The purpose of the foundation is the preservation and development of biological diversity and the promotion of its sustainable use, particularly in the case of crop plants, wild plants, and domesticated animals. Preservation is carried out in every conceivable and appropriate manner, for example, in the form of collections, by local communities, through networks, and other predominantly decentralized mechanisms. The foundation pursues its purpose, in particular, through the establishment, maintenance, expansion, and care of living collections and various decentralized mechanisms, through the collection and provision of information of all kinds about the plants and animals being preserved, the promotion of their sustainable use, and the establishment of instruments for their safeguarding as common goods, each without geographical limitation. The foundation works to improve the availability, quality, and diversity of the collections it manages and the networks it supports, particularly through the development, promotion, and application of innovative methods, concepts, and schemes for preservation and sustainable use. The foundation aims to involve potential users in the preservation activities and to generally increase the utilization of the plants and animals being preserved, which can be achieved through project partnerships or other suitable instruments. In doing so, the foundation may, among other things, provide material from the collections to third parties. In addition, the foundation aims to raise public awareness about necessary and desirable measures to achieve sustainable and fair dealing with biological diversity. The foundation pursues its purpose both domestically and abroad, both through its own activities and through the support of other initiatives, organizations, and projects that are in line with the foundation's purpose. The foundation does not pursue a commercial purpose and does not seek profit.