London minicab company Addison Lee has been named the first ever winner of a Green500 Diamond Award for leadership in achieving carbon reduction.

It was the only one of the 190 member companies of the Green500 to achieve the highest ‘Diamond’ status, in recognition of the company’s success in reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 17% since 2002.

The Green500 programme is funded by the London Development Agency and recognises organisations that have reduced CO2 emissions against set criteria.

Diamond status is reserved for those leading the way and scoring at the top in each criterion.