Topics such as data storage, curation, preservation and access remain critical for all data services providers in the short and the long-term. Although not all organisations have the above mentioned functions, they are common factors in business information management that support both efficient service delivery and the use of that information as ‘evidence’ of systemic practice and successful outcomes. Using a step-by-step approach, the authors aim to help a wider range of organisations with collecting the supporting evidence for compliance with various standards, assessment and certification approaches. To implement the policy-evidence planning framework, the authors also offer a checklist designed to support its implementation. The checklist covers both generic and preservation policy specific elements which are relevant to data repositories and other digital preservation services.

This checklist builds on an earlier developed worksheet (https://zenodo.org/record/4541415#.YZ-vlC1Q1QI) to support selected repositories in the FAIRsFAIR repository support programme in getting CoreTrustSeal certification. This checklist is not endorsed by the CoreTrustSeal Board and will not guarantee certification.