How does aluminium foil or esd foam protect ICs from esd damage when stored
The problem solved by the conducting foam is that if there is a "discharge" from the foam to earth, then the voltage between the pins of the IC remain pretty low with respect to each other. It's a differential voltage across chip pins that causes damage.

When you grab the IC, grab the foam first so that you become equalized in potential to all the pins on the IC then, when you want to place the IC onto a PCB (or breadboard) you touch the PCB to equalize you and the chip (in your other hand) to the PCB.