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.
Craze for KFC's meatless chicken shows meteoric rise of plant-based meat in 2019
A story about KFC as the top food story of 2019? Yes. Why? Because it is a testament to how the plant-based meat market exploded this year. Whereas a couple of years ago it would have been crazy to think that KFC, McDonald's, or any traditional fast-food chain would offer meatless meat, this year Read More...
Google to donate 100,000 smart speakers to people with paralysis
While smart speakers have made a lot of people’s homes more comfortable, for people with disabilities these state-of-the-art gadgets can be life-changing. The hands-free, intuitive nature of this technology allows people to control light switches, thermostats, locks and more with just their Read More...
This high-end Spanish restaurant is run entirely by people with disabilities
In the southern Spanish city of Jerez, a beautiful, modern restaurant exists where even the people behind the Michelin firmament have been known to dine. But that’s not what makes this restaurant particularly special. What makes it so unique is that the entire staff is made up of people with Read More...
How Dave’s Killer Bread is baking up opportunity by employing ex-convicts
After serving 15 years in prison, Dave Dahl and his brother, Glenn, went to work in their parents’ bakery with two goals - great bread and employment opportunities for ex-convicts. The company, which claims one-third of its workforce is comprised of ex-convicts, began their “Killer Bread” Read More...
Singapore installs creative displays to engage its inhabitants with sustainability
While changing people’s behaviors towards greener living habits is an essential step in the fight against the climate crisis, it is also a difficult one. But one possible way to nudge them towards making more sustainable choices is by simply exposing them to these possibilities. At least Read More...
Giant Goldman Sachs will invest $750bn into climate action over next decade
As the private sector is slowly coming to its senses about the urgent need to address climate change, one of Wall Street’s major investment banks has recently revealed its plan to further bring this urgency to the fore. Over the weekend, financial behemoth Goldman Sachs announced its plans to Read More...
This startup wants to turn your garage or backyard into a tiny housing unit
To solve LA’s massive shortage of housing, a new startup is helping people take advantage of the county’s 250,000 underused two-car garages (and its hundreds of thousands of backyards). The startup, United Dwelling, helps homeowners to build a new apartment or living space on their property for Read More...
Tackling the gender wage gap in the gig economy
The global economy is changing. Last week we ran a story about making the most of your job in the gig economy, but how does the rapidly growing gig economy pan out for women? Unfortunately, while the national wage gap hovers around $10,000 per year, a recent analysis found the average female Read More...
Businesses and consumers are pushing for real action at Madrid Climate Summit
While political leaders met this week in Madrid for more negotiations on the 2015 Climate Agreement, some business leaders are arguing that changes aren’t happening fast enough. That's why some companies are taking on roles as the unlikely climate leaders of the future as they recognize that Read More...
A Stanford graduate is on a quest to rid the world of dirt floors
The idea of living on a floor made of dirt may seem completely alien to you, but for more than a billion people in the world, living in homes with dirt floors is the norm. And that’s a problem. Dirt floors are unsanitary and can make people sick, often playing host to bugs such as termites and Read More...