01/03/2010

• Independent recognition for Group action to make business more sustainable
• First Scottish transport group to achieve prestigious carbon reduction benchmark
• Group carbon management programme to set further targets for improvement

Stagecoach Group has been awarded the prestigious Carbon Trust Standard after taking action on climate change by measuring and reducing its carbon emissions.

The Group reduced the carbon intensity of its UK businesses by 5.7%* in the three years to 30 April 2009 as a result of a package of measures designed to make its business more sustainable.

Stagecoach is the first Scottish-based transport group - and one of only two listed UK public transport operators - to have achieved the stretching carbon reduction benchmark. It covers all of the Group’s bus and rail operations in the UK.

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.

Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard – a first for a Scottish-based transport group. This is independent recognition of the action we have taken on climate change.

“Helping people lead greener lifestyles and being a more sustainable community partner is central to our business. It makes financial sense for our business and means we can deliver greener, smarter and better value travel to our customers. We will continue to work hard to make further improvements in the future.”

Highlights and achievements to date have included:

• Cutting annual heating energy consumption at the UK Bus division by around 35% in the past three years following the introduction of a hi-tech energy management system at more than 100 sites in Scotland, England and Wales.
  
  
• Reducing CO₂ emissions from the Group’s 7,000-vehicle bus fleet in the UK by more than 100,000 tonnes over the past five years through use of an innovative fuel additive.
  
  
• Achieving ISO14001 accreditation at a number of our UK rail facilities for putting in place processes to control and improve environmental performance.
  
  
• Engaging employees, customers and local communities during a Group-wide Green Week on the environmental benefits of using public transport, and ways they can reduce their own carbon footprint.
  

Stagecoach Group’s sustainability strategy is focused on:

• Meeting and exceeding regulatory obligations
  
• Investing in more fuel efficient vehicles
  
• Using alternative, renewable fuels
  
• Training employees in more efficient driving techniques
  
• Saving energy at offices and depots
  
• Conserving and recycling water
  
• Reducing and recycling waste
  
• Reducing business travel
  
• Providing affordable bus and rail travel
  
• Developing green travel plans and incentives for employees, customers and other organisations
  

The company already reports annually on its carbon emissions and discloses it global carbon footprint to the Carbon Disclosure Project, the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emissions database

Stagecoach Group will shortly announce details of a new five-year plan to reduce emissions from its fleet operations and buildings in the UK and North America as part of its carbon management programme.

Harry Morrison, General Manager of the Carbon Trust Standard, said: “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 Stagecoach Group 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 Stagecoach in making this commitment."

Stagecoach has won a number of awards in the past year for its environmental initiatives. It was named Best Green Travel Provider at the inaugural 2009 Scottish Green Awards as well as being recognised for the Best Green PR Campaign. The company’s groundbreaking BioBus initiative – which involves running buses on recycled cooking oil – was also a winner at the 2009 VIBES (Vision in Business for the Environment) of Scotland Awards.

* Tonnes CO₂e /£ Turnover

ENDS

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group

• Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs 30,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services. Stagecoach is one of UK’s biggest bus and coach operators, running around 7,000 vehicles from south-west England to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and carrying around 2 million passengers every day. Stagecoach is also a major UK rail operator, running the South West Trains, Island Line and East Midlands Trains networks. It has a 49% shareholding in Virgin Rail Group, which operates the West Coast inter-city rail franchise. Stagecoach is also Britain's biggest tram operator, running networks in both Sheffield and Manchester.
  
• For further information on Stagecoach's sustainability strategy and measures the Group is undertaking to tackle climate change, visit www.stagecoach.com.
  

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.