The ISO 14000 certification standard is a relatively new development. Based on the highly successful 1S0 9000 certification standard in quality, 1S0 14000 is oriented towards environmental performance. Since its release, the IS0 14000 standard has generated a great deal of discussion. Its rate of acceptance has not mirrored the rate previously observed for the 1S0 9000 standards. In the United States, some fm have announced that they have no interest in being ISO 14000 certified, while others have committed themselves to this standard, To resolve the apparent paradox, this paper attempts to identify the determinants of 1S0 14000 adoption, and why those determinants are important. Based on a survey sample consisting of some 1500 respondents, the paper also presents some initial findings.