Várda's role is to promote and create a platform for research in the field of the labor market, social and economic issues based on an agreement between the People's Confederation of Iceland and BSRB. Within this framework, Varða conducts surveys for individual member organizations within both ASÍ and BSRB and, as the case may be, for  other organizations, but also larger surveys at the level of the trade union movement. From the data collected during the surveys, reports are prepared that aim to improve the knowledge of the labor market and people's living conditions in a broad context. Academic articles are also written and published in scientific journals. The results of the surveys carried out on behalf of the trade union movement as a whole are published on Värda's website,www.rannvinn.is. In cases where Varða conducts surveys for individual member associations, it delivers a completed report to the relevant party, but never access to the data that has been collected. When processing data, whether for reports or academic articles, it is ensured, with the utmost care, that all personal information that could be traced to individuals is removed. Varða does not collect names or social security numbers. Member associations ASÍ and BSRB send out surveys on behalf of Várda, but do not hand over information about their members to the organization. Varða only stores the email addresses and telephone numbers of the persons who give the organization special permission to send surveys directly to them. Email addresses and telephone numbers of respondents and the answers to the surveys are never saved in the same place.