The Capita Group Plc has achieved the Carbon Trust Standard for two of its divisions – Integrated Services and Insurance and Investor Services. The Standard is awarded to recognise organisations that have genuinely reduced their carbon footprint and committed to reducing it year on year.

John Kost, Group Safety, health & environment director at the Capita Group, commented: “We are really pleased to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard. It’s great recognition for the efforts of our staff in reducing energy use over the last three years. Reducing our carbon footprint is the centre piece of our strategy to reduce waste of all forms throughout the organisation. Capita wants to do its part in combating climate change, but it’s also proved to be good business and we have been surprised by the size of the cost savings. Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard clearly demonstrates to our staff, customers and shareholders that we have taken effective action to shrink our carbon footprint.”

In order to drive energy savings, Capita is focused on several carbon reduction initiatives. Training and engagement of the facilities management teams across the Group, together with the support of building, mechanical and electrical service providers has been key. ‘Smart-metering’ involves the installation of electricity and gas meters that record and report half-hourly readings. This enables energy champions across the Group to monitor the progress of energy saving projects. Capita has been assessed as making an overall reduction of 2.4% across its Integrated Services and Insurance and Investor Services divisions even with significant growth, with many of the best performing buildings achieving savings of 20-40%.

John Kost added: ”If the 20-40% performance achieved in some of our offices could be reproduced across the rest of the UK’s commercial property it would be a large step towards meeting the Government’s carbon reduction targets.”

Capita is rapidly expanding so every effort is being made to minimise business travel. Video and teleconferencing are now commonplace with over 6,500 telephone conferences each month.

The Carbon Trust Standard is the world’s first carbon award that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and actually make real reductions year-on-year. Unlike other award schemes, organisations are rewarded for actions they’ve taken to cut carbon emissions across their own operations.

Harry Morrison, general manager of the Carbon Trust Standard, commented: “Being certified with the Carbon Trust Standard is proof an organisation has taken genuine action to reduce their direct impact on climate change by cutting carbon emissions. We congratulate Capita on this achievement.

"Both businesses and consumers share a desire for one, credible way to prove an organisation has not only measured, but actually reduced its carbon emissions year-on-year without the use of offsetting. The Carbon Trust Standard provides this credibility and we encourage more organisations to follow Capita in making this commitment."

 -Ends-

Notes to editors

For further information please contact:
Capita Press Office, 0207 654 2399

The Capita Group Plc is the UK’s leading provider of BPO and integrated professional support service solutions. With 36,000 people at more than 300 sites, including 60 business centres across the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and India, the Group uses its expertise, infrastructure and scale benefits to transform its clients’ services, driving down costs and adding value. Capita is quoted on the London Stock Exchange (CPI.L), and is a constituent of the FTSE100 with revenues for 2008 of £2,441 million. Further information on The Capita Group Plc can be found at: http://www.capita.co.uk

Source of reduction figures – Capita Energy Reduction Programme, energy report summary Q3 YTD – 2009

For further information or interviews on the Carbon Trust Standard, please contact the Carbon Trust press office on 01753 827 294 or Standard@octopuscomms.net .

The Carbon Trust Standard

·         All businesses and organisations, both in the UK and internationally, are eligible to apply for the Carbon Trust Standard including FTSEs, mid caps, SMEs and public sector organisations. Organisations that are awarded the Carbon Trust Standard hold it for a two year period and to maintain the certification they must reapply and demonstrate that they have continued to make year-on-year reductions in their carbon emissions.

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

·         Organisations that are certified with the Carbon Trust Standard are listed at www.carbontruststandard.com/UsingtheStandard/CurrentStandardBearers.aspx

·         Through a commitment to continually reducing their carbon footprint, Carbon Trust Standard achievers have together cut their annual emissions by 600,000 tonnes of CO2.

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.

·         For more information on the Carbon Trust visit www.carbontrust.co.uk or call the Carbon Trust Advice Line on 0800 085 2005.