The Ernesto Illy Foundation concentrates on cultural and scientific projects managed directly, or in partnership with other leading organizations and individuals. It organizes events, conventions, seminars and workshops. The Foundation is also involved in publishing and multimedia activities, and develops global partnerships with universities, institutions and corporations of excellence.

The Foundation is active in ethics, sustainability, scientific research, philanthropy, culture and art, coffee culture and the food and agricultural system, and in honoring and following the practices of Dr. Ernesto Illy.

The Foundation’s 2010 - 2011 programs:

• Masters degree in Coffee Economics and Science
• Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize in collaboration with The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (Twas)
• Computational Toxicology research in collaboration with the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste (Sissa)
• Research, preservation and development project of the original germ plasm of the Ethiopian coffee plant
• Pilot project in Colombia, dedicated to adverse communities, to introduce beekeeping and the production of honey in coffee plantations, as a new source of income and environmental sustainability
• International Coffee Genome Network
• Ethics and Corporate sustainability convention