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.

The published CRC league table aims to provide a strong financial and reputational incentive for participants to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The league table will enable businesses, consumers, clients and the media to identify the annual CO2 reduction performance of all participants in the scheme. Participants will need to ascertain how various league table positions could impact on the organisation’s brand. Several factors should be taken into consideration:

The early action metrics form 100% of the league table assessment criteria during the first year of the carbon reduction commitments scheme, and a significant percentage of the second and third years. In order to acheive the Early Action Metrics, most CRC participants will need to implement Automatic Meter Reading equipment and obtain the Carbon Trust Standard (CTS)*, or equivalent.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment presents a number of benefits to organisations that fall within the scheme.

Brand and Marketing

With the carbon reduction commitment league tables being published each year, the media will have full access to the performance information of all organisations that fall within the scheme. As such, the best performing organisations will benefit from recognition of their achievements.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The Carbon Reduction Commitment league table will rank all participants in the scheme on the basis of performance in three metrics.

First metric - Absolute Emissions

The British government is committed to reducing carbon emissions within the UK by 60% by 2050, in comparison to 1990 levels. As part of this commitment, in 2001 the government targeted energy intensive organisations to reduce their level of carbon emissions under the Climate Change Agreement. Subsequently, from 2010 the largest non-energy intensive organisations will be targeted via the Carbon Reduction Commitment.

News Update - Important Changes to the CRC! - 20/10/2010