Describes how the network concept could be used as a development method and to overcome some of the barriers for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to initiate and work with sustainable development questions. The study has been done in close co-operation with managers and employees from small enterprises, where the ISO 14001 work has been initiated and supported through the network, using each other and the network as an arena for joint reflection, support, and as a resource pool. The result from this study indicates that a university-driven learning network makes a difference in the development work of SMEs – as a source for inspiration, in initiating and working with development projects, for reflection, and as a sounding board, and through its effectiveness in acting as a large organisation.

Over the last few years major attempts have been made to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their environmental performance. How to handle environmental questions has become a strategic issue as well as important from a competitive perspective. Small enterprises are an important sector of a nation's economy and in spite of their dominance most small enterprises have little knowledge and interest in environmental issues and have difficulties when it comes to integrate environmental work within their activities. The propose with this paper is to study the driving forces and barriers during the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in small enterprises and how a network approach can be used to bridge the gap between the Managing Director (MD) and the Environmental Manager (EM) in order to facilitate the implementation process. The data for the study was collected through fourteen deep interviews with the MD and the EM in seven small enterprises engaged in a network.