• 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 @ will.richardson@51tocarbonzero.com

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...

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!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 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...