The IOMC was established in 1995 by a Memorandum of Understanding among ILO, FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, OECD and WHO following recommendations made by the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro and in particular its Chapter 19, Agenda 21. UNITAR joined IOMC in 1997, the World Bank in 2010 and UNDP in 2012.
An Inter-Organization Coordinating Committee (IOCC) composed of representatives of the Participating Organizations coordinates relevant activities. Planning, programming, implementation and monitoring of activities undertaken jointly or individually by the Participating Organizations is carried out by IOCC. This ensures full consultation among all those involved, with the aim to ensure effective implementation without duplication.