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.
How Lush Cosmetics embodies the spirit of the circular economy
When Lush Cosmetics began in Poole, England in 1995, they didn’t have the resources for fancy wrappings, so they would hand-pour soap into upcycled drain pipes or lunch pails and then cut slices for customers to order. Now, almost 30 years later, the brand is highly successful, but they have Read More...
Demand for community supported agriculture has never been higher
Recently, we’ve highlighted the rise of microgrid food systems and the movement towards buying local to address the resiliency challenges of COVID-19. Farm to table community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs are another aspect of local economies thriving as the pandemic disrupts distribution Read More...
Work from home is here to stay for this Fortune 100 company
Is working from home driving you nuts, or are you someone who is thriving taking morning meetings on the couch? For one Fortune 100 company, working from home is going so well that they plan to keep doing it, even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Nationwide, the privately-held insurance Read More...
This coffee company protects the rainforest and promotes education
When Gorongosa Coffee launched in 2015, its goal was to restore the rainforest of Mozambique’s Mount Gorongosa region that had been ravaged by a 17-year civil war and institute sustainable farming methods for locals to support their families and their communities. Now, the company is turning its Read More...
NYC hospital staff given vacations as gift for tirelessly fighting COVID-19
As a sign of appreciation for their hard work and commitment, thousands of employees at a hospital in the epicenter of America’s fight against the coronavirus will receive free vacations--though it's really hard to call those vacations "free" considering all that these health workers have been Read More...
Nike donates 30,000 shoes to healthcare workers fighting the pandemic
While healthcare workers are generally always operating in high gear to save lives, the pressure and intensity of their jobs have increased dramatically with the coronavirus pandemic. In a sign of appreciation of their superhero efforts, sportswear company Nike is donating 30,000 pairs of shoes Read More...
An app for sports fans is now helping food banks feed the hungry
If you’re going to an NFL game and want to know where to park or where to find concessions, Agustin Gonzalez’s company Paranoid Fan can find those points of interest in real-time. If you want to stay in your seat and have a hot dog delivered to you, Paranoid Fan can make that happen too. It Read More...
Navigating the job market during COVID-19 as a recent grad
Monday, on our Optimist Daily Update podcast, we discussed the implications for the class of 2020 as they graduate in the world of COVID-19. Graduating during the uncertain social and economic conditions of a pandemic is difficult, but these tips will help you with your job search. Look Read More...
Coronavirus has brought “local” back into the spotlight
You might imagine the post-pandemic world as being one where humanity is left picking up the shattered pieces just to glue them back to the state they were before, but that won’t necessarily be the case. While the crisis has turned many aspects of our society upside down, it has also greased some Read More...
How to reopen our economies to work for people and the planet
A few weeks ago we shared a story about how Amsterdam is adopting a more sustainable doughnut model economy. Restarting our economies after COVID-19 gives us the unique opportunity to institute more sustainable and equitable economic policies. Here are some economic changes we can implement to help Read More...