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.
3 ways gratitude makes good business sense
Jim Schwartz, a former boss of mine in the fashion industry who is now president of Mast Industries, used to remind us to "Keep your eye on the donut, not the hole!". Thanksgiving Day helps us to pause and reflect on all that there is in front of us, instead of focusing on what "woulda, shoulda and Read More...
How Google is embracing team work and workplace wellness
Google coddles its employees with free food, massages and other lavish perks, yet some of its best engineers still grouse about their jobs and bosses as they struggle to get assignments done. The Internet company tackled the puzzling problem with a study that concluded how teams work together is Read More...
How Steve Jobs trained his own brain
Steve Jobs is one of the two or three greatest icons of high tech, rivaled only by Bill Gates and perhaps Mark Zuckerberg. He's mostly known for his legendary ability to create innovative, groundbreaking products. What's less known, though, is that Steve Jobs was a pioneer in what was once a rather Read More...
Walmart sustainability at 10: The birth of a notion
It’s been 10 years since Walmart set out on its quest to become a leader in sustainability, beginning with three bold, aspirational goals. On Oct. 23, 2005, Lee Scott, at the time CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., spoke from the auditorium of the company’s Home Office in Bentonville, Ark., Read More...
Airbnb helps Paris attack victims' families find free places to stay
Facebook isn't the only internet giant offering a helping hand in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks. Airbnb has launched a portal that helps anyone affected by the attacks find (or offer) a free place to stay. If you're determined to meet with a family member or got stuck in the city during Read More...
Here's what a solidarity economy looks like
Defining the term “solidarity economy” can be difficult: it has become a kind of catch-all to describe everything from worker-owned cooperatives to open source software to complementary currencies. Surprisingly, the ideas promoted in the solidarity economy aren't very well known in the Read More...
Why doing good makes for good business
There are many ways of achieving social impact, and many ways that people organize themselves to do so. Sometimes this is through informal associations, like community groups; sometimes it’s through more formal ventures, such as charities and cooperatives. Increasingly, there’s a third Read More...
Shell launches carbon capture project to take massive amounts of CO2 out of the air
Wind, sun, biomass, geothermal, there are so many exciting and promising alternative energy sources that represent our future—hopefully cleaner—planet. Many people don't associate fossil fuel giant Shell with this future. However, while Shell will continue doing its part and contribute to Read More...
Eco-Innovator Ellen MacArthur partners with H&M to recycle clothes
While attempting to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe 11 years ago, British sailing champion Ellen MacArthur had plenty of time to think. Sure, she probably considered how success might lead to being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II – and how she’d have to reprint her Read More...
San Francisco votes against limiting Airbnb: Victory for sharing economy
While votes are still being counted, it looks like San Francisco has voted down Proposition F, which would place new limits on short-term rentals like Airbnb. The vote was closely watched as it may have inspired other places around the world to protect the hotel industry had the people of San Read More...