In this episode of StreetsTalksTo, Julia Streets is joined by Sam Duncan, Founder and CEO of Net Purpose, to discuss the critical evolution of sustainable capitalism. Following Net Purpose's landmark acquisition of the Sustainable Development Investments Asset Owner Platform (SDI AOP), the conversation explores how granular data and standardised classification are moving sustainability from a niche reporting requirement to a core pillar of financial materiality and fiduciary duty.
Strategic Consolidation for Market Clarity: Net Purpose's acquisition of the SDI AOP signifies a major consolidation in the ESG data landscape. By joining forces with a platform founded by four of the world's largest asset allocators (including APG and AustralianSuper), Net Purpose is streamlining methodologies to provide investors with a "single source of truth" for mapping corporate performance against UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) and Workflow Integration: Net Purpose is pivoting the sustainability conversation toward technical ease and scalability. Throughout 2026, the firm is prioritising the launch of integrated datasets, starting with the high-impact energy sector, delivered via API and major platform integrations. This enables investment managers and CFOs to treat social and environmental metrics with the same rigor and workflow efficiency as traditional financial returns.
The Rise of the "Sustainability Improver": The discussion focuses on the pragmatic shift in regulation, specifically the UK's SDR (Sustainability Disclosure Requirements) and highlights the importance of the "improvers" category, noting that while only a small fraction of the market is currently 100% sustainable, the greatest opportunity for capital allocation lies in supporting the 80% of businesses currently "in transition."
