Historically known as the Taxonomic Databases Working Group, today's Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) is a not-for-profit, scientific and educational association formed to establish international collaboration among the creators, managers and users of biodiversity information and to promote the wider and more effective dissemination and sharing of knowledge about the world's heritage of biological organisms.
To achieve its goals, TDWG: i) develops, ratifies and promotes standards and guidelines for the recording and exchange of data about organisms;
ii) acts as a forum for discussing all aspects of biodiversity information management through meetings, online discussions, and publications.