Table 3.

Implementation structures: Indicators of good practice.

Recruitment	The recruitment process for staff working with animals involves an assessment of an individual’s attitudes to animals and animal care and welfare as well as technical skills and knowledge.
Induction	The company’s approach to the use of animals in research is addressed in all staff inductions. New starters are closely mentored or buddied to provide support and to provide an ongoing assessment of their attitudes to animal care. Staff beginning work in the animal facility are introduced to the Culture of Care vision and the expected conduct in that environment is outlined.
Roles, responsibilities and accountability	Roles and responsibilities are clear and visible to all those involved in animal research within the establishment. For example, posters or organograms on display outlining the members of AWB, management of the animal care and use programme and named people. Senior leaders are role models for oversight and Culture of Care. All staff are supported by their team and others to take personal accountability for their work, including when things do not go as planned.
Empowerment	Staff are empowered for the level of responsibility as defined in their job descriptions. There is a clear understanding of which decisions would require more senior input.
Local standards	The establishment has developed its own vision of a Culture of Care involving staff. As such this is visibly demonstrated through local standards, for example including the vision in the induction for new staff and through other standards that demonstrate care and commitment, for example euthanasia policy, enrichment, rehoming and staff compassion.
Training and assessment of competence	The establishment has developed training methods that assess knowledge, skills and behaviours allowing elements of attitude towards animal care and 3Rs to be assessed. For example, assessors can observe how animals are handled during the assessment and ask staff how they consider the 3Rs in the procedure they are performing. Initial training plans and reassessment timeframes are defined in local policy. This assessment process is clear to staff and is used for all new training and reassessment. Records of training and reassessment are kept by individual staff and the establishment has a centralized overview.
CPD	All staff working with animals are expected to take part in CPD and have time built into their work schedules for CPD. CPD may be broad, for example encompassing science, technology, welfare and wellbeing. CPD records are kept and there is oversight by local management. The establishment actively provides resources (e.g. literature reviews, webinars, invited speakers, local poster events) for CPD.
Shared goals	Managers work across teams to promote that the scientific and animal technical/care teams to have some shared goals. These might relate to advancing new technology or 3R initiatives and help build an integrated in vivo community.
Learning and continuous improvement culture	The organization has a learning culture and processes that support open reporting of near misses and incidents as well as reporting positive observations. Mechanisms for sharing good practice and learnings across different parts of the organizations are established. Issues are shared widely to avoid repetition in other areas and to maximize benefits for animal and staff welfare.
Mechanisms for raising concerns	Staff are supported to raise concerns openly in the spirit of learning, continuous improvement and no blame culture. The establishment has independent and confidential mechanisms for raising concerns. All staff are made aware of how to access this. Staff are made aware that anyone who reports concerns in good faith will be supported by management and will not be subject to retaliation. Staff feel comfortable enough to raise concerns.
Processes for recognizing good practice	The establishment has a structured or formal process for recognizing, acknowledging and rewarding good practice and supporting openness, for example recognition and reward is a standing agenda item for every AWB meeting. Departments using animals have mechanisms for recognition and appropriate rewards. All staff are made aware of how to recognize colleagues and nominate them for awards.
Disseminating good practice	The establishment has mechanisms for ensuring local good practice (e.g. refinement of procedures) is evaluated, disseminated and shared, for example encouraging and supporting visits to other sites, presentations at local events, posters and presentations at conferences, and publications.

AWB: animal welfare board; 3Rs: Replacement, Reduction, Refinement; CPD: continuous professional development.