ABOUT THIS EPISODE
"It is not the critic who counts." Theodore Roosevelt's words sum up 25 years of helping organisations with sustainability better than anything I could write.
In this episode of Sustainability Solved, I explain why the companies growing their bottom line and cutting their emissions are the ones that tried early, failed, and tried again. We look at what Science Based Targets changed, why boards get fixated on the target and miss the actions, and why a transition plan matters more than any percentage.
Then I set you a challenge: write down your organisation's top three failures in adapting to climate change, and celebrate them. Those failures are wins.
If this sparks something, subscribe, share it with a colleague who's in the arena, and send me your three.
We’ve constantly adapted, evaluated, and listened to our stakeholders, of which you are one of them.
It’s really important to us that you are gaining insight, gathering information, and enhancing your professional life when listening to any of our Sustainability Solved podcasts.
This form has been designed with that in mind. We’re looking for help and guidance from you, our listener.
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Sustainability Solved by Will Richardson.
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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.
Sustainability Solved Survey
We’ve constantly adapted, evaluated, and listened to our stakeholders, of which you are one of them. It’s really important to us that you are gaining insight, gathering information, and enhancing your professional life when consuming information on any of our Sustainability Solved platforms. This form has been designed with that in mind. We’re looking for help and guidance from you, our friend and fellow sustainability professional.
