Third Economy
Third Economy is a boutique sustainable investment consultancy that advises corporations on ESG disclosure and regulatory readiness and serves institutional investors as an outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office, via its proprietary VIA3 Framework.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Third Economy does
Third Economy, Inc. is a privately-held sustainable investment research and consulting firm founded in 2018 and headquartered at 370 7th St, San Francisco, California. The firm operates as a boutique consultancy serving two distinct client categories: corporations requiring governance, sustainability program development, and regulatory disclosure readiness, and institutional investors (asset managers, fund managers) seeking outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office (CSIO) capabilities, ESG policy development, and portfolio sustainability assessment.
The company's core analytical product is the proprietary VIA3 Framework, a registered brand identity that evaluates sustainability across five dimensions — Values, Impact, Analysis, Alignment, and Activism — using a 100-point scale with Strong, Moderate, or Minor ratings. VIA3 is applied both in corporate advisory engagements and in published mutual fund/ETF case study research covering Global Equity (MSCI ACWI), International Equity (MSCI EAFE), U.S. Large Cap Growth (Russell 1000 Growth), and U.S. Large Cap (S&P 500) categories. The firm does not offer a software platform or SaaS product; advisory engagements are scoped on a project-by-project basis and span frameworks including IFRS, TCFD, SBTi, GRI, CDP, EcoVadis, GRESB, and PRI, alongside regulation-readiness work for CA SB 253/261, EU CSRD, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regimes.
Third Economy monetizes through professional services fees, working with named enterprise clients including GlobalLogic (technology), Taylor Morrison (homebuilding), Premier Inc. (government services), a global life sciences company, AIM (impact investing), and Broadridge Investor Communications Solutions. Its go-to-market is senior-partner-led direct consulting engagement combined with thought leadership through the 3ECON Insights newsletter, webinars, industry events (NIRI, NACD, Broadridge ESG forums), and strategic partnerships with Broadridge, ImpactARC, InspIR, Novisto, TUV, and others. Geographic reach extends across North America, Latin America, and Europe, with ownership concentrated among founders, partners, and a four-person Board of Directors.
Third Economy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Third Economy
- Legal name
- Third Economy, Inc.
- Website
- https://thirdeconomy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Third Economy is a boutique sustainable investment consultancy that advises corporations on ESG disclosure and regulatory readiness and serves institutional investors as an outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office, via its proprietary VIA3 Framework.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Third Economy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainability & ESG Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory (BPAHAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ), ESG & Sustainability Research (FSACAGAH)
Keywords
Where Third Economy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Third Economy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Corporate Sustainability Consulting: Advisory services for companies to strengthen governance, sustainability programs, and disclosure practices. Services include regulatory readiness support (CA SB 253, CSRD, EPR), standards and frameworks implementation (IFRS, TCFD, SBTi, GRI, CDP, EcoVadis, GRESB, PRI), ratings support, and greenhouse gas emissions measurement.
- Institutional Investor ESG Services: Outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office (CSIO) services for asset managers including portfolio sustainability assessment using VIA3 framework, ESG policy development, investment stewardship programs, and strategic positioning with beneficiaries and clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Third Economy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Third Economy is a sustainable investment research and consulting firm that advises companies and institutional investors on governance, sustainability disclosure, and ESG strategy. Its offerings span Corporate Services (regulatory readiness, framework alignment, ratings support, sustainability reporting), Investor Services (acting as an outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office for asset managers), and the proprietary VIA3 Framework for sustainability evaluation. Services are delivered through customized consulting engagements scoped on a project-by-project basis.
Product overview
Third Economy is a sustainable investment research and consulting firm offering professional services to corporations and institutional investors. The company's core offerings include Corporate Services (governance and sustainability advisory), Investor Services (acting as an outsourced CSIO for asset managers), and the proprietary VIA3 Framework for sustainability ratings. The VIA3 Framework is their flagship analytical product, assessing sustainability across five criteria (Values, Impact, Analysis, Alignment, Activism) on a 100-point scale. Supporting these are Regulation Readiness Services for navigating disclosure requirements, and Featured Insights for ongoing research and thought leadership. The firm does not offer a software platform or SaaS product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- VIA3: Third Economy's proprietary sustainability evaluation framework that assesses five key criteria: Values, Impact, Analysis, Alignment, and Activism. It provides a decision-making tool beyond traditional ESG to help investors evaluate and select sustainable investment products.
Products and services
- Corporate Services Corporate governance and sustainability advisory services for companies seeking to build practical sustainability programs that support compliance, strengthen disclosure, and earn stakeholder confidence. Includes regulatory readiness, alignment with standards and frameworks (IFRS, TCFD, SBTi, GRI, CDP, EcoVadis, GRESB, PRI), ratings support, and sustainability reporting for public and private companies.
- Investor Services ESG services for institutional investors and asset managers, functioning as an outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office (CSIO). Includes portfolio sustainability assessment using the VIA3 framework, ESG policy development, investment stewardship program design, strategic positioning with beneficiaries and clients, and portfolio GHG emissions calculation.
- VIA3 Framework Proprietary sustainability ratings framework that defines sustainability across five key aspects (Values, Impact, Analysis, Alignment, Activism) and produces a 100-point scale assessment with ratings of Strong, Moderate, or Minor support of sustainability principles. Used to help investors evaluate and compare sustainable investment products beyond traditional ESG metrics.
- Regulation Readiness Services Advisory services helping companies navigate evolving sustainability disclosure requirements, including California SB 253 and SB 261, EU CSRD, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, and other emerging regulatory frameworks. Supports scope assessment, emissions inventory work, and reporting planning for in-scope companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- GlobalLogic attributed higher IPO valuation partly to their ESG story developed with 3ECON guidance
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Third Economy
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Third Economy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Third Economy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ImpactARCcorePartnership announced in October 2021 to combine expertise in sustainability ratings and impact measurement, enhancing VIA3 framework capabilities and market reach.
- Broadridge Investor Communications SolutionscoreLong-standing relationship spanning 12 years. Broadridge President Bob Schifellite noted working with Third Economy to assess investors' evolving needs for proxy voting services. Multiple co-hosted webinars and events on ESG and governance topics.
- InspIR (Investor Relations)minorPartnership for integrating investor relations and ESG to maximize value. Co-hosted webinar on setting ESG priorities.
- Sustainability NextminorPartner organization focused on sustainability content and education.
- HXE PartnersminorPartnership for sustainable investment consulting and advisory services.
- FP Financial ProfilesminorFinancial planning and profiles partner for integrated sustainability and financial advisory services.
- AIC ImpactminorImpact investing focused partner organization.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Third Economy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MSCI ESG Research: MSCI ESG Research produces sustainability ratings and climate data consumed by asset managers globally, and also supports corporates on ratings performance — competing with VIA3 on investor-side sustainability research and benchmarking.
- S&P Global Sustainable1: S&P Global Sustainable1 provides ESG ratings, climate data, and sustainable investment research to corporates and investors — overlapping directly with Third Economy's VIA3 ratings research and Corporate/Investor Services, but as part of a much larger data and index business.
- ISS ESG: ISS ESG provides ESG ratings, climate and impact analytics, and stewardship advisory services to asset managers and asset owners — directly comparable to Third Economy's Institutional Investor Services / outsourced CSIO offering and proxy-voting-adjacent work with Broadridge.
- Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection, and certification firm with a substantial sustainability assurance and advisory practice — competing with Third Economy on ESG disclosure assurance, regulatory readiness, and ratings support for enterprise clients.
Direct peers
- South Pole Group: South Pole is a global sustainability solutions provider advising corporates and investors on climate strategy, ESG disclosure, and sustainable finance — a comparable dual-sided advisory model with similar boutique-to-mid-market positioning.
- Pure Strategies: Pure Strategies is a boutique sustainability consultancy that helps companies develop ESG programs, conduct materiality assessments, and report on sustainability — closely comparable to Third Economy's Corporate Services offering in scope, scale, and target customer profile.
- ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a global pure-play sustainability and ESG consulting firm advising corporates and financial institutions on disclosure, climate strategy, and ratings — operating the same dual-sided corporate/investor advisory model that Third Economy pursues, with far broader headcount and reach.
Emerging players
- Watershed: Watershed is a climate accounting and GHG measurement platform used by enterprises to calculate Scope 1/2/3 emissions — directly adjacent to Third Economy's emissions inventory and CA SB 253 readiness services, where Third Economy currently relies on manual consulting rather than software.
- Workiva: Workiva provides a sustainability and ESG reporting platform used by many of the same enterprise companies (and partners like Broadridge) that Third Economy advises — adjacent rather than directly competitive, but increasingly relevant to disclosure workflows Third Economy helps clients scope.
Others
- Novisto: Novisto is an ESG data management platform co-marketed with Third Economy through joint events and webinars — an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but addressing overlapping corporate sustainability management use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Third Economy social profiles
Digital presenceThird Economy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Third Economy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Third Economy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Third Economy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Third Economy
What does Third Economy do?
Third Economy is a sustainable investment research and consulting firm that advises companies and institutional investors on governance, sustainability disclosure, and ESG strategy. Its offerings span Corporate Services (regulatory readiness, framework alignment, ratings support, sustainability reporting), Investor Services (acting as an outsourced Chief Sustainable Investment Office for asset managers), and the proprietary VIA3 Framework for sustainability evaluation. Services are delivered through customized consulting engagements scoped on a project-by-project basis.
Is Third Economy a public or private company?
Third Economy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Third Economy founded?
Third Economy was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Third Economy based?
Third Economy is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Third Economy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Corporate Sustainability Consulting is the primary driver. The others are institutional Investor ESG Services.
Who are Third Economy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MSCI ESG Research, S&P Global Sustainable1, ISS ESG and Bureau Veritas. Direct peers are South Pole Group, Pure Strategies and ERM (Environmental Resources Management). Emerging players are Watershed and Workiva. Novisto is listed as an others.
Does Third Economy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Third Economy.
What industry is Third Economy in?
Third Economy's product category is Sustainability & ESG Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAFAJ, ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory, with a secondary code of FSAEAAAJ, ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.