UAR is delighted to announce twelve new Leaders in Openness.
This May we celebrate eight years since the launch of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research in the UK, a voluntary code of practice that commits signatory organisations to enhance their animal research communications. Each year we see Concordat signatories develop new projects and communication methods to explain how they conduct, fund, or support animal research. While every Concordat signatory is on their own openness journey, there are those who drive openness forward and act as models for other organisations. These are the organisations that are regarded as Leaders in Openness.
Leaders in Openness are Concordat signatories who commit considerable resources and energy to following best practice, embedding openness within their organisations, and making the aims of the Concordat a reality. These organisations are essential to moving conversations about the use of animals in research forward and embedding change in the bioscience sector. In recognising the achievement of these organisations, we hope to share their practices more widely, with the aim of supporting similar organisations on their own openness journeys.
The twelve Leaders announced today were all originally granted Leader in Openness status in 2019. This year they were required to reapply for the status and submit evidence to show how their communication activities were still sector-leading in 2022. All the applications were assessed by members of the public and we are delighted that all twelve signatories were still found to be leading.
The 12 new Leaders in Openness for 2022 – 2025 are:
- Agenda Life Sciences
- The Babraham Institute
- The Francis Crick Institute
- Imperial College London
- The Institute of Cancer Research
- Newcastle University
- The Pirbright Institute
- Royal Veterinary College
- University of Bath
- University of Cambridge
- University of Leicester
- University of Manchester
The Universities of Edinburgh and Reading are also current Leaders in Openness, having been awarded the standard in 2020 and 2021 respectively.