The mission of the ISSC was to advance the social sciences – their quality, novelty, and utility – in all parts of the world: The activities of the council were guided by the principles of academic freedom, the pursuit of excellence, equitable access to scientific information and data, unfettered conduct of science, open communication and transparency, accountability, and the use of knowledge for societal value.
Besides, the Council sought to support the participation of women, minorities, and other under-represented groups in social science research.
The council was advised and guided by individuals from around the world who volunteered their time to serve on various ISSC Committees and Working Groups.
The ISSC produced the World Social Science Report every three years, as part of its strategic partnership with UNESCO.
These events gathered researchers, funders, policymakers, and other stakeholders to debate topics of global significance and to determine future priorities for international social science.
The ISSC co-sponsored several international research programmes and networks around various themes, such as the environment, disaster risk, poverty, and gender.