Carbon Trust Launches World's First Carbon Reduction Award Scheme

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24 June 2008
New Carbon Trust Standard created to build consumer trust and reward businesses that make genuine emission reductions


A new campaign has been launched today challenging businesses and the public sector to end so-called ‘greenwash’ by achieving the new “Carbon Trust Standard” certificate – the only way for organisations to prove they are tackling climate change and have made genuine reductions in their carbon emissions.

The Carbon Trust says it wants to inspire businesses across the UK to get involved in taking action on climate change.  Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard will enable organisations to take advantage of the bottom line benefits* that come from reducing carbon emissions. It will also show consumers which brands are truly taking action and help businesses looking at reducing emissions in their supply chains.

The Carbon Trust Standard was developed by the Carbon Trust in response to both growing consumer mistrust of organisations’ green claims and confusion amongst business about what to really do to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.

It is the world’s first carbon award scheme that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and actually make real reductions year-on-year. Unlike other award schemes, it requires organisations to take action themselves rather than paying others to reduce via off-setting – a practice seen as credible by only one in ten consumer respondents in a recent Carbon Trust study.

Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust said:

“Our research shows that not only do consumers currently mistrust business’ climate change claims, but that business thinks existing carbon award schemes are confusing and lack credibility.

“What business and consumers both share is a desire for one, credible way to prove an organisation has not only measured, but actually reduced their carbon emissions year-on-year without the use of offsetting. The Carbon Trust Standard is the only answer to this.

“Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard will enable organisations to take advantage of the bottom line benefits that come from reducing carbon emissions. It will also help brands stand out from the crowd as research shows that consumers and business decision makers will choose an organisation with an award like the Carbon Trust Standard over another of similar price and quality.”

The Carbon Trust Standard was launched with the support of Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden at an event in London today.

Environment Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn MP said:

"We all need to take action to reduce our carbon footprints as we move towards a low carbon economy and the award Defra has been given today by the Carbon Trust recognises the progress the department has made. I'm proud that Defra staff have taken action both inside and outside Government to lead the way and bring about change. 
 
“It's easy to point the finger at others but far more challenging to look at your own behaviour and change it. I am pleased to see that so many organisations want to do that and consider the environmental impact of their businesses."

Deborah Meaden, Dragon’s Den entrepreneur said:

“I passionately believe that success in business and positive action on the environment can go hand in hand and deliver real bottom line benefits. The Carbon Trust Standard is about showing which organisations have really taken practical action on climate change – it cuts through greenwash and celebrates those businesses making genuine reductions in their carbon emissions.

“Tackling environmental issues has to be seen as both a business priority and opportunity and achieving the Carbon Trust Standard is a great way of recognising truly progressive organisations.”

The campaign was also supported by business and environmental groups. 

Neil Bentley, Director of Business Environment, CBI said:

“The Carbon Trust Standard is an excellent way for businesses to demonstrate they are behaving responsibly and reducing their carbon emissions. The CBI is committed to supporting British business in tacking climate change and encourages all organisations to reduce their own emissions and achieve the Carbon Trust Standard.”

John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace said:

“The Carbon Trust Standard marks the difference between organisations that are really reducing their own emissions and those that are greenwashing customers with hollow pledges and no action. Carbon emissions urgently need to be cut and this initiative is a good starting point. But to be truly green, business must go beyond this and significantly de-carbonise their supply chain.”

The Carbon Trust Standard has already attracted interest and support from a number of high profile organisations with 12 pathfinders being awarded the Standard at its launch. The pathfinder organisations have collectively achieved an 8.4% reduction in their carbon emissions over three years, which translates into carbon savings of over 250,000 tonnes of CO2.

Over the coming months the Carbon Trust will continue its work with thousands of businesses of all sizes across the UK to prepare them to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard.

The organisations who have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard to date are:

• Abbey Corrugated
• B&Q
• Crown Prosecution Service
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Department for International Development
• DSM Nutritional Products – Dalry production site Scotland
• King’s College London
• London Fire Brigade
• Morrisons
• Thames Water
• Trinity Mirror
• University of Central Lancashire

 
 
Footnotes
 

Organisations wanting information about getting the Carbon Trust Standard can call: 0800 019 1443 or visit our website http://www.carbontruststandard.com/

* The Carbon Trust has calculated that wasted energy this year from not implementing cost effective energy saving measures will cost business around £2.5bn - equivalent to over 20 million tonnes of CO2

Research was carried out by YouGov in June 2008.  Total sample size of the omnibus survey was 1,968 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd - 5th June.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)

Carbon Trust Standard
The Carbon Trust Standard shows which businesses and organisations are taking real action on climate change and have reduced the own carbon emissions. It is awarded to a whole or part of an organisation that is reducing its emissions year on year.

Carbon Label
In March 2007 the Carbon Trust launched the Carbon Reduction Label which reveals the carbon footprint of the products and services we use and demonstrates a commitment from companies to reduce the carbon footprint of their products. Carbon Reduction Labels allow us to compare the things we buy and use in order to see those that have the lowest impact on climate change.

Together the Carbon Trust Standard and the Carbon Reduction Label let people see which organisations are truly reducing their own emissions and begin to understand the carbon footprint of individual products. We encourage organisations to do both – to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard by reducing the emissions they directly control and to tackle emissions they create indirectly through their supply chain by putting the Carbon Reduction Label on their products.

The Carbon Trust

• The Carbon Trust is an independent company set up by government in response to the threat of climate change, to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies. The Carbon Trust works with UK business and the public sector through its work in five complementary areas: insights, solutions, innovations, enterprises and investments. Together these help to explain, deliver, develop, create and finance low carbon enterprise.

• The Carbon Trust is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and Invest Northern Ireland.

Other supporting quotes:

Miles Templeman, Director General, the Institute of Directors said:

“The Institute of Directors congratulates the Carbon Trust in launching their new Standard. The Carbon Trust Standard will provide businesses of all sizes with a flexible and cost effective process to enable them to accurately measure their carbon emissions and then reduce these emissions in real terms.

“The Standard will allow companies to benchmark their operations against standard criteria with the potential to building up a complete carbon footprint. It clearly combines a practical, robust and transparent approach to reducing emissions and will also help business to identify cost reductions opportunities. The Institute of Directors would encourage business leaders to adopt the Carbon Trust Standard and demonstrate their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint.”


Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change, WWF said:

“WWF welcomes the Carbon Trust Standard – it will help organisations to be open and transparent about the real measures they are taking to tackle climate change by reducing their own emissions, rather than through green tariffs or offsets.”


Emily Farnworth, Director of Corporate Engagement, The Climate Group said:

“The Carbon Trust Standard provides a no nonsense focus on what all organisations need to do – reduce carbon emissions.  It is reassuring that our business community is ready to sign up to a performance led standard that will allow us to track progress in carbon reduction savings in the UK.”