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.
Why Bill Gates is betting big on reinventing the toilet
Bill Gates believes that reinventing the toilet can not only save half a million lives, but it can also save $200 billion-plus annually in costs linked to diarrhea and other diseases caused by poor sanitation. Gates is so convinced that his foundation has already spent $200 million over the past Read More...
Uber is going to triple its Uber Eats staff across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
The company has said it plans to add an additional 600 Uber Eats staff across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East in an attempt to better take on rival food delivery services such as Just Eat and Deliveroo, reports Bloomberg. A tripling of its staff would mean that Uber will employ 900 people in Read More...
This firm employs Kenyans below the poverty line to create data for AI
San Francisco-based company Samasource is employing impoverished Kenyans to create data that’s later used by high-level tech firms. Each day, the employees—75 percent of whom come from the slums—annotate images so that automated driving systems can “recognize” objects in the real world. Read More...
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...