Despite growing complexities and disruptions, these companies continue to show signs of sustained strength. A new report shows that despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s unprecedented disruption, 93% of Global Lighthouse Network factories achieved an increase in product output and found new revenue streams.
They are achieving this by realizing productivity improvements, gaining market share, putting customers first and ushering in a cleaner future. These gains are being made with little to no capital expenditure and the forerunners are discovering that growth need not come at the expense of environmental responsibility. In fact, the opposite is taking place: productivity improvements often drive resource efficiency gains and are tied to environmentally-conscious impact.
Whilst many of us will be watching more TV during the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown these programmes may be good for our mental health.
Whilst binge-watching is not recommended, TV shows that make us laugh or feel positive emotions can counteract negative feelings.
Finding ways to stay positive and happy is vital write two psychologists.
It’s easy to feel guilty when you’re lazing around in front of the TV in your pyjamas, eating ice cream straight out of the tub. But it’s not an unusual activity in lockdown. The extended nature of the pandemic has turned attention to the impact that it is having on our collective mental health.
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now passed 120.7 million globally, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The number of confirmed deaths stands at more than 2.67 million. More than 381.34 million vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.
Russia s COVID-19 vaccines have proven effective against new variants of the coronavirus in trials, a scientist with Moscow’s consumer regulator said yesterday.
Brazil s economy created more than a quarter of million formal jobs in January, official figures showed on Tuesday. These were the strongest figures for January since comparable records began in 1992 - although pre-date a further wave of the pandemic that s struck the country. The news came as Brazil reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths yesterday.
At least 12 EU states have suspended use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns about a possible link between the vaccine and blood clots.
The WHO, EMA, MHRA and AstraZeneca have said there is no evidence of a link between the vaccine and clots.
The precautionary principle anticipatory action to avoid potential harm, even when the evidence around that harm is uncertain
The arrival of effective vaccines against COVID-19 has been one of the few good news stories of the pandemic. However, communicating the safety of vaccines has long been difficult, as shown by most countries having some level of vaccine hesitancy, including hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines specifically.
The LEGO Foundation has reviewed evidence of the power of learning through play to tackle inequality and improve the outcomes of children.
Experts increasingly recognize the benefits of learning through play, especially for early brain development, and the role that adults can play in nurturing this.
Many of the report’s conclusions about early childhood impacts are testable, which the LEGO Foundation sees as a roadmap for learning our way forward.
The LEGO Foundation’s new report, Learning Through Play: Increasing Impact, Reducing Inequality, gathers evidence from early childhood programmes in 18 countries across the world to show how important the presence of play is in efforts to reduce inequality in learning and close achievement gaps in children from different socio-economic backgrounds.