CoreTrustSeal offers to any interested data repository a core level certification based on the Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements.  This universal catalogue of requirements reflects the core characteristics of trustworthy data repositories.

The CoreTrustSeal Data Repository Application Management Tool is available to support applications.

CoreTrustSeal is an international, community based, non-governmental, and non-profit organization promoting sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructures. To manage its finances, CoreTrustSeal is a legal entity under Dutch law (CoreTrustSeal Foundation Statutes and CoreTrustSeal Foundation Rules of Procedure) governed by a Standards and Certification Board composed of 12 elected members representing the Assembly of Reviewers.

CoreTrustSeal is currently supported by a distributed Secretariat with in-kind contributions. An Advisory Committee will be also appointed to assist the CoreTrustSeal Board fulfil its mission, and to provide a link with CoreTrustSeal stakeholders and the wider data community including other certification standards.

Driven by the commitments to offer professional certification tools and services to data repositories and to support volunteer qualified reviewers conduct audits in optimum conditions, CoreTrustSeal is developing a sustainable business model. As an initial step a modest fee to cover administrative costs will be charged as of January 2018.

The CoreTrustSeal certification is envisioned as the first step in a global framework for repository certification which includes the extended level certification (nestor-Seal DIN 31644) and the formal level certification (ISO 16363). Ultimately, CoreTrustSeal will also endeavour to provide core level certification for other research entities such as data services and software.