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In his reflections on the 2025 Wall Street Journal CEO Council summit held in December, WSJ Leadership Institute president Alan Murray noted that CEOs are not actually preoccupied with AI, tariffs, or geopolitics. Instead, theyre focused on something far more fundamental: people and culture. How do you build an organization that can adapt, collaborate, and innovate amid persistent volatility? That instinct is correct. Yet one of the most effective tools for strengthening culture and developing talent remains surprisingly underusedskills-based volunteering (SBV). In a world shaped by geopolitical conflict, climate disruptions, pandemic aftershocks, and unpredictable supply chains, companies need employees who can navigate complexity with creativity and resilience. Skills-based volunteering is a proven, powerful way to build those capabilities while contributing meaningfully to communities and giving employees the purposeful work they crave. SBV is unlocking the next wave in talent potential and catalyzing the workforce of the future. WHY SBV DESERVES MORE CORPORATE ATTENTION SBV matches employees professional expertise with community-based organizations needs. Its impact goes well beyond traditional volunteering, to include: 1. Leadership development and creative problem solvingWorking with nonprofits and social enterprisesoften in resource-limited or rapidly