The Core Trust Seal, initiated by the World Data System (WDS) of the International Science Council and the Data Seal of Approval (DSA), is an international, community-driven, non-governmental and non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructures.
To achieve Core Trust Seal certification, a data repository must provide evidence that it adheres to good practices and meets specific standards. This process involves conducting an internal self-assessment, which is subsequently reviewed by community peers.
Collecting scientific data requires significant resources, making careful management, curation and archiving essential to preserving its value for future use. Certification ensures that data repositories are dependable and resilient, enabling them to continue sharing data over the long term. This benefits the broader data community, including researchers, repositories and end users, by enhancing the quality and transparency of processes, raising awareness and fostering compliance with established standards.