Business
Looking for positive and inspiring business stories? From green operations to employee rights, from innovative corporate structures to diversity and inclusion, the Business section at The Optimist Daily has got the latest innovative solutions from the corporate sector.
Patagonia stores closed on Election Day to get voters to the polls
Eco-friendly outdoor retailer Patagonia is encouraging citizens to get out and vote today by closing all its US-based stores. The retailer’s deed is part of a Time to Vote campaign supported by a number of major US companies that have made efforts to provide employees with enough time to Read More...
General Motors is adding electric bikes to their line of products
As part of its goal to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions, General Motors will start selling its own electric bikes as soon as 2019. The car company is introducing two models, one foldable and one compact, which are designed for urban commuting. The electric assist on the bike will Read More...
This researcher rode 5,000 miles with Uber to understand the gig economy
If you’re a frequent passenger of Lyft or Uber, there’s a good chance you’ve met your fair share of drivers. But probably not as many as Alex Rosenblat, an ethnographer and researcher at Data & Society, a nonprofit in New York that studies the social and cultural issues created by new Read More...
Startup company unveils a new recyclable fuel based on water
An Australian-Israeli electric vehicle startup has introduced a new type of recyclable fuel based on water. The fuel produces hydrogen on demand that is then converted into electricity. According to the company, the new fuel is more efficient, safer, and cleaner than other technologies such as Read More...
Uber introduces an Amazon Prime-style monthly subscription service
Uber has a new plan to lock customers into its transportation ecosystem while also expanding the list of services it offers ahead of an expected public offering in 2019. It’s called Ride Pass, and it’s Uber’s attempt at an Amazon Prime-style subscription Read More...
Company in Spain turns sewage into zero-carbon fuel
A Spanish company, Ingelia, has managed to develop biochar from organic waste, such as sewage and compost, that could potentially become a sustainable alternative to standard coal used in energy production. Despite having the same potential energy production as standard coal, this newfound fuel has Read More...
This beauty brand wants to cure the industry’s packaging addiction
The $445 billion beauty industry is blowing up, with new products flooding the market every day. To stand out on Sephora or Walgreen aisles, brands have resorted to more and more dramatic Read More...
The freelance economy is booming in African countries
Modern technology is allowing African countries to embrace a rising wave of informal employment in the shape of short-term, freelance work. Digital platforms are making it easier and more efficient for working people across Africa to engage in flexible jobs like ride-share services, e-commerce Read More...
The clothing industry harms the planet. What can fashion students do?
When Amy McCranor got her first job in fashion, she didn’t like what she saw. During a trial period at an e-commerce fashion brand, she witnessed a rapid turnover of unhappy staff, garments were sewn with competitors’ labels entered into the inventory, and stock priced at impossibly low Read More...
How buying coffee helps get homeless people off the streets in the UK
For those commuters traveling on Virgin Trains, the coffee now comes courtesy of a special social enterprise project called Change Please. Any money raised is helping homeless people to get off the streets and into work through mobile coffee Read More...