Ambreen Ali – Karma

E-Learning Platforms a Bright Spot Amid COVID-19’s Economic Quake

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Online learning platforms such as Skillshare and Altversity are trying to grab market share as stay-at-home orders lift demand for their programs. Investments in e-learning companies are rising while much of the global economy sputters. Edtech had been expanding amid labor market shifts and an increased need for workers to learn new skills. Mass unemployment […]

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Companies Expand Paid Sick Leave Benefits Amid Crisis

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Amid an unprecedented health crisis, one-third of America’s top employers have expanded their paid sick leave policies — in some cases offering the benefit to workers for the first time. With 24% of Americans without access to paid sick leave, the crisis presents an opportunity for companies to improve fair labor practices and for impact […]

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Impact Investing Deals Plummet in 1st-Qtr Amid Economic Lockdown

Ambreen Ali — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 10:00:18 +0000

The number of deals in impact investing was down by about half in the first quarter from a year prior, according to PitchBook. Investments plummet on economic retrenching due to pandemic-based recession Impact investors who have committed to the strategy are likely to stay the course since ESG-dominant funds frequently beat broader indexes, analysts say. […]

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COVID-19 May Wipe Out Decades of African Economic Progress

Ambreen Ali — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:00:02 +0000

COVID-19 may reverse economic progress made by African nations. Investments in Africa are likely to suffer as economies plunge into recession. Early-stage startups are particularly vulnerable as funding dries up. Africa may suffer long-term consequences due to undeveloped health systems, poor access to medical supplies, underdeveloped infrastructure and high unemployment. While COVID-19’s spread has been relatively […]

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Will Impact Investors Be Spared the Wrath of COVID-19?

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Impact investors with money in sectors such as biotech, health and communications technology may see pandemic-fueled growth. Forecasting models from a leading climate change stress-analysis firm suggest that share prices may be down as much as 38% this year from the end of 2019. While COVID-19’s long-term economic impact is uncertain, early scenario analysis suggests […]

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COVID-19 May Drive Consolidation in Faltering Micromobility Sector

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:27:34 +0000

The coronavirus is upending business in micromobility, where startups were already struggling to make shared scooters and bicycles a viable transportation option. Investors had already shied away from the sector, which saw venture-capital investment drop 63% to almost $2 billion last year from 2018, according to Pitchbook. Leaders like Lime and Bird have seen declines […]

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Plastic is Cheap, Efficient, Polluting — And Here to Stay

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 03:00:22 +0000

TAKEAWAY: Plastic is an unprecedented environmental problem and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Yet not only is plastic here to stay, it may even become more prevalent in the future. Inside a Nestlé facility in Lausanne, Switzerland, a revolution is underway. The global company that sells Pure Life water, Maggi noodles, Kit Kat […]

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A Different Social Impact: Dave’s Killer Bread, Others See Hiring Felons as Key to Boosting Bottom Line

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 02:18:32 +0000

Key Takeaway: A tight labor market and shifting cultural norms are leading more businesses to consider hiring workers with a criminal past or history of addiction. Here’s why they think more companies should do the same. When Crystal Mourlas-Jaun left prison after almost eight years, the 27-year-old needed a second chance. While her peers were […]

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Tear ‘Em Down: Neighborhoods Become Swampland As States Face Climate Risks, Coax Residents Inland

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 20:31:43 +0000

Key Takeaway: New Jersey is one of several states that, as world temperatures climb, is buying homes in flood-prone areas and leveling them to build barriers against rising sea levels and worsening storms. This has implications for communities and impact investors alike. Monique Coleman’s home on Heidelberg Avenue in Woodbridge, New Jersey, still stands on […]

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How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in the New Year

Ambreen Ali — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 20:18:21 +0000

Key Takeaway: Several startups that launched in the last year are using technology to make it simpler than ever for individuals and businesses to track and reduce their carbon footprints. Their success is riding on whether the ease of the tools will be enough to motivate action. If your new year’s resolution is to reduce […]

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