The CESSDA SaW Capability Development Model (CESSDA-CDM) is a structured collection of elements that identify and describe the characteristics of effective preservation processes and activities. Building on established frameworks for trustworthy data preservation and the CESSDA community’s prior experiences, the model provides both a starting point for emerging preservation initiatives and a reference tool for established archives that wants to strengthen their services. It is a model that can be used to appraise and/or improve the capability of a service provider to perform and to provide services. The CESSDA-CDM aims to provide a structured view of processes across an organisation (service provider or research infrastructure); it can be used to set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes and activities, and provide a benchmark for assessing and appraising current practices.