The aim of our research was to undertake a qualitative evaluation of the performance of ISO 14001 in ten Canterbury based organisations. An evaluation framework was developed consisting of twenty-two questions based on the ISO 14001 auditable elements. This framework formed the basis for qualitative interviews with representatives from each organisation. Our research indicates that ISO 14001 is an effective Environmental Management System (EMS) that led to improvements in environmental performance, however not without some limitations.