Start here to reach new milestones in records management

Records management is the vital process of ensuring that documentary evidence produced and used by an organization is created, managed, stored, and disposed of in such a way that it remains authentic, safe, and reliable, and usable now and in the future. Ultimately, good records management helps governments and institutions achieve good governance and deliver high-quality services and results . 

Good records management has always been important, but today’s rapidly changing digital world and the uncertainties brought by the Covid-19 pandemic provide even more reasons to manage records well. The shift to open government initiatives, big data driven businesses, cloud services, protection of personal data privacy, and the frequency with which information security, transparency and corporate responsibility issues are reported confirm that managing records is now more crucial than ever. With this in mind, the World Bank Group launched the Records Management Roadmap as a practical toolkit to help governments and public-sector organizations design effective records management programs.

The Journey to Successful Records Management – And Why it Matters

Developed by the WBG Archives, this 8-part toolkit details concrete steps to achieve strategic improvements and significant milestones in records management. Why should you use it? The Records Management Roadmap provides a blueprint for managing records well to reduce costs and reputational risk within organizations , ensure transparency and accountability, and achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness. Specifically, with this toolkit organizations will be able to:

• assess the strengths, gaps, and weaknesses in their current records management practices; 
• set targets for change and improvement;
• plan strategic actions to enhance operations; 
• identify best-practice resources, and
• achieve continuous improvements over time.

The Roadmap also offers a checklist for tracking progress throughout the journey to better records management. This is key to provide autonomy and ownership so each organization can choose its own priorities and choose the path that best fits its context and needs. There is no “one-size fits all” model. Rather, the Records Management Roadmap intends to help organizations find their own way, guided by key records management principles and practices.  

Start Here: Visit the Roadmap Website

How to Use the WBG Archives Roadmap

For some organizations, the Records Management Roadmap can help determine the required personnel and skills, financial, and technical resources required to implement a solid records management program. For others, it can guide the process of selecting the right technologies for records management. Other organizations might find helpful guidelines on how to protect personal, private, and sensitive information. In the context of the current COVID-19 crisis, the toolkit can help organizations in their efforts to preserve digital and analog records so that they can be available as institutional evidence in the long-term.  

Regardless of each organization’s specifics needs or starting point, this toolkit offers tangible guidance on how to properly capture, manage, store, preserve, and share records for compliance purposes and to enhance effectiveness and efficiency within institutions.

Protecting Institutional Legacies

June 25, 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the day the World Bank first opened for business. The WBG Archives cares for rich and valuable holdings that are the records of the institution dating back to 1946. We make these holdings available to the public as part of the Bank’s Open Access policy and create historical knowledge products that illuminate the lessons of the past for the benefit of today’s development community. The holdings, services and products of the WBG Archives are possible thanks to a strong records management program within the World Bank Group, which has grown and evolved over time to include born-digital records and requirements for the technical systems that hold these records.  

We honor our development legacy by striving to capture, protect and preserve our institution’s documentary evidence over time. We are committed to good records management practices that ensure our treasure trove of information remains open, reliable, and relevant to our staff, our stakeholders and the public. Join us in this journey! Visit the Records Management Roadmap website today and reach new milestones in records management. 

Share your questions and feedback with us: our team is here to help!

Watch the 50-second video and view the quick guide for more information.