This project is sponsored by the Danish Agency for Trade and Industry and was completed in March 2001. It portrays eight small- and medium-sized Danish companies, which have gained considerable financial and environmental results from their environmental management systems. Each portrait describes the factors, which have contributed to the good results obtained by the individual companies. The main factors in focus are the initiation, organisation, systems and further development of the environmental work.

The aim of the eight portraits is to illustrate that environmental initiatives do not only involve expenses, but are likely to result in financial savings and enhanced competitiveness as well. Moreover, it is the intention that the experiences gained by the various companies will inspire other small- and medium-sized companies to engage in environmental management in order to enhance their financial performance.

The outcome of the project is a report, which is divided into three parts:

1. An introduction, which briefly describes the aim of the project as well as explains
the structure and contents of the eight cases
2. The eight cases
3. A conclusion, which provides the reader with an overview of the main factors
contributing to the good financial and environmental results of the eight companies.

The project has been undertaken by:

Peter Neergaard, Professor - e-mail: pn.om@cbs.dk; tel. +45 3815 2404
Mette Andersen, PhD student - e-mail: man.om@cbs.dk; tel. +45 3815 2416