This week the most severe heat wave ever recorded in Europe made the business case for climate resilience impossible to ignore, so I have pulled together the ten stories that matter most for business leaders and sustainability professionals.

We cover the confirmed link between climate change and Europe's record heat, the UK's new mandatory deforestation due diligence rules and what they mean for food and beverage supply chains, the MPs' vote on a new 2040 climate target, and the water-positive milestones from Microsoft and Amazon that show where corporate reporting is heading next.

I also dig into what the AI boom means for sustainability: the courtroom fight over data centre emissions, a fresh bubble warning from the Bank for International Settlements, and how AI is reshaping the advertising and creator economy at Cannes Lions.

If you work on net zero, carbon accounting or climate strategy inside a large organisation, this is your weekly briefing on what actually moves the needle. Subscribe for a new round-up every week, and if you know an enterprise organisation that would benefit from a conversation, get in touch through 51tocarbonzero.com.

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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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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/

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