Many of the most environmentally aware companies are starting to get to grips with the impact of their own operations – they have measured their emissions and resource usage, they have environmental management systems in place and they are starting to see the effects of their efforts in resource and cost savings.

But it does not stop there – very few businesses generate more carbon in their own operations than are generated through the goods and services they buy, according to Richard Mattison, managing director of Trucost, the environmental research group.