The driving force making many companies tackle the CRC head-on is a fear over their reputation once its league tables are published.

The CRC Energy Efficiency Summit in London last week heard from various speakers who stressed that coming low in the league table was a chance their companies were not prepared to take. This had forced the CRC into the boardroom and up the agenda.

Paul Clapperton, head of sustainable development at BAE Systems said the company was “determined the CRC would not be a blot on the landscape”.

“We said to the board, ‘where do you want to finish in the league table’? You have to set a target and act accordingly.”

Bristol City Council’s energy manager Paul Isbell said the city was trying to attract green business and, as a ‘Green capital’ finalist, has a green reputation to preserve, so “councillors are very keen that we put our money where our mouth is. It’s not going to look too good if we get fined.”

Marks & Spencer climate change manager Carmel McQuaid said: “The league table has taken [the CRC] out of the remit of energy managers within companies and elevated it.”

She stressed that the CRC was very much a reputational issue for M&S: “We said we wanted to be carbon neutral. Once you have said that, you can’t go back. Our head is already on the block for delivering that.”