The Carbon Trust Standard essentially requires an organisation to calculate its carbon footprint (including transport), demonstrate absolute or relative reduction in carbon emissions by more than 2.5 percent per year, and demonstrate good carbon management.

In order to qualify as an early action metric for the first year of the CRC, an organisation must have received the Carbon Trust Standard by March 2011. By obtaining the Carbon Trust Standard, the organisation will be eligible to receive half of the 10% bonus payment that can be awarded at the end of the first year of the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme.