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.
This online fashion outlet lets refugee women pick out clothes for free
Before the UK’s first lockdowns in March 2020, Sol Escobar had been spending her weekends volunteering at the Calais refugee camp and helping out resettled refugee families where she lives in Cambridge. Once the lockdowns began, Escobar wanted to figure out how she could continue supporting Read More...
Ikea plans to stop using plastic packaging by 2028
As the environmental burden of our excessive use of plastic packaging is regularly making headlines these days, some companies are looking to set an example by transitioning towards more sustainable packaging materials. One of the frontrunners leading this shift away from plastic is Ikea, which Read More...
Social Skate combats crime and violence in Brazil through skateboarding
A decade ago, 43-year-old skateboarder Sandro Soares, known to most as Testinha, together with his wife Leila, launched Social Skate, a charity-funded non-governmental organization that offers free skate lessons to young people in the Calmon Viana neighborhood in the city of Poa, on the outskirts Read More...
Bristol's Electric Avenue pop-up shop tackles e-waste and consumerism
A new shop in Bristol called Electric Avenue pop-up is restoring unwanted electronics before giving them away this holiday season. Bristol’s residents can bring all types of items such as lamps, keyboards, and kitchen appliances to be cleaned, repaired, safety checked, and most importantly, Read More...
Happy Holidays: A gift list from The Optimist Daily
“True giving from the heart is an expression of love.” Cara Stein With the holiday season in full swing, it can be difficult to navigate gifting in a way that celebrates loved ones while upholding our environmental and ethical values. Choosing gifts that are thoughtful, sustainable, and Read More...
The formerly incarcerated find employment and community at Down North Pizza
Philadelphia's Down North Pizza is famous for its Detroit-style square pies and secret, smoky tomato sauce, but back in the kitchen, the restaurant is doing more than just churning out great pizza. It’s also offering employment opportunities for the formerly incarcerated. Philadelphia has Read More...
Bread and Roses uses floristry to empower refugee women in London
Rebuilding a life in a foreign country as a refugee is not an easy task. This is especially true for women, who often face more barriers than men as they are less likely to have had formal work experience and are not able to consistently attend language classes because of child-rearing obligations Read More...
Community school model gaining traction in Los Angeles Unified School District
Following a teachers’ strike in 2019, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUDS) has approved funding to turn 30 schools into community schools to better meet the needs of teachers, students, and their families. According to LAUSD, “This approach evolves the school site into a hub for Read More...
Target will no longer open its doors on Thanksgiving
During the pandemic, retail giant Target made the choice to move up the start day of holiday sales in order to limit the number of shoppers in its stores during the Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping rush, but it turns out this move has resulted in another positive outcome in addition to Read More...
How these 3 apps are tackling food waste in Canada
Anyone who works in the restaurant, catering, or supermarket industry will know that food waste is a gigantic problem. Too often, day-old baked goods and food items that have sat on the shelves beyond their expiry date are disposed of and end up in the trash. According to this 2019 report by the Read More...