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.
Study: Diverse corporate boards see lower risk and high return on equity
Earlier this year, we wrote an Optimist View about the value of investing in diversity. Now, there’s even more research to back the benefits of inclusion. A new report by BofA Global Research found that S&P 500 companies that are more diverse and inclusive see better performance and lower Read More...
IKEA’s buy back and resell program has launched in select US stores
Last year, Swedish furniture company IKEA announced plans to launch a “Buy Back & Resell” program as part of their plan to reduce waste and become carbon neutral by 2020. After successful trials of the buy-back program in Europe, the sustainable initiative is officially coming to select US Read More...
This thrift store provides clothing specifically for the transgender community
Jacob Nash was inspired to open his thrift store, Margie’s Closet after a good friend asked if he knew anywhere they could donate clothes specifically for the transgender community. Realizing such a place didn’t exist, Nash started one of his own. Located in Ohio, Margie’s Closet is the Read More...
For Gen Z, climate careers are the clear path to success
For many Gen Z students contemplating their future careers, the answer is clear: addressing the climate crisis. Multiple surveys have found that overwhelming numbers of students and professionals under 25 are pursuing environmental-related degrees and careers. This shift in career aspirations Read More...
3 Strategies to dodge remote work burnout
The pandemic has forced many of us to adjust to working remotely, which has its benefits, but also comes with its unique obstacles. One of the most obvious is the lack of physical delineation between personal and professional life, which hinders workers from effectively separating themselves Read More...
World’s largest four-day workweek trial is an “overwhelming success”
The idea of implementing a four-day workweek is gaining momentum. Over the course of the past years, we’ve seen the governments of New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain openly considering introducing the concept — which not only has wide-ranging benefits for productivity and mental health, but also Read More...
These Minnesota solar farms go beyond green energy production
Global renewables company Enel Green Power has installed 16 solar farms across Minnesota, but their arrays look a little different than others you find across the US. Instead of bare earth or gravel beneath the panels, you can find pollinator-friendly plants and grazing sheep. Recognizing the Read More...
Small things can make a huge difference for mothers with depression
Mental illness is not only hard for the sufferer but can also impact surrounding family and friends. This is especially true for the children of mothers that experience depression. Research has been found that children in this position not only are more likely to gain mental health problems Read More...
Canadian couple donates old growth grizzly habitat to conservation group
The Snowshoe Creek Conservation Area has officially been established in British Columbia following a 122-hectare land donation from Harvey and Carol Thommasen. The land parcel is located near Bella Coola and is part of the Nuxalk Nation's traditional unceded territory. Harvey and Carol Thommasen Read More...
Study: Arts programs can help increase social engagement among youth
While participating in arts programs has obvious benefits on someone’s creative potential, the positive effects of engaging with art go beyond enhancing one’s creativity and self-expression. In fact, a recent study from New York University Steinhardt has found that being part of an art program Read More...