed title of the Special Issue
Summary / General information (200–500 words): A clear overview of the theme, background, and significance of the topic
Objective and scope: Describe the aims of the Special Issue, the types of contributions you hope to attract, and the intended impact on the field
Keywords: 5–10 relevant terms
Proposed submission window (typically 6 to 12 months)
Names and contact details of all the Guest Editors: Including full names, institutional affiliations, email addresses, and profile photos (headshots)
(Optional) A brief list of planned contributors or potential authors
(Optional) A draft call for papers and a promotion plan

Please note that all Special Issues follow the same high-quality editorial and peer-review process as our regular submissions.

You can download the Special Issue Proposal Form, and once completed, submit it via the online submission form here.