Birmingham Airport Receives Carbon Trust Standard to Certify its Action on Climate Change

September 22 2009

Birmingham International Airport has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in recognition of its achievement in reducing carbon based emissions by 4% over a three year period from April 2006. This has been achieved against a background of increasing passenger growth and expansion in airport facilities.

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 have taken to cut carbon across their own operations.

Despite the considerable growth in passengers and expansion at the Airport over the last few years, the reduction in carbon has still been achieved through investing in new technologies, changing procedures and improving staff awareness, which has led to positive changes in behaviour.

Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport’s CEO, said, “We know that businesses are responsible for around half of the UK’s carbon consumption, and although we’re by no means the largest consumer, our monthly electricity usage is equivalent to that of the annual consumption of over 700 homes. We’re therefore delighted to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard, which is a great way of showing that we are moving in the right direction.

“In the current economic climate it’s essential that we remain competitive, and the Carbon Trust Standard is another way we can stay ahead of the game and communicate our environmental credentials to those that matter. We have already cut our carbon emissions by 4% as part of the initiative and I believe it will give us the drive to work even harder and achieve greater reductions in future.”
 
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 Birmingham Airport 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 their carbon emissions year-on-year without the use of offsetting. The Carbon Trust Standard provides this credibility and we encourage more organisations to follow Birmingham Airport in making this commitment."

Birmingham Airport is amongst just 125 other companies and only the second UK Airport to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard.

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