WOSM's current stated mission is "to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Scout Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society".

[6][7] WOSM operates through conferences of its member organization representatives, its committee and its full-time bureau, structured into regions.

The World Scout Foundation is a separately governed fund, supported by donations, for the development of WOSM associated programs.

An office was established at 25 Buckingham Palace Road, London and The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom International Commissioner, Hubert S. Martin, was appointed as honorary director.

The bureau's principal task was to co-ordinate discussions and prepare a second international conference in Paris in 1922.

[1] Several member organizations are federations, some with different component groups divided on the basis of religion (e.g., France and Denmark), ethnic identification (e.g., Israel) or language (e.g., Belgium).

Its steering committee, consisting of the chairperson, two vice-chairpersons and its youth advisor and secretary general meet as needed.

The bureau is administered by the secretary general, supported by a staff of technical resource personnel.

[20][31] A bureau was established in London, England in 1922, moved to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1959, Geneva, Switzerland after 1 May 1968[32] and Kuala Lumpur after August 2013.

[37] WOSM's emblem and trademark is a purple circular logo with a white fleur-de-lis in the center with a purple five-point star in each outer lobe, surrounded by a circle of white rope tied with a reef or square knot at the base.

The fleur-de-lis, commonly with a five-point star in each of outer lobe, is a more widely used symbol of the Scout Movement.

The WOSM emblem adds an encircling rope, tied with a knot at the base, which symbolizes the unity and bond of the Scout Movement[citation needed] and uses purple and white colours.

[41][42][43][44] The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) refers to WOSM's emblem as the World Crest.

[citation needed] WOSM's Bronze Wolf Award is given for exceptional services to the international Scout Movement.