A revision of the ISO 14001 environmental management systems standard is currently being negotiated internationally. The revision process seeks to integrate the practical experience and results gained by the users of the standard. Pertinent reports and case studies are available from many countries outside of the European Union. Within the context of the planned revision, the German experience is now also of interest. To support the development of a German position, the German Environment Ministry (BMU) and Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) initiated the present survey and commissioned the Büro Dr. Glatzner consultancy in Münster to carry it out.