CLAD is a scientific and technical association whose object is the promotion and coordination of research and the use of classification and data analysis, assuming itself as the privileged national forum for consultation and mutual assistance in these matters; organization, management and provision of services and products related to the corporate purpose, namely in terms of publications, seminars, applications and national and international meetings; representation of users before national, community and international bodies.

In March 1995 CLAD was accepted as a member of the International Federation of Classification Societies (IFCS).

CLAD has signed Cooperation Protocols with:

– The Société Francophone de Classification (SFC), in 1994;
– The Brazilian Association of Statistics (ABE), in 1995;
– The Gesellschaft fur Klassifikation (GfKl), in 1996;
– The Portuguese Statistical Society (SPE), in 2007;
– The Portuguese Demographic Association (APD), in 2015;
and is one of the European Associations that sponsors the ECAS Program (European Courses in Advanced Statistics).