Peer review is the backbone of research quality, yet those who perform it receive little recognition. Reviewers are asked to give their time freely, often at short notice, and their contributions rarely count towards hiring or promotion.

We propose three changes. First, institutions should count high-quality reviewing in assessment, using verified records that reviewers can share. Second, journals should offer reviewers the option to publish their reports. Third, funders should support training so that early-career researchers can learn to review well.

None of these measures is costly. Together, they would make peer review more sustainable, more diverse and better.