The Carbon Trust is a UK organisation set up by the government in 2001, although it is an independent company. The objective of the Carbon Trust is to “work with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies”.
The Carbon Trust offers its services around the UK, although there are some differences in what is available to businesses in the different countries. There is a wide range of services and information available, however. These range from on-site carbon surveys for companies with an annual energy spend of at least £50,000 (these are usually free of charge), to events and exhibitions around the country. In addition, interest free loans are on offer for purchasing energy efficient equipment.
The Carbon Trust website contains a wide range of information on energy saving, online tools and free publications to assist businesses trying to reduce their carbon emissions. There is also an advice line which can be contacted on 0800 085 2005. Small, medium and large organisations can all benefit from the information on offer, much of which is tailored to suit different size businesses.
The Carbon Trust also runs the Carbon Trust Standard which “certifies that an organisation has genuinely reduced its carbon footprint and is committed to making further reductions year on year”. Achieving the standard involves establishing your business’s carbon footprint in some detail, demonstrating that this has been reduced and providing evidence of ongoing carbon management practices. There is a dedicated Carbon Trust Standard website for more information on working towards this or you can contact their customer service team on 0800 019 1443.
