UK Power Networks (UKPN) has become the first distribution network operator to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard for Carbon.
The company said the accreditation was the first step on its Green Action Plan.
The Carbon Trust certified UKPN as having an absolute reduction of 6.6 per cent in carbon emissions since 2016/17. This is part of the company’s overall reduction of 20.5 per cent since 2014/15, which it uses as its baseline.
The trust said UKPN had “a well-defined responsibility structure in place for carbon management which engages individuals at all levels of the organisation”.
Phil Spiby, UKPN’s sustainability advisor, said: “Although we’ve done a lot of work in the background, in many ways this certification is just the first stage of our journey.
“We want to work with the Carbon Trust to really understand all of the carbon embedded in our business and the reductions we need to make to play our part in helping to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. Out of this work will also come a roadmap to net zero and a realistic date for achieving this.
“Beyond looking at our own carbon footprint, we will be helping everyone cut their carbon footprints and the UK government meet its net zero target through providing a future-ready electricity network so electric vehicles can charge, and gas heating can be replaced by electric heat generated by renewables.”
John Newton, associate director at the Carbon Trust, said: “We are delighted to certify the real reductions that UK Power Networks has achieved over the past two years and look forward to continuing work with the company to benchmark its progress as it implements its Green Action Plan.”