[1] WFIS was formed in Laubach, Germany, in 1996 by Lawrie Dring, a British Scouter with the independent Baden-Powell Scouts' Association (BPSA).

WFIS requires that member associations "follow, and use, Baden-Powell's original program, traditions, uniforms, morals, ethics, and structure as laid out in Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys," amended only for "health, environmental, first-aid, and safety reasons."

The current president of the WFIS World Council is Klaus Tegeder, who was elected for a five-year term in 2007 and reelected in 2012 and 2017.

[3] The WFIS Worldwide Committee is the chief executive body of the World Federation of Independent Scouts and is composed of elected volunteers.

In addition to World Jamborees, the WFIS also regularly host regional international camps, such as Eurocamp.