TSL commits to national concordat supporting researchers

The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) has become the latest signatory of the Researcher Development Concordat.

The concordat is organised by Vitae a non-profit programme supporting the professional development of researchers, and the Researchers Development Concordat provides a mechanism for organisations to pledge to improve the employment and support for researchers and researcher careers in the UK.

Executive Director, Professor Nick Talbot FRS said: “We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive research culture at TSL. We strive to provide a working environment that respects the dignity and rights of all our staff and students and where individuals are provided with the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

In signing the concordat, we commit to a set of responsibilities which include:

• Identifying a senior champion and associated group to review participation annually and report on progress
• Setting up a process for gathering the views of researchers
• Producing a publicly-available annual report that reports on strategic objectives

Signatories are encouraged to provide more security of employment for researchers such as reducing the use of fixed and short-term contracts, and gathering and publishing data on the career destinations of researchers.

Any organisation with an interest in the career development of researchers may become a signatory to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.