Will Richardson (51toCarbonZero.com)

Will Richardson
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I am trying to change the way we work, the relationship we have our work and the world around us. We live in a complicated world with a lot of noise. But we need to be making decisions now and those decisions will have ramifications for decades. Will we always make the right decisions; no. But are we doing it for the right reasons I would like to say yes to that - speaking from my heart. This is an audible blog on what I am doing and what we as a business are doing. Some could say it is self promotion, it probably is a bit, I am trying to change the world and be a part of the solution BUT it is also my way to articulate where I am and keep a log of it for my future self and maybe others will learn from my mistakes as I am sure there will be loads!!

  1. 16h ago

    What UK Business Can Learn From America's Climate U-Turn

    The world's second-largest polluter just stripped out its own power to regulate carbon. By the end of this, you'll know exactly why that matters for your business, and what the smart response looks like on this side of the Atlantic. Something remarkable happened in Washington. In February 2026, the US government erased the scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health, the legal foundation that had let it regulate carbon pollution for nearly 17 years. Call it what it is: the world's biggest economy voluntarily removing its own ability to act on climate. There's a lot in here for UK businesses and policymakers, and most of it is a warning worth reading closely. Mentioned in this episode: Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar

  2. 2d ago

    A Navy Blew Up a Riverbed to Save a Nuclear Plant: This Week in Sustainability

    This week we're counting down the top 10 sustainability stories that matter most for business leaders in Food & Beverage and Media, Marketing & Advertising. We cover the global wildfire season that's now touching four continents, why Europe's rivers are hitting record lows, the data centre power crunch reshaping US energy policy, and why carbon border taxes are spreading well beyond the EU. Stick around for three mind-blowing facts, including why a country's navy just blew up part of its own river. Subscribe for weekly sustainability intelligence that actually moves the needle, and let me know in the comments which story you want us to dig into further. If you know an enterprise organisation who could benefit from a conversation about their sustainability strategy, please put them in touch. #Sustainability #NetZero #CarbonAccounting #ClimateRisk #ESG Mentioned in this episode: Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar

  3. 5d ago

    The Climate Risk Your CEO Hasn't Calculated Yet

    If your entire climate strategy is built around cutting your own emissions, it will not protect you. By the end you will know the strategy your competitors have missed, and three moves to start this quarter. How are you managing Scope 3 supplier data right now? We're offering a free sustainability assessment of your top 10 suppliers, giving you a clearer picture of your Scope 3 data and where supplier engagement can improve. At 51toCarbonZero, we help organisations engage suppliers and build an accurate picture of their value chain, without the manual effort usually needed from you or them. Worth a 30 minute chat next week? https://calendly.com/51tocarbonzero/substack A third of the Earth's population could be living in places that become physically unliveable if warming passes 2 degrees. S&P Global puts a 50 per cent probability of hitting 2.3 degrees by 2040. That is fifteen years. Most of you will still be running the same business, the same supply chain, the same locations, but the climate those operations sit in will be fundamentally different. Here is the part nobody is telling CEOs clearly enough. Cutting your emissions, even aggressively, will not shield you from any of that inside the next fifteen years. The disruption is already locked in. Mentioned in this episode: UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack

  4. Aug 5

    The Hidden AI Bill Your Business Hasn't Seen Yet

    If your business uses AI in any way, there is a bill sitting in your operations that almost nobody is tracking. By the end you will know why it matters in 2026, where it hides, and three moves to make this quarter. How are you managing Scope 3 supplier data right now? We're offering a free sustainability assessment of your top 10 suppliers, giving you a clearer picture of your Scope 3 data and where supplier engagement can improve. At 51toCarbonZero, we help organisations engage suppliers and build an accurate picture of their value chain, without the manual effort usually needed from you or them. Worth a 30 minute chat next week? https://calendly.com/51tocarbonzero/substack A single AI chatbot question uses far more energy than a normal web search. Now multiply that across every team, every day, every prompt. The numbers add up fast, and that energy use is now showing up as emissions on your carbon footprint. Regulators are starting to ask about it, and almost no business I speak to can give a clear answer. This is the fastest-moving blind spot I have seen in twenty-five years. Mentioned in this episode: UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack

  5. Aug 3

    Climate Capital Hits €523B as Regulators Loosen the Rules This Week

    This week in sustainability, the money and the rules went in opposite directions, and that's exactly why you need to see this breakdown. Regulators eased off: the EU softened its carbon trading trajectory, California cut mandatory Scope 3 reporting categories from fifteen to five, and EFRAG proposed lighter CSRD rules for non-EU companies. At the same time, sustainable finance had one of its strongest weeks in years, from Deutsche Bank's €523 billion cumulative sustainable finance total to a $1 billion raise for Commonwealth Fusion. We cover the full top 10, including Meta's exit from RE100 in the same week AI data centres passed $186 billion in green bonds, the building El Nino risk behind Europe's wildfires, and why the GHG Protocol and ISO are finally merging their carbon accounting standards into one. We also count down the top three mind-blowing environmental facts of the week, and hand you one thing your business can act on right now. If your organisation is trying to make sense of Scope 1, 2 and 3 reporting as the rules shift under you, this is the net zero and sustainability update built for business leaders, not just sustainability specialists. Sustainability, net zero, carbon accounting and Scope 3 reporting all get simpler when you know what's actually moving. That's what we're here for every week. Know an enterprise organisation who'd benefit from a conversation about their carbon strategy? Get in touch: www.51tocarbonzero.com Explore the 51toCarbonZero referral programme: www.51tocarbonzero.com/referral/ #Sustainability #NetZero #CarbonAccounting #Scope3 #ESG Mentioned in this episode: UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack

  6. Jul 31

    Net Zero Explained: What It Actually Means in 2026

    Eighty per cent of the world's largest companies have a net zero target. Eleven per cent have actually cut emissions. In 2026, that gap stops being a reporting quirk and becomes a legal risk. How are you managing Scope 3 supplier data right now? We're offering a free sustainability assessment of your top 10 suppliers, giving you a clearer picture of your Scope 3 data and where supplier engagement can improve. At 51toCarbonZero, we help organisations engage suppliers and build an accurate picture of their value chain, without the manual effort usually needed from you or them. Worth a 30 minute chat next week? https://calendly.com/51tocarbonzero/substack Here is the gap that should worry every board. Eighty per cent of the world's largest companies have committed to net zero. Only eleven per cent have reduced their emissions. That space between the promise and the reality is where the trouble now lives, and in 2026 regulators have decided it is no longer something they will tolerate. By the end of this article you will have three things: what net zero actually means in plain language, why the strategy almost everyone leaned on until last year has become a legal risk, and the six moves that work instead. The sixth is the one most businesses miss, and it is the one that could halve emissions. I have spent twenty five years on this work, so let's get into it. Mentioned in this episode: Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar

  7. Jul 29

    Climate Risk Isn't a Sustainability Problem. It's a Business Risk.

    Most boards still treat climate risk as a sustainability issue. It sits alongside geopolitical exposure, cybersecurity and cost of capital. By the end you will know why monitoring protects your share price, reputation and assets. How are you managing Scope 3 supplier data right now? We're offering a free sustainability assessment of your top 10 suppliers, giving you a clearer picture of your Scope 3 data and where supplier engagement can improve. At 51toCarbonZero, we help organisations engage suppliers and build an accurate picture of their value chain, without the manual effort usually needed from you or them. Worth a 30 minute chat next week? https://calendly.com/51tocarbonzero/substack Here is the one thing most boards still get wrong about climate risk: they treat it as a sustainability issue. It is not. Climate risk is a business risk. It sits alongside geopolitical exposure, cybersecurity, credit risk and cost of capital. If it is not actively monitored in your risk register, your share price, your assets and your reputation are more exposed than you think. Mentioned in this episode: Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar

  8. Jul 27

    Why the UK's New PM Could Make or Break Net Zero

    This week in sustainability, Europe rewrote the rules of its carbon market, the UK got a new prime minister with a climate balancing act to manage, and sustainability teams everywhere are turning into risk managers. We break down the EU's ETS overhaul, the new Electrification Action Plan, and what a 55% jump in climate tech investment tells us about where the smart money is heading. Plus: the $44 trillion nature risk number that should be on every CFO's radar, and why AI is quietly reshaping what a sustainability team actually does day to day. If you're a business leader trying to keep up with net zero policy, carbon markets, and climate risk without wading through every headline yourself, this is your shortcut. Subscribe for weekly sustainability intelligence that actually moves the needle. Do you know an enterprise organisation who might benefit from a chat with me? Please put them in touch. Find out more about 51toCarbonZero: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com Join our referral programme: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/referral/ #Sustainability #NetZero #CarbonAccounting #ESG #ClimateAction Mentioned in this episode: UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/ September Webinar Keep informed on Sustainability News I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense. My Personal Substack

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About

I am trying to change the way we work, the relationship we have our work and the world around us. We live in a complicated world with a lot of noise. But we need to be making decisions now and those decisions will have ramifications for decades. Will we always make the right decisions; no. But are we doing it for the right reasons I would like to say yes to that - speaking from my heart. This is an audible blog on what I am doing and what we as a business are doing. Some could say it is self promotion, it probably is a bit, I am trying to change the world and be a part of the solution BUT it is also my way to articulate where I am and keep a log of it for my future self and maybe others will learn from my mistakes as I am sure there will be loads!!

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