GIG-02 was originally founded to represent the interests, needs and concerns of Senior Crystallographers, to help preserve the history of crystallography, and to play a part in teaching. More recently it has collaborated with GIG-01 (Young Crystallographers) and GIG-03 (Education in Crystallography) to develop themes of shared interest. These include in particular the promotion of general interest microsymposia and keynote lectures at European Crystallographic Meetings. During 2024 and 2025 the three GIGs have worked together to set up and pilot a mentoring scheme for ECA members, launched at a lunchtime webinar in May 2025 and at ECM35 in Poznan, Poland.
GIG-02 welcomes as members all European crystallographers who have reached retired status but who wish to maintain contact with others, participate in ECA activities, and/or contribute to the mentoring scheme GEMS and other initiatives of the ECA General Interest Groups.