The Open Archival Information System (OAIS) standard (ISO 14721) has provided a reference model for digital repositories, including core interactions with data producers and data users, since 2002. ISO 14721 indicated the need for audit and certification for archives.

ISO 16363 for the Audit and Certification of Trustworthy Digital Repositories grew out of the Trusted Digital Repositories and Audit Checklist (TRAC) and is supported by ISO 16919 (Requirements for Bodies providing Audit and Certification) and managed by the Primary Trustworthy Digital Repository Authorisation Body (ISO-PTAB).

ISO 16363 notes that "claims of trustworthiness are easy to make but are thus far difficult to justify or objectively prove."

The UK Data Archive participated in a test audit to support the finalisation of the standard during 2011 as part its contribution to the Alliance for Permanent Access to the Records of Science Network (APARSEN) project.

Behind the acronyms and the numbers we find a standard which follows on from the OAIS reference model for archives, divided into three key sections: Organisational Infrastructure, Digital Object Management and Infrastructure, and Security Risk Management. Each section provides a number of metrics against which a repository will be evaluated with examples of how a repository can demonstrate it meets the requirement.

Once fully up and running, the PTAB will support repositories in performing a self-assessment against the standard before undergoing a full audit and site visit. As with all ISO standards, the goal is not a simple pass or fail but agreement on a programme of continuous improvement that the repository will be evaluated against over time.