Greenwich Leisure (GLL) - London's largest operator of public leisure facilities - is one of the first leisure trusts to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard, after taking action on climate change by measuring, managing and reducing its carbon emissions by 2 per cent between January 2007 and December 2009.

Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard also proves GLL's commitment to continue to reduce its carbon emissions and to recertify every two years.

Based on a rigorous independent assessment, the Carbon Trust Standard is the world's first award that recognises organisations for real carbon reduction.

Now one of over 345 organisations in the UK to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard, GLL implemented its energy and environmental programme, known as GLL Green, three years ago. Out to genuinely reduce its energy consumption and carbon emissions, by the end of this year GLL will have invested more than £800,000 in energy saving technologies such as automatic pool covers, low energy lighting and variable speed drives for pool and air handling motors - across the 70 leisure centres it operates.

With a current reduction target of 2 per cent, year on year, GLL reduced electricity consumption by 7 per cent in 2009 and gas by 6.5 per cent in like for like centres.

The organisation's carbon footprint is currently 39,891t/CO_ - about the same as the amount of CO_ needed to fill 200,000 hot air balloons.

Comments, Jeremy Gould, GLL's Energy & Environment Manager, "Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard is fantastic news for the organisation, both in terms of external recognition of our environmental programme and the sheer hard work from all of our centres to make it happen. The GLL Green brand has helped smooth the process by delivering an instantly recognisable environmental and carbon message in all communications to both staff and customers.

"Our ongoing partnerships with local authorities mean we also actively manage our impact on the environment by working collaboratively. The GLL Green brand helps us to effectively communicate action plans so tie-ins can be developed at an early stage - anything from centre recycling points to new technology trials."

Harry Morrison, General Manager, The Carbon Trust Standard Company said, "We congratulate GLL on their achievement of the Carbon Trust Standard. Today, being a good carbon citizen isn't just about looking good on paper. Achieving the Carbon Trust Standard gives GLL the true emissions data they need to build the appropriate carbon reduction strategies and set the right path. It also allows them to talk with integrity about the serious and credible steps the organisation has taken to reduce its carbon emissions."

As well as setting a baseline carbon footprint and action plans for each centre, the first steps in building a low carbon, energy conscious culture saw the training of all general managers and supervisory staff and an energy champion appointed at each site, responsible for carbon reduction and a weekly audit of 'housekeeping' measures. Prescriptive measures were also introduced such as timings for air conditioning, outdoor lighting and guidelines for ideal operating temperatures and floodlight useage.

GLL also works with corporate suppliers to ensure emissions are reduced through the purchasing of goods and servies. For example, GLL is working with fitness equipment supplier, Technogym, to use self powered fitness equipment wherever possible. Currently most items of basic cardio vascular equipment are self powered. When putting out tenders for refurbishment works, GLL itemises energy efficient fixtures and fittings in the specification.