Bradford-based Morrisons has been recognised for setting the pace among UK companies in reducing its carbon footprint.

Britain's fourth biggest store group is one of only 12 companies, and the only supermarket, to be awarded the new Carbon Trust Standard.

The award forms part of an initiative by the Carbon Trust, a Government-backed environmental body.

The award for Morrisons, also named Grocer of the Year and Retailer of the Year 2008, reflects the company's achievement in saving more than 115,000 tonnes of carbon in 2007 through a number of measures, including an award-winning energy-saving training programme for 110,000 staff.

Morrisons has reduced its carbon emissions by 12.8 per cent over the past three years, which is 50 per cent more than the average for all 12 of the companies awarded the new standard.

A Morrisons store in Kidderminster will be the greenest supermarket in the UK when it opens in September after becoming the first retail building to receive an "excellent" rating from sustainable building assessors Breeam.

Morrisons has also cut energy use by five per cent across the group, introduced cleaner engines to more than half its delivery fleet - rising to 80 per cent by 2010 - and installed energy-efficient refrigeration compressors in 100 stores which will reduce its carbon footprint by 3,000 tonnes a year.

The Carbon Trust accreditation scheme is the world's first carbon award that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and make real reductions year-on-year.

Roger Owen, Morrisons' group property director who chairs its environment working group, said: "We're proud to be one of the first companies in the UK to have been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard and, indeed, the first in our sector.

"This is recognition of the very real strides Morrisons has made in reducing our carbon footprint in recent years, but we're not complacent."

Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, said: "We congratulate Morrisons on being one of the pioneers in achieving the Carbon Trust Standard and challenge other businesses to follow their example."

It has been revealed that the new celebrity face of Morrisons' summer television advertising campaign will include Top Gear star Richard Hammond.

The presenter, who survived an horrific 288mph crash at Elivington airport near York whilst filming two years ago, will endorse the company's record of selling 100 per cent British meat.

Previous celebrity advertising has featured names such as singer Lulu and soccer pundit Alan Hansen.

Source: Bradford Telegraph & Argus

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