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.
Belgium's "right to disconnect" protects workers from burnout
In November of last year, we shared a story about how Portugal has made it illegal for employers to contact workers outside of working hours in an effort to encourage a healthier work-life balance. Now, Belgium’s Minister of Civil Service Petra De Sutter has introduced a similar law for the Read More...
Tennessee beauticians are trained to identify victims of domestic abuse
A law in Tennessee harnesses the unique position of beauty professionals to help identify victims of domestic abuse. The law, which was enforced on the first day of 2022, requires hairstylists and barbers to go through a free training program that will teach them how to look for signs that their Read More...
Bolt is the latest tech company to implement a 4-day workweek
In 2021, we’ve seen growing interest in the idea of a four-day workweek, with the governments of Spain, New Zealand, and Singapore openly considering adopting the idea and moving away from the traditional 40-hour working week. Companies across the world have also started showing more interest in Read More...
Did you know that volunteering is good for your health?
Volunteering is a great way to have a positive impact while connecting to your community, but did you know that volunteering is actually good for you? Today we share four ways in which giving back to your community also gives back to your health and wellbeing. Physical and mental health Read More...
This app rewards local shoppers and encourages community building
The city of Akron, Ohio, launched a program designed to help support the local businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic and encourage a more circular economy. The program rewards shoppers for shopping locally through a city-sponsored app called Akronite, from which shoppers receive Read More...
The human library lets people break down prejudice through conversation
Libraries are great resources for learning and these days when you visit a library, your options aren’t limited to printed text — you can borrow movies, audiobooks… and even humans. That’s right, the concept of borrowing an actual human being to talk to about a plethora of topics is on Read More...
ENLACE uses telenovelas to amplify the voices of queer Latinx youth
Navigating adolescence in itself is a gargantuan hurdle that takes a physical, mental, and emotional toll on budding adults. During this time, queer Latinx youth may find themselves at particularly trying crossroads of isolation and discrimination. According to a 2019 focus group conducted by Read More...
Meet the Sioux Chef who’s putting Native American foods on the menu
Isn’t it ironic that when we think of American cuisine, we rarely, if ever, think of Native American dishes? Sean Sherman, who goes by “The Sioux Chef,” is on a mission to reverse how colonization has erased Native American food from the menu, and instead give it a space to shine. Sherman Read More...
Government lifts ban on federal student aid for incarcerated individuals
Federal student aid, including the Pell grant, is a valuable resource for students pursuing higher education, but since 1994, these funds have been unavailable to incarcerated individuals. Last month, the federal government finally lifted the ban on federal student aid for incarcerated individuals, Read More...
8 Trends from 2021 We’ll Carry to the New Year
“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” - Hal Borland It’s the time of year for reflections and projections as we take stock of all that has happened over the last twelve months and peer with hopeful curiosity Read More...