The PIC is an initiative of the International Council of Science (ICSU) led by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA). PIC is also sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); the International Arctic Science Council, IASC; the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research, SCAR; the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, IUGG and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Science.

The PIC grows out of the International Polar Year (IPY), and involves all members of the IPY Data and Information Service and the Standing Committee for Antarctic Data Management.

The PIC also contributes to the development of the new ICSU World Data System and engages with national and world data centres across disciplines.

Ultimately the PIC is the scientists who collect polar data; the archives that preserve data; and the community who use, repurpose and share data.