BBC World Service

Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

Author

BBC World Service

Category

Business

Podcast website

www.bbc.co.uk

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

Where to listen?

Podcasts in the app Replaio Radio Coming soon

Podcasts are coming to the app soon. Install now and be the first to see a whole new take on podcasts

Get it on Google Play Install for free Android 5M+ downloads · 4.8 rating iOS soon

Episodes

Is it worth being a B Corp? 07.02.2024

It's an exclusive business club with over 8,000 companies, which put environmental and social values at the heart of their work. But the B Corp badge has come under some criticism for taking on some multinational companies - some smaller businesses say that has diluted its values. We hear from Anjli Raval, who reports on what goes on inside the world's biggest companies for the Financial Times. On...

Denmark: Cashing in on Sweden's Eurovision 06.02.2024

As Malmö receives the keys to this year's event, we look at how Copenhagen in Denmark could be the real economic winners - without having to pay for it. When the Swedish city last hosted the competition in 2013, officials estimated around a third of overnight stays were in the Danish capital. We speak to officials in both cities - just 30km apart and connected by the Øresund Bridge - to examine wh...

Business Daily meets: Dizzee Rascal 05.02.2024

From its emergence in London’s underground scene and pirate radios in the early 2000s, to becoming a major music genre, Grime has come a long way – contributing more than £2bn to the UK economy and creating opportunities to members of some of Britain’s most deprived communities. Dylan Kwabela Mills - professionally known as Dizzee Rascal - is someone who has been at the centre of this genre from i...

What's holding back Africa's fashion industry? 05.02.2024

The continent's fashion industry holds all the cards to becoming one of the world’s fashion leaders. It has the natural resources, the workforce and a growing middle class who want to wear African brands. However, there are challenges including poor infrastructure, lack of investment and limited training opportunities in fashion - highlighted in a recent Unesco report. We hear from designers on th...

Business Daily meets: Mahen Kumar Seeruttun 02.02.2024

The island of Mauritius is well established as a luxury holiday destination with five star hotels, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters. But in the last couple of years it has also become Africa’s financial hub, attracting billions of dollars of investment by leveraging on decades of political and economic stability, a strategic location on the Indian Oean plus a multiple taxation system that i...

How to shut down a nuclear power station 01.02.2024

We’re going behind the scenes at two former nuclear power stations – one that’s recently closed, and another that’s been out of action for 25 years. Both are at Hinkley Point in Somerset, in the south of England. What happens when the generators stop? We look into the unique challenges of cleaning up radioactive sites safely. Produced and presented by Theo Leggett (Image: Steam escapes from Hinkle...

Should dynamic pricing be regulated? 31.01.2024

In the second part of the series, in the second part of the series, we look at supermarkets and restaurants. Dynamic pricing it could help cut down on food waste, but would it favour people who can choose when they shop? And we ask why restaurant-goers have yet to develop a taste for it. We also find out how artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have experimented with dynamic pricing to...

The rise of dynamic pricing 30.01.2024

The retail strategy allows companies to constantly tweak their prices in response to changes in the market. In the first of two programmes, we look at how dynamic pricing works in the airline industry, at ride-hailing companies like Uber and on India’s sprawling rail network. And we speak to a director of e-commerce at US electronics firm Harman International, who tells us how dynamic pricing has...

How can tourism become more accessible? 29.01.2024

The tourism sector could be missing out on billions by not adapting to the disabled market. However, some businesses and individuals are trying to change that. Speaking to people in North America, Greece and Spain who are making a difference, we find out the challenges in accessible tourism and the potential revenue if things change. We also travel to Amsterdam to meet a woman helping businesses b...

Business Daily meets: Masaba Gupta 26.01.2024

Not many fashion designers can say they've starred in their own TV series alongside their mother. For this edition of Business Daily, Devina Gupta talks to Indian entrepreneur and social media influencer Masaba Gupta. The daughter of Indian actor Neena Gupta and West Indian cricketer Sir Viv Richards, Masaba discusses how her mixed heritage has inspired the vibrant prints she's become famous for....

Can the Olympics change an area’s reputation? 25.01.2024

We’re in the Paris suburb of Seine -Saint-Denis which will host most of the games this summer. It’s an area with some of the highest levels of poverty in the whole of France, and a bad reputation. In the minds of most French people, the area conjures up images of drugs, crime and riots. Locals say that reputation is unfair – and they’re hoping the investment of the games, and a place on the world...

Why are we ageist? 24.01.2024

We look at how many employers still base decisions on a person's age, despite the strong pressures in higher income countries to retain and encourage older staff. What are the underlying reasons for this prejudice? And Ed meets a cosmetic doctor at a central London clinic to discuss the increase in demand for anti-ageing procedures, for people who want to look younger at work. Presenter: Ed Butler...

