What motivates European firms to adopt environmental management systems?

The growing world concern about the impact of industrial activities on the environment has motivated companies to adopt Environmental Management Systems (EMSs). Despite this trend, very little has been written about the variables associated with the implementation of this type of management tool. This article describes the individual, strategic and organizational variables that a sample of European firms use to determine whether to adopt these EMS. It also discusses the most frequently used environmental standards, the outside influences that motivate directors to implement them and the personal perceptions that play a key role in determining whether the standards will be adopted.