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.

Under the carbon reduction commitment, local authorities will be held legally and financially responsible for state funded schools within their geographical area. As such, the CRC aims to increase energy management practice between local authorities and the schools that fall under their umbrella.

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 carbon reduction scheme is currently aimed at approximately 5,000 of the UK's largest organisations, including supermarkets, banks, property management companies, government departments, hotel groups, food retail chains and local authorities.