Tackling ageism at work 22.01.2024

One in two people are ageist, according to the World Health Organization. Ed Butler looks at the scale of the perceived problem, hearing from workers and experts. In the UK and US, for instance, more than a quarter of over-50s report experiences of ageism in the last 12 months. One recent global survey found that it’s the most socially accepted prejudice, more widespread than either racism or sexi...

The business of bed bugs 18.01.2024

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to deal with - and they're a nightmare for any town or city that relies on a thriving hospitality industry. In October 2023, French government officials had to act rapidly following news headlines claiming there'd been a rise in infestations in Paris, in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games. Infestations can damage reputations, and lead to financial losses due to...

Goodbye blue tick? 17.01.2024

Once a much desired badge of authority and quality, on some social media platforms the blue tick (or check) is now available to anyone who chooses to buy one. But has this been a popular move? And has the monetising of verification meant that the blue tick has lost its credibility? We hear from industry experts who can shed some light on verification, which has dramatically changed since Elon Musk...

Can cars and tourism boost Spain's economy? 16.01.2024

We look at how the country can grow its economy in 2024. In November 2023, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez won a second term as Spain's prime minister, and said his focus would be reducing public debt and helping key sectors such as tourism and the automotive industry. Plus the government wants to become a leader in renewables. Presenter: Ashish Sharma (Image: Woman takes a selfie in Madrid. Credit...

The race for the perfect running shoe 15.01.2024

The running shoe industry is worth around 50 billion dollars across the world, with more and more of us taking part in the sport. With more popularity comes more competition, so what are brands doing to keep consumers interested? We ask the chief marketing officer at Swiss sportswear company, ON, and find out how it helps sales when a top athlete wears their shoes. And as the debate around 'super...

Business Daily meets: Michele Arnese 12.01.2024

It's widely recognised that we are bombarded with fast-paced imagery in the modern world, whether it's social media videos, or digital billboards in city spaces. But there has been a similar explosion in sound, says advertising entrepreneur Michele Arnese. He thinks brands can only compete with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Dougal Shaw speaks to the Italian tech entrepreneur who traine...

The race to secure semiconductor supply chains 11.01.2024

Semiconductors hit the news during the Covid-19 pandemic, as issues with supply chains led to shortages of cars and soaring prices. Since then, geopolitical tensions have impacted the industry. 90% of the world's most advanced chips are made by TSMC in Taiwan. Now, countries all over the world are investing billions of dollars into the industry, so that manufacturing of these chips can happen in m...

Food security in Puerto Rico 10.01.2024

The Caribbean island imports around 90% of its food and by law only US ships can be used to transport it – which pushes up the price. We speak to islanders who think that needs to change, and are pushing for Puerto Rico to become more self sufficient. Weather events like Hurricane Maria, which left many without power and water for months, have brought the issue to the forefront once again. We meet...

What is a digital twin city? 09.01.2024

Almost 60% of the world’s population live in cities. And this trend is expected to continue - by 2050 nearly 7 of 10 people will live in urban environments.   Although more than 80% of global GDP is generated in cities, there are challenges: increasing carbon emissions and environmental pollution, traffic congestion and urban vulnerability, exposed by natural disasters such as floods and storms. T...

How to fix the US budget 08.01.2024

Twice in 2023, the American government faced the prospect of having to shut down because politicians in congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund it. Each time, a shutdown was narrowly averted – by last minute, short-term deals. Now, a third deadline is looming in mid-January. It leaves politicians – with fierce disagreements over what services the government should pay for, and how – little tim...

Business Daily meets: Kathryn Jacob 05.01.2024

For 70 years, Pearl & Dean has been at the forefront of cinema advertising in the UK. Its CEO, Kathryn Jacob has been leading the company for 18 of them. But it's been a rocky few years for the movie industry, as it battles the economic effects of the Covid pandemic. In this edition of Business Daily meets, Kathryn discusses how cinemas are recovering, and how the advertising industry is slowl...

Being unbanked 04.01.2024

How easy is it to open a bank account in your country? Around the world, 1.4 billion people can’t get a bank account, and two-thirds of them are in low and middle income countries. People from migrant communities also struggle to access formal banking services. We hear from 19 year-old Josue Calderon. Originally from El Salvador, he arrived in the United States when he was 16. He tells Sam Fenwick...

Tricking the brain – are holograms the future? 03.01.2024

The use of these endlessly flexible 3D images is increasing rapidly. Not just in entertainment, but in medicine, education, design, defence and more. Holograms trick the brain into seeing something in 3D when it’s really just a projection, allowing us to feel immersed in something – whether it’s an atom, or a cityscape. We talk to companies developing this fast advancing technology and ask – will...

Listen to the Business Daily podcast in Replaio

Radio and podcasts in one app - free, with no sign-up. Install today and do not miss the launch

Get it on Google Play

Replaio is not a podcast publisher; show names, artwork and audio belong to their authors and are distributed through public RSS feeds.