Toshiba Air Conditioning in the UK has been officially recognised as a CarbonNeutral business.
The announcement follows an intensive programme of carbon reduction and supporting certified carbon offsetting projects with The CarbonNeutral Company, which is believed to be the leading verification and certification body in the field.

The pioneering project required a detailed assessment of energy consumption and carbon emissions across all the company's activities, even taking into account employees' journeys to and from work.

The programme began last year with a detailed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Assessment to quantify the total greenhouse gases produced both directly and indirectly by the company's activities. Toshiba worked with sustainability consultant Ecometrica to carry out a detailed audit of all its activities.

The methodology used was the internationally-recognised World Business Council for Sustainable Development and World Resources Institute's (WBCSD/WRI) Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. This is considered best practice for corporate greenhouse gas emissions reporting.

This established a base line from which carbon reduction targets were set and action plans formulated.

Commercial director at Toshiba Air Conditioning, David Dunn, said: 'We believe in investing in being an environmentally responsible company. Many of our major end user customers are pursuing similar policies, and increasingly prefer doing business with suppliers whose green credentials are as impeccable as their own. It is a win-win, for business and the environment.'