If you’re building a sustainability business or you’re a CFO who just got a net zero quote that made your eyes water I need nine minutes of your time.

Because I’m about to show you exactly why genuine climate work costs what it costs, and what happens to a business that refuses to charge for it.

I know, because that business was mine.

I built a sustainability consultancy to over a million pounds in annual revenue. Profitable. Growing. Real product-market fit. And I lost it. My family went into debt to keep it alive not because we were bad at the work, we were very good at it but because the market won’t pay what real climate action actually costs.

Stay with me, because by the end of this you’ll understand something most people in this industry only learn the hard way: the real price of net zero, and the one mistake that quietly kills good sustainability businesses. I made that mistake for twenty years. I’ll show you exactly where it cost me.

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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contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data.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

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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.

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