GOOD
Business

Bernie Sanders says he'll ban police using facial recognition software

"IMG_0846" by Adrienne Campbell is licensed under CC BY 2.0

In an effort to avoid a dystopian sci-fi future where Artificial Intelligence knows pretty much everything about you, and a team of cops led by Tom Cruise run around arresting people for crimes they did not commit because of bad predictive analysis; Bernie Sanders and other Democratic candidates have some proposals on how we can stop it.

Keep Reading Show less
police technology politics
Culture

CEOs from nearly 200 companies say shareholder value is no longer their top priority

Nearly 200 CEOs from the country's largest companies announced Monday that shareholder value is no longer their top priority, instead placing a greater focus on an "economy that serves all Americans."

In a statement on "The Purpose of a Corporation" by Business Roundtable — a group made up of more than 180 leaders from companies including Apple, Amazon, Walmart, Pepsi, and more — the executives said they share "a fundamental commitment to all of our stakeholders."

"Americans deserve an economy that allows each person to succeed through hard work and creativity and to lead a life of meaning and dignity. We believe the free-market system is the best means of generating good jobs, a strong and sustainable economy, innovation, a healthy environment and economic opportunity for all," the statement reads.

Over the last 40 years, the group has issued various documents on the principles of corporate governance, with an emphasis on serving shareholders and maximizing profits, but this new statement supersedes that notion, setting the standard for modern corporate responsibility.

"The American dream is alive, but fraying," Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Chairman of Business Roundtable, said in a statement. "Major employers are investing in their workers and communities because they know it is the only way to be successful over the long term. These modernized principles reflect the business community's unwavering commitment to continue to push for an economy that serves all Americans."

Alex Gorsky, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson, mirrored those sentiments, saying the statement "reflects the way corporations can and should operate."

Tricia Griffith, President and CEO of Progressive Corporation, said that the best-run companies "do more" than simply generate profit for shareholders by investing in their employees and communities and putting the customer first. "it's the most promising way to build long-term value," she added.

While the goals of the statement are admirable, critics are highly skeptical of the corporations' motives and doubtful they'll actually follow through.

Keep Reading Show less
business corporations ceos
Business

West Virginia coal miners are getting retrained as beekeepers to boost the economy and the environment

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Coal mining is on the decline, leaving many coal miners in West Virginia without jobs. The Mine Safety and Health Administration says there are about 55,000 positions, and just 13,000 of those jobs are in West Virginia. The dwindling amount of work is leaving some struggling to make a living, but the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective is giving those coal miners a way to find new jobs and make a supplemental income as coal mining diminishes.

The Appalachian Beekeeping Collective trains coal miners and other low-income residents in mining communities to keep bees. Some coal miners are getting retrained to work in the tech industry, however beekeeping allows coal miners to continue to work in a job that requires a similar skill set. "The older folks want to get back to work, but mining is never going to be like it was in the '60s and '70s, and there is nothing to fall back on, no other big industries here, so all of these folks need retraining," former coal miner James Scyphers told NPR. "Beekeeping is hands-on work, like mining, and requires on-the-job training. You need a good work ethic for both."

Keep Reading Show less
beekeeping coal miners environment
Business