Thinking green has seen Centro take giant steps towards reducing its carbon footprint. Its latest Annual Environmental Performance Report 2011/12 has revealed the great initiatives being put in place for the environmental management of its operations and for the benefit of the West Midlands. 

Energy consumption fell by 9% at its Birmingham offices, three per cent above target, which mean it is well on its way to retaining its prized Carbon Trust Standard.

The Carbon Trust Standard was developed by the Carbon Trust, a global organisation that encourages organisations to reduce their emissions through improved energy efficiency and developing commercial low-carbon technologies.

Centro was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in December 2011 for reducing tonnes of carbon emissions by 2.8%.
New waste initiatives mean recycling rates have risen by 2.5%.  The biggest success came in driving down business mileage by a massive 28%.
These successes were as a result of a wide-ranging package of measures put in place by Centro to show its commitment to the environment.

Centro chairman Councillor John McNicholas said: “I am delighted that the actions Centro is taking are having such positive results.
“By keeping pace with the rapidly evolving environmental and low carbon agenda we can work towards the challenging yet realistic targets we have set for further improvements.”
As well as internally, Centro gives the low carbon agenda a high priority in addressing wider issues such as local air quality and reducing carbon emissions across the transport network.
This is shown by its work with partners and operators in the pioneering ‘Moving Ahead: A Green Transport Charter for the West Midlands’.

Another major success has been the award of £33 million in June 2012 from the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund for Centro’s Smart Network, Smarter Choices programme.
This will enable the organisation to improve sustainable transport across the West Midlands, which will support the transformation to a low carbon transport system, catering for economic growth, a rising population, reducing pollution emissions, and improving the quality of life of people in the West Midlands.