The 14000 series comprises a set of international environmental standards that enable environmental certification for organizations that implement the Environmental Management System (EMS). The study identified, through a systematic literature review, the advantages obtained with the ISO 14000 standardization, as well as the motivators and the barriers involved in implementation process. As main advantages, the improvement of organization's image, the reduction of waste and pollutants and, consequently, the accomplishment of environmental standards and regulations can be cited. These aspects were also motivators for the acquirement of the series by the companies. However, the most mentioned barrier was the high cost involved in maintenance and implementation of the EMS. The results obtained allowed the proposal of many hypothesis for future research, mainly as guide to legislative professionals and industry managers, getting practical and academic research closer.