The GBIF Secretariat was established to implement decisions taken by the Governing Board.

It comprises the Executive Secretary and such other staff as deemed necessary by the Governing Board. See the GBIF Secretariat staff list.

The Secretariat is accountable through the Executive Secretary to the Governing Board.

Based upon a call for tender from amongst the Voting Participants, the proposal by Denmark was selected by the  Governing Board at GB2 in Bad Honnef, Germany in June 2001 to be the winning tender. The Danish hosting agreement physically locates the GBIF Secretariat at the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen, and the University of Copenhagen serves as the institutional host of the Secretariat.

The country Host Agreement with the Government of Denmark (‘Agreement between the Government of Denmark and the Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility relating to the Location of the Secretariat of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility in Copenhagen’) secures for the Secretariat and its staff immunity and diplomatic privileges similar to United Nations and other international organisations located in Denmark.

As a consequence, the Governing Board has established Staff Rules for the GBIF Secretariat staff, as well as Financial Regulations for the administration of GBIF finances. 

Contact the Secretariat.