The Culture of Care Award recognises an individual or group who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting and implementing a strong Culture of Care within a research institution that uses animals.

The award honours initiatives that go beyond legal requirements, fostering a positive and responsible research environment that benefits animals, staff and society. This may include efforts to improve animal welfare practices, strengthen communication and transparency, support staff wellbeing, or introduce innovative approaches to care and responsibility.

The award is endowed with a cash prize of CHF 3’000.–, a trophy, and the opportunity to present the initiative at a dedicated Culture of Care event in Switzerland. The awardee will also be featured in a special communication (previous year’s communications have included interviews with the winners and a comic strip about the project) prepared by the Swiss 3RCC.

Applications and nominations are evaluated by internal experts, based on their impact on areas such as animal welfare, scientific quality, transparency and communication, care of staff, or innovation. Both individual and collaborative initiatives are eligible.