The Carbon Trust should do more to help smaller firms become more environmentally-friendly, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has suggested.

Natalie Evans, head of policy at the BCC, told BBC Radio Five Live's Wake Up To Money programme that small and medium-sized businesses are not high enough on the Carbon Trust's priority list.

The Carbon Trust, which is an independent company funded by the government, aims to help businesses and the public sector reduce their carbon emissions.

However, Ms Evans claimed the organisation is focused on "big businesses and a lot of self-serving PR".

She told Wake Up To Money: "Their free energy audits only apply for firms with over £50,000 a year energy bills.

"Now for small and medium-sized businesses, that simply doesn't apply to them."

Earlier this month, the Carbon Trust published a map illustrating the CO2 emissions generated by firms in 33 UK towns and cities.

It noted that business activity is responsible for some 40 per cent of carbon emissions in the UK.

Carbon Trust chief executive Tom Delay said business has a "critical" role to play in combating climate change.

"Implementing straightforward energy saving measures in the workplace could reduce energy bills by up to 20 per cent, enhance [businesses'] reputation and drastically cut their carbon footprint," he added.

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