Sustainability Solved

Rainwater harvesting, a reed bed and a solar thermal shower in a Welsh cow field. The engineering was never the hard part.

Part two of seven on why Sustainability Solved is changing format. In this episode: how a caravan nobody wanted became a log cabin everybody agreed to, why my dad shipped it from Canada when he should have bought it here, and what to do about the site or supplier where your plan is going slowest.

Read the written version: https://willsussolved.substack.com

Subscribe for weekly sustainability intelligence that actually moves the needle.

My grandmother was taken to court for burning litter on a beach in Aberdyfi. Nobody asked her why the litter was there in the first place.

This is part one of a seven-part series on why Sustainability Solved is changing format. In this episode: the court case that started it, why the litter was the smaller problem, and the two questions to ask about any sustainability decision your organisation made last year.

Read the written version: https://willsussolved.substack.com

Subscribe for weekly sustainability intelligence that actually moves the needle.

Most businesses believe they have outsourced their nature risk. They have not.

In this episode we look at why so much climate and nature risk sits in supply chains rather than on the balance sheet, and what that means for any organisation buying from, selling into or manufacturing in Asia.

I am joined by Fran van Dijk, CEO and founder of One Stone Advisors, who has just shared a discussion paper on nature and climate risk with the accountancy profession, and Eleanor Whittle, founder of Alopias Earth, who spent a decade in UK government on international biodiversity policy including two years as a diplomat in Beijing, and now advises companies on climate and nature strategy from Taiwan. Together they write the Real World Briefing series. Charlie Luxton and I take the conversation from accounting rules to the water systems that keep global trade moving.

The numbers land hard. Drought cut daily Panama Canal crossings by 36%. Low water on the Rhine pushed shipping from around 20 euros a tonne to 150. Around 41% of Asian data centres sit in areas of extremely high water stress, with another 22% in high stress zones. The Asian Development Bank puts roughly 75% of the region's GDP in sectors moderately or heavily dependent on nature, well above the global average.

What comes out of it is practical. Separate your risks from your dependencies, because you can diversify a risk and you cannot diversify a dependency. Investigate your supply chain to tier four, not tier one. Build a live risk register. Ask whether you have the regional expertise and local partnerships to turn a disclosure into a credible strategy. And stop filing this under sustainability, because it belongs in business strategy.

Fran advises boards and senior leadership teams on nature, biodiversity and integrated climate and nature strategy through One Stone Advisors. She is a B Corp founder and a Public Interest Member of the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Fran is also Chief Impact Officer at Subsee, an AI and ocean technology company.

Fran recently wrote a paper highlighting the sustainability challenges to conventional accounting, such as its failure to record the erosion of the critical shared assets a company doesn't own, and its reliance on historical data to predict non-linear future risks. Giving examples from published data and major corporate losses at firms like PG&E and Toyota, Fran explains why the profession needs better forward-looking, climate- and nature-related risk models. She draws on the UK Government's National Security Assessment, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries' Parasol Lost report, and documented corporate information.

Fran and Will have known each other since Will moved to Edinburgh. She sat on Green Element's advisory board. She brings the ‘what is actually happening’ lens, and the financial translation: unpriced insurance risk, tail risk, going concern, and the questions a CFO cannot answer from a standard risk register.

Eleanor founded Alopias Earth and advises private-sector organisations on climate and nature-related risk and strategy. She spent around ten years in the UK government, including leading major international climate finance programmes and two years as a diplomat in Beijing, where she led UK-China engagement on climate and nature. Eleanor then went on to be Programme Director at global energy think tank Ember.

She is based in Taiwan, giving her a working perspective on a region that many European businesses primarily experience through their supply chains and operations. She is also Chief Strategy Officer at Subsee, an AI and ocean technology company. A keen diver and freediver, her connection to the ocean is personal as well as professional.

Eleanor co-authors the Real World Briefing series with Fran and wrote the Asia Pacific briefing this episode draws on. She brings the regional and regulatory picture: how nature risk shows up through water, supply chains and infrastructure; why sustainability regulation and disclosure are accelerating across Asian markets; and what this means for European companies buying from, selling into or operating in the region.

Eleanor is also an Honorary Fellow of the University of East Anglia.

A specialist advisory practice working with boards and leadership teams on nature, biodiversity and integrated climate and nature strategy. Focus areas include nature-related risk in value chains, board governance and capability, and the financial framing of nature risk. Fran van Dijk is a founder and a B Corp advocate.

A strategic advisory business helping companies understand and respond to climate and nature-related risk, and translate it into strategy and decision-making. Founded by Eleanor Whittle, Alopias Earth brings international policy and regional insight to questions spanning nature-related risk, value chains, regulation and business resilience.

A monthly board-level briefing series co-authored by Fran and Eleanor, making the case that nature and biodiversity are business-critical. Four briefings inform this episode:

• Briefing 1: Nature is Now Business-Critical. Nature moves from voluntary and reputational to material and decision-relevant. TNFD as entry point rather than destination.
• Briefing 2: Financing Green to Greening Finance. How the financial sector is bringing nature into the mainstream, and why diversification is not enough.
• Briefing 3: Asia Pacific, the Region That Changes the Equation. Nature risk as geographic and systemic rather than sector-specific.
• Briefing 4: Europe, a Climate Leader Losing Its Way. The fastest-warming continent, the Omnibus rollback, and cascading food system risk.

THE ST ETHELBURGA’S ROUNDTABLE

This summary outlines the findings from the St Ethelburga’s Roundtable, held on June 23, 2026, which addressed the gap between climate and nature insight and effective action.

Chapters

01:20 Meet Fran van Dijk and Eleanor Whittle

02:23 What climate and nature risk actually means for a business

06:46 What this year's fires and heatwaves have already cost

09:29 Discounting: how accounting makes long-term damage disappear

11:13 Insurers quietly walking away from high-risk assets

15:47 The Panama Canal and the limits of abstract risk

26:34 Asia: data centres, semiconductors and water stress

31:09 Why you cannot outsource risk to a supplier

34:14 Nickel, Indonesia and the energy transition colliding with nature loss

43:12 The gap between net zero claims and verified action

52:18 Putting nature into governance and onto the board

55:27 The questions your board should be asking now

If you want help turning this into a costed adaptation and resilience plan, that is what we do at 51toCarbonZero: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com

Subscribe for more conversations that make sustainability a business decision rather than a reporting exercise.

#NatureRisk #SupplyChainRisk #ClimateRisk #TNFD #Sustainability

Most net zero roadmaps have ticked off Scope 2. Renewable tariffs, LED lighting, EV charging. The boiler is still running on gas, and it is still the biggest single source of direct emissions on site. This month we sit down with David Leighton, National Distribution Sales Manager for LG HVAC Solutions across the UK and Ireland, to talk about why heat pumps have stopped being a residential nice-to-have and started being a commercial necessity. We cover the myths holding businesses back, what performance actually looks like at minus seven degrees, and what a realistic transition plan looks like for a multi-site food and beverage or commercial operator working to SECR and SBTi obligations.

• Why heating sits in a blind spot in most net zero strategies, and what that gap is costing businesses in carbon credibility
• The myths on noise, cold-weather performance and installation disruption that are quietly delaying board-level decisions
• Why the transition feels complicated for multi-site operators, and the practical first step to take
• What a heating switch actually does to a company's Scope 1 position, energy bill and investor conversations
• Where heat pumps sit in the commercial market five years from now

00:00 Welcome and introductions

03:00 Warm-up: 20 years watching heating go from gas-first to a credible low-carbon alternative

08:00 Problem 1: the Scope 1 blind spot in net zero roadmaps

18:00 Problem 2: the myths doing real damage to decision-making

28:00 Problem 3: why the transition feels complicated, and where to start

40:00 Looking ahead, and David's one thing every business leader should do differently

Timestamps are approximate. Confirm against the final edit before publishing.

• Heating and hot water account for around 40% of total UK energy consumption
• LG's Therma V heat pump holds 100% heating capacity at -7°C, addressing the cold-weather objection directly
• Switching from gas or oil to an air-to-water heat pump can cut carbon emissions by up to 70% in a well-insulated UK commercial property
• LG has SBTi-verified targets to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 54.6% by 2030 against a 2017 baseline
• Under SECR, UK organisations with 250+ employees or £36m+ turnover must report Scope 1 and 2 emissions annually, and heating is typically a major component

Grant scheme figures and specific savings numbers change. Confirm current amounts with David before this goes out, rather than repeating anything above without a check.

A sustainable business can also be a successful business, and this episode is a good example of where that shows up in practice. Food and beverage operators carry large thermal loads and refrigerated space; media, marketing and advertising businesses carry leased office heating decisions and investor-facing ESG reporting. Both sit on the same Scope 1 lever, and both are running out of reasons to leave it untouched.

• LG HVAC Solutions: HVAC - Air Conditioning Solutions | LG UK Business
• Leave us a review on your podcast app, it helps other business leaders find the show

Do you know an enterprise organisation who might benefit from a chat with me? Please put them in touch.

David Leighton is National Distribution Sales Manager for LG HVAC Solutions across the UK and Ireland. He has spent over 20 years in the plumbing and heating industry, working with distributors, merchants and specification channels across some of the country's most demanding commercial and industrial markets.

Before joining LG Electronics' Energy Solutions division, David held senior roles at Plumbase, where he built deep expertise in heating product distribution and key account management. His background spans solar thermal, heat pumps, gas and oil heating, and B2B channel development.

At LG, David's focus is helping businesses see that low-carbon heating is not a compromise; it is a commercially sound decision that also delivers on Scope 1 reduction targets. He sees the gap between sustainability commitments and operational reality every day, and speaks with unusual directness about where businesses are stalling and what it is costing them.

LG Electronics is one of the world's leading manufacturers of HVAC systems, operating across residential, light commercial and large commercial sectors. Its HVAC Solutions division in the UK and Ireland covers air conditioning, ventilation and heating, including the Therma V range of air-to-water heat pumps central to commercial building decarbonisation programmes.

Description:

In this enlightening episode of Sustainability Solved, Will Richardson and Charlie explore the remarkable work of Scarf, a Scottish charity celebrating 40 years of tackling fuel poverty. Join Lawrence Johnston and David from Scarf as they reveal how their organization has transformed thousands of homes across Scotland, providing energy efficiency solutions that not only reduce carbon emissions but dramatically improve quality of life for vulnerable households.

Show Notes:

- **00:01-01:43** - Introduction to Sustainability Solved and welcome to guests

- **01:48-03:47** - Introduction to Scarf: 40 years as a charity focused on reducing fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency

- **03:48-06:22** - Discussion of Scarf's relationship with Scottish Government and their reach (20,000+ remote engagements, 4,000-5,000 home visits annually)

- **07:47-10:51** - Explanation of fuel poverty metrics and KPIs used to measure impact

- **10:51-12:53** - Discussion on data collection and measuring effectiveness of interventions

- **12:55-15:30** - Exploration of quality of life improvements and social benefits from energy efficiency measures

- **15:39-18:03** - Main challenges in Scottish housing: granite buildings, solid walls, and electric heating systems

- **18:03-19:16** - The importance of balancing social and environmental sustainability for a just transition

- **19:50-22:31** - Barriers to engagement: lack of awareness, stigma around poverty, and skepticism of "too good to be true" offers

- **24:05-26:48** - Overview of organizations delivering similar services across Scotland and the fragmented approach in England

- **32:18-34:16** - Scarf's approach to energy efficiency: starting with behavioral changes and low-cost measures before larger interventions

- **35:02-37:14** - Discussion of Scarf's business energy services and varied impacts

- **39:22-44:48** - Powerful case studies showcasing Scarf's life-changing impact on vulnerable households

- **44:49-49:07** - Closing thoughts on the need for national recognition of housing as an emergency and potential for wider implementation of Scarf's model

Key Takeaways:

- Scarf has facilitated approximately £20 million in private investment for energy efficiency measures

- The average intervention is £18,000-£20,000 per property at no cost to eligible homeowners

- There's a critical link between poor housing conditions and health issues that needs more attention

- Scotland's regionalized approach to energy efficiency appears more effective than England's fragmented system

Most organisations know their supply chain is where the bulk of their emissions sit. The problem has always been visibility: if you can't see it, you can't manage it.

In this episode, we sit down with Saskia van Gendt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Blue Yonder, one of the biggest supply chain software platforms on the planet. Saskia has spent nearly two decades working across government, consumer goods, fashion and now enterprise tech, and she brings a rare combination of scientific rigour and real-world empathy to the conversation.

We get into why large multinationals are staying the course on their carbon targets despite political headwinds, how companies are moving beyond spend-based carbon estimates to actual supplier data, and where AI fits into supply chain optimisation (including the honest trade-offs around energy use). Saskia also walks us through how tariff volatility is reshaping sourcing decisions and why the carbon intensity of manufacturing locations matters more than most people realise.

If you work in sustainability consulting, supply chain, procurement, or you advise organisations on Scope 3 emissions, this one is packed with practical insight.

Connect with Saskia on LinkedIn and visit https://www.blueyonder.com for case studies and their sustainable supply chain solutions.

If you're a sustainability consultant or advisor looking to deliver stronger results for your clients, we'd love to have you in our network: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/referral/

Find out more about 51toCarbonZero: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com

Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss the next episode. Drop us a comment or DM if there's a topic you want us to tackle.

#Sustainability #SupplyChain #Scope3Emissions #NetZero #CarbonAccounting

In this powerful episode of Sustainability Solved, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton speak with Mike Berners-Lee about the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) initiative. Mike explains how this groundbreaking project brings together top experts to communicate the urgent reality of our climate and nature emergency, and outlines how businesses can transform these challenges into opportunities. The conversation explores media misinformation, political inaction, and practical steps businesses can take to thrive in a sustainable future.

Mike Berners-Lee - Professor at Lancaster University, author, and sustainability expert focused on helping organizations respond appropriately to climate and nature emergencies.

• The National Emergency Briefing initiative and its impact
• Media's role in climate misinformation
• Business opportunities in sustainability transitions
• Food security and the shift to plant-rich diets
• The importance of truth in public discourse
• Positive tipping points in climate action

• "We're accelerating into a poly crisis at the moment, and it's about a response to that." - Mike Berners-Lee
• "The most important thing to do is to keep the narrative, is to raise the narrative on this. We've got to make it normal to talk about this stuff as though it's a huge deal all the time." - Mike Berners-Lee
• "We can't afford not to do it. Businesses, you need to do your own independent thinking. You need to get clear view of proper facts on this and then you need to be a bit imaginative about working out how that economic business opportunity pans out for you." - Mike Berners-Lee

• National Emergency Briefing website: nebriefing.org
• People's Emergency Briefing film (available from April 7th)
• Mike's book: "A Climate of Truth"
• Fit for the Future business tool

Visit nebriefing.org to watch the nine expert briefings and learn how to host a People's Emergency Briefing event at your business after April 7th.

• Organizations are increasingly leveraging AI-powered platforms to understand and reduce their carbon emissions.
• Creating innovative, sustainable settlements that integrate nature and human habitats is crucial to reversing biodiversity decline.
• Employee ownership trusts can incentivize long-term stewardship and success of service-based companies.

Please contact Will @ [email protected]

Host Will Richardson offers his thoughts on sustainability and more and replays one of our popular episodes on supply chain sustainability with the Wine Society.

Will and Charlie Luxton are taking a break over the Summer to spend time with their families. We hope to bring you more episodes in early Autumn.

From bottles to biodiversity! Welcome to Sustainability Solved! In this episode, hosts Will and Charlie dive into the fascinating world of wine and sustainability with Dom De Ville from the Wine Society. First set up in 1874 by a bunch of people who wanted to pay a fair price for their booze, the Wine Society is leading the charge in tackling supply chain emissions, improving agricultural practices, and supporting winemakers across the globe. If you’re curious about Scope 3 emissions, regenerative viticulture, and innovative approaches to sustainability, this episode is for you.

Join the Sustainability Solved Hub to collaborate, ask questions, and share insights.

Problem

The wine industry faces mounting sustainability challenges:

1. Scope 3 Emissions: 94% of the Wine Society’s carbon footprint comes from their supply chain, particularly in wine production, glass bottle manufacturing, and shipping.
2. Climate Change: Extreme weather patterns, droughts, and floods are threatening vineyards worldwide.
3. Human Rights Risks: Reliance on seasonal, often migrant, labour raises ethical concerns.
4. Biodiversity Loss: Conventional farming practices, such as pesticide and herbicide use, degrade soil and ecosystems.

Solutions

1. Investing in Suppliers (Insetting):

• Instead of traditional carbon offsets, the Wine Society invests directly in its growers through a Climate and Nature Fund. This supports projects like regenerative farming and reforestation.
• Examples include hydro-seeding trials, agroforestry initiatives, and providing seed money for transitioning to regenerative viticulture.

1. Reducing Glass Bottle Emissions:

• The Wine Society collaborated with 12 retailers through the Bottle Weight Accord to reduce bottle weights by 2027, significantly lowering emissions.

1. Regenerative Agriculture:

• Encouraging natural solutions, such as planting cover crops, using sheep for natural fertilisation, and avoiding soil tillage to preserve carbon stores.

1. Collaboration:

• Active involvement in the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation to share knowledge and best practices across the industry.

1. Producers Making a Difference:

• Highlighting sustainable suppliers on their website to incentivise greener practices and reward innovation.

Results

• Direct investment of £65,000 per year into supply chain projects, supporting growers in transitioning to more sustainable practices.
• A unified industry effort to reduce glass bottle weights, potentially transforming the carbon footprint of millions of bottles annually.
• Positive relationships with suppliers, fostering long-term partnerships and encouraging sustainable innovation.

Takeaways

• Pay a Fair Price: Sustainability in supply chains requires investment and fair compensation for producers.
• Insetting Over Offsetting: Direct investment in suppliers creates measurable, on-the-ground impact while improving relationships.
• Collaboration is Key: Solving sustainability challenges requires industry-wide cooperation and shared solutions.
• Regenerative Practices Work: Nature-based approaches not only improve biodiversity but also increase resilience to climate change.

Resources

• The Wine Society: thewinesociety.com
• Sustainable Wine Roundtable: An industry forum driving collaborative change: https://swroundtable.org/
• Regenerative Viticulture Foundation: Supporting growers in adopting sustainable, regenerative practices https://www.regenerativeviticulture.org/
• Producers Making a Difference: Explore sustainable winemakers on the Wine Society’s website: https://www.thewinesociety.com/buy/wines/producers-making-a-difference/
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
• Ministry for the future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at [email protected].

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

What if environmental regulations could become your competitive advantage? In this conversation with Emma Toovey, Chief Land and Nature Officer at Environment Bank, discover how the UK's new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements are creating unexpected business opportunities while driving genuine environmental progress. Whether you're a developer, landowner, or business leader in any sector, learn how this game-changing framework provides certainty, reduces costs, and opens new revenue streams - while contributing to nature recovery at scale.

🎯 Key Takeaways

• BNG Creates Business Certainty and Predictability
• After decades of inconsistent biodiversity requirements across local authorities, the new BNG regulations provide a standardised Excel-based metric that removes professional judgment and bias from planning decisions. This consistency allows developers to plan, cost, and budget for biodiversity requirements from day one, transforming uncertainty into strategic advantage. As Emma notes, "Developers like the predictability and certainty that comes with this metric."
• Early Engagement Minimises Costs and Maximises Opportunities
• The days of bringing ecologists in at the last minute are over. Smart developers are integrating biodiversity planning into their feasibility and master planning processes from the start, designing nature into schemes rather than retrofitting solutions. This approach not only reduces offsite requirements but can add property value and appeal to residents who increasingly want access to green spaces.
• Nature Disclosure is the Next Frontier for All Businesses
• Just as carbon reporting became mandatory, nature-related financial disclosures are on the regulatory horizon through frameworks like TNFD (Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures). Forward-thinking businesses across all sectors are preparing now, recognising that understanding and managing nature dependencies and risks will become essential for regulatory compliance, investor relations, and talent retention.

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

🌱 Start Biodiversity Planning Early

📊 Assess Your Nature Dependencies and Risks

🤝 Explore Revenue Opportunities in Nature Recovery

🛠 Tools & Resources

• Biodiversity Net Gain Metric - Government Excel spreadsheet for calculating biodiversity units
• Environment Bank - Habitat banking provider with 32 projects across 2000+ hectares
• TNFD Framework - Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
• The Guardian's TNFD Report - Practical example of nature disclosure implementation
• UK Biodiversity and Business Forum - Membership organisation providing support and guidance
• CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) - EU legislation requiring nature impact disclosure

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

[email protected]

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙 Guest

• Emma Toovey
• Chief Land and Nature Officer at Environment Bank
• Trained ecologist with 20+ years experience
• Former ecological consultant specialising in developer relations
• Expert in biodiversity net gain implementation

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

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