With the amendment of Sabah Biodiversity Enactment 2000 in 2023, the functions and powers of the Director are as follows: 

1. to manage the Biodiversity Centre; 
2. to deal with all the applications for access to biological resources and the sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of the biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources; 
3. to approve, after consultation with the Council, and issue access licence and export licence; 
4. to maintain a record of all access applications and decisions relating to such application, including the licence issued; 
5. to regulate the access to the biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources of the State including the removal of any biodiversity from the State; 
6. to identify the priorities for research on biodiversity to enhance undertaking, conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity and biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources, including ethnobotany, taxanomy and traditional uses; 
7. to coordinate local, state and national activities relating to conservation, research and sustainable use of biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources and biodiversity; 
8. to coordinate preparations for regional and international activities relating to the conservation, research and sustainable use of biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources and biodiversity; 
9. to formulate programmes for systematic surveys of biodiversity and the collection and analysis of the data thereto; 
10. to plan and initiate programmes for the utilization, conservation, protection and sustainable development of biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources; 
11. to establish or caused to be established a system for the protection of biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources so that the native and local communities shall, at all times and in perpetuity, be the legitimate creators, users and custodian of such knowledge, and shall collectively benefit from the use of such knowledge; 
12. to establish linkages with other institution of bodies, within or outside the State, with a view to enhancing the management, protection, preservation, research and utilization of the biodiversity or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources of the native and local community of the State; 
13. to create awareness and to provide training, education and information relating to access and benefit sharing in relation to a biological resources or traditional knowledge associated with biological resources; 
14. to support customary laws and practices of native and local communities, and the development of community protocols and procedures by the native and local communities, as the case may be; 
15. generally to promote education and knowledge of te biodiversity of the State; 
16. to carry on of all activities of which appears to the Director to be necessary, advantages or convenient for or in connection with the performance and exercise of his functions and powers; and 
17. to do such other things as the Director deems fit to enable him to perform and exercise his functions and posers effectively or which are incidental to the performance and exercise of his functions and powers.  

With the amendment of Sabah Biodiversity Enactment 2000 in 2023, the Sabah Biodiversity Centre functions are as follows:

• providing the Government and other institutions approved by the Government with accurate information or data on the status, magnitude, distribution, usage and value of the biodiversity in the State;
• managing and sustaining utilisation of the biodiversity of the State, including determining policies and guidelines for scientific research or experiment related to the access to and use of biological resources or associated relevant knowledge in the State for pharmaceutical, medicinal and other specific purposes;
• carrying such activities in association or collaboration or in joint venture with other bodies or persons including the departments or agencies of the Government or the Federal Government for the improvement and enhancement of conservation and management of biological resources or associated relevant traditional knowledge in the State;
• promoting the identification of new natural and biotechnological products derived from the biodiversity and biological resources or relevant traditional knowledge in the State;
• establishing a database system of all exhibits, published and written records regarding the use, cultivation and management of biological resources or relevant traditional knowledge in the State;
• establishing a network of researchers in institutions of higher learning, research institutes, libraries and documentation centres to assist in building or be part of the system of recording such knowledge; and
• carrying on of all activities of which appears to the Council to be necessary, advantages or convenient for or in connection with the discharge of its duties.