A group of 1,000 leading businesses have pledged to take action on climate change, promising to make a host of firm commitments to reduce their carbon emissions.

The companies have pledged to work with employees, suppliers and customers to help them reduce their carbon impact, and it is hoped the move will have a cascading effect across the business community and into the public and third sector. They will be supported in their efforts by the Carbon Trust and Business in the Community.

The businesses have pledged to:

• identify a board-level representative to champion carbon-reducing activity
• work collaboratively with suppliers to minimise emissions along their supply chains
• develop firm carbon reduction plans with targets to minimise the impact of their emissions

Julia Cleverdon, chief executive of Business in the Community, said the pledge was a “fantastic outcome”. “It shows that business is taking the issue of climate change seriously and is willing to take real and ambitious action to deal with this global crisis,” she added.

Tom Delay, chief executive of the Carbon Trust, said its role would be to turn the pledges of action into a reality and maintain the momentum of the initiative.

Jonathan Porritt, chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, said: “The government should take heart from what’s been happening today. Given the right information and the right sort of lead, companies big and small have shown themselves to be willing and able to get stuck in on reducing their carbon footprint. All we need now is for government to follow suit in reducing its own emissions of CO2 in line with its targets.”