A research foundation recognized as a public interest organization, the Foundation for Sustainable Development and International Relations (Fondation pour le développement durable et les relations internationales, FONDDRI) was created by the decree of 23 December 2004.
Its work supplements, rather than substitutes, IDDRI's work, and follows on from the association's organization and mobilization activities. Through its work, IDDRI identifies key issues requiring new research. The Foundation was created to contribute to financing this research.
The Foundation was established thanks to the involvement of six companies and one association (see organization chart), which provided roughly half of the current financial resources (2.4 million euros), the other half being provided by the State within the framework of measures aimed at encouraging companies to finance research.

Ad hoc program committees explore research proposals, which must be directly linked to the work carried out by IDDRI. These subjects are then put before the scientific council and validated.

The first proposal deals with the prospects for the long-term evolution of industrial sectors according to different carbon constraint scenarios (see Joint Research Project "Carbon-constrained scenarios: What's at stake for heavy industries?").

Initiatives are also planned on access to basic services, on the links between agriculture and trade, and on the role of standards in global governance.

Given its limited means, the FONDDRI strives to ensure its initiatives and resources are complementary to IDDRI's; it is highly selective in its choice of action and aims to provide a lever effect to mobilize other scientific and financial partners.