The National Archives and the archives sector will work together to:
1. Develop, support and implement professional standards and guidance to meet the changing needs of collections, the archives workforce and users. Through appropriate support to the sector, increase awareness of and ensure compliance with relevant archives legislation.
2. Enable archivists to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to collect and manage records, including cataloguing, preservation, interpretation, access, engagement, and financial and risk management.
3. Adopt an evidence-based approach to demonstrating the relevance, value and impact of archives so they become partners of choice. Support archives to use this evidence to influence decision-making and planning at both operational and strategic levels.
4. Secure new sources of funding, support and commercial opportunities for archives, through the use of evidence, effective internal and external advocacy, and partnership working.
5. Remove barriers to access, increase the visibility of archive collections and engage diverse audiences to support democratic accountability and the rights of groups and individuals, nationally and locally.
6. Support sustainable collecting in archives, working more actively with under-represented groups and individuals so that collections are reflective of the rich diversity of society.
7. Champion the role that archives and their collections can play in wider cultural and economic outcomes including placemaking, health and wellbeing and economic growth – cultivating creativity, a thirst for knowledge and strengthening our understanding of identity and belonging.
8. Diversify the archives workforce by opening up entry routes into the profession, such as apprenticeships, and promoting fair and open recruitment.
9. Be innovative, brave and bold, trying out new approaches without fear of failure, learning from mistakes and sharing the lessons learnt for the benefit of the whole sector.
10. Work together to maximise the opportunities for knowledge and skills exchange, to enrich archive practice, to develop partnerships and to advocate more holistically on behalf of the sector.