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.
Healthier way of cooking coming to the developing world
Every year 4.3 million people die prematurely from illnesses caused by indoor air pollution. One third of the global population burns solid material for heating and cooking—the byproduct of this is toxic smoke inhaled by the home’s inhabitants. GreenChar is an initiative that just launched in Read More...
PayPal advances bitcoin integration
Should we take the bitcoin seriously? Well, PayPal is doing just that. A few weeks ago PayPal already said that it would accept bitcoins as payment on its Braintree platform—Braintree is an online payment system. Now PayPal has announced its customers will be able to use bitcoins to pay for Read More...
Minimum wage raised in Cambodia
Last week thousands of garment workers took to the streets of Phnom Penh to protest their low wages. While too often the voices of wage laborers go unheard, eight major garment producers announced they are willing to pay more for clothes made in Cambodia. Companies including H&M, Newlook and Read More...
Five major palm oil producers switch to sustainable model
Five major palm oil producers announced they will switch to a more sustainable business model. The announcement comes a week after receiving a letter from Green Century Capital Management, an environmental advocacy group with assets clearing $600 billion, urging the companies to make the switch. Read More...
Coal India bets on solar
Coal India Ltd. is considering investing $1.2 billion in solar energy projects to offset carbon emissions. Coal India Ltd. is the biggest coal producer and hopes that the clean energy investment will help clean its slightly tarnished name after the Indian coal and power minister Piyush Goyal called Read More...
New certification grades companies on gender equality
Thanks to certifications like fair-trade and LEED standards, we can support businesses that care about sustainability. But how do we know if a company offers men and women equal opportunities? A new certification, EDGE, rates companies based on how gender-equal their workplace is. Edge takes into Read More...
Public health intrinsically related to job creation
Waiting in a coffee shop for Nicolas Hazard I see him approach the front door, passing a few homeless people on the way in—the very individuals Hazard is going to help. Hazard is the president of the newly formed CALSO, a social enterprise that tackles healthcare issues through job creation. Seem Read More...
PayPal now supports bitcoin
The very name ‘cryptocurrency’ evokes images of shadowy figures sitting behind computers transferring money that for some reason can’t be done through traditional means. While bitcoins are still a fringe form of currency, PayPal has announced that it now accepts bitcoins on its Braintree Read More...
Unusual job titles reduce employee stress
Positions like Chief Happiness Officer, or Manager of First Impressions, may be initially written off as tongue-n-cheek workplace jokes, but a recent study published in the Academy of Management Journal has found emotional benefits can go along with wacky titles. The study looked at the Midwest Read More...
Should meditation be mandatory?
More and more businesses and managers are becoming interested in meditation. The word no longer conjures images of vagueness or flakiness, but is increasingly seen as a practical method for stress reduction. And that’s hardly a luxury in our seemingly ever turbulent modern world. R.W. “Buck” Read More...