This paper aims to analyse companies' environmental strategies for a sustainable environment, considering a sample of potential polluting companies' in Portugal. Thus, a statistical model, using multivariate methods, with a confidence level of lambda = 95%, shows that the mean value for the sustainable environmental strategies under analysis is moderate (x(m) = 3.1) in a Likert scale from 1: strategy never implemented to 5, strategy always implemented. However, companies often have environmental innovation programs (x(m) = 3.7) for reducing air/water/soil pollution. The data analysis reveals that the sustainability concept is dynamic and varies according to companies' characteristics such as activity, size, location and head office nationality. It is also possible to aggregate companies' in five groups that implement differently the sustainability concept. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.