In order to have comprehensive information regarding the composition and character of soils, innumerable studies and measuring data are required. This is why the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources collaborates with numerous institutions at home and abroad. On a national level, these institutions are, besides the 16 state geological services and the bodies run by them together with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, government authorities in particular. The Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) is assigned a special role with regard to the implementation of soil conservation measures. Further cooperation partners are universities and research institutions funded by the federal government as well as regional ones.

On a European level, there are close contacts to the joint research centre set up by the EU the European Soil Bureau Network in Ispra, Italy, and to the EuroGeoSurveys in Brussels, Belgium. This body coordinates the national geological organisations of Europe.

There are also further links to the German Society of Soil Science (Deutsche Bodenkundliche Gesellschaft), the International Union of Soil Sciences as well as the German Federal Soil Association (Bundesverband Boden).

National collaboration:

Ad-hoc-AG Boden as a consortium of the Bund/Länder-Ausschuss Bodenforschung (BLA-GEO)

German Society of Soil Science (DBG)

Bundesverband Boden (BVB)

Federal Environmental Agency

International collaboration:

European Soil Bureau Network (ESBN)

EuroGeoSurveys

International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)