The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) is a global network of well-managed collections of genomic tissue samples from across the Tree of Life, benefiting society through biodiversity research, and long-term conservation of the archived materials. This network will foster collaborations among biodiversity biobanks in order to ensure quality standards, improve best practices, secure interoperability, and harmonize exchange of material in accordance with national laws and best practices. Consistent with Article 20 in the Nagoya Protocol, GGBN has developed and adopted these Best Practices for Access and Benefit-Sharing. They complement two other guidance documents, the GGBN Code of Conduct and a Statement of Use of Genomic Material to provide clarity on how GGBN members use and treat samples of genomic material. The principles and practices stated in these three guidance documents are designed to support fully GGBN members’ operations as biodiversity biobanks, providing genome-quality samples from across the Tree of Life for research, and training, thereby contributing to the conservation of global genetic diversity for generations to come. The guidance documents (i) outline governing principles under which collections are managed and collection-based research conducted in GGBN member institutions (the Code of Conduct); (ii) provide details of best practices to implement those principles; (iii) explain to both providers and users how specimens are used by GGBN institutions. Together, this information provides a clear basis for participants to have clarity and transparency in the permitting, research, and maintenance of the collected materials consistent with the national obligations of Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) with Providing Countries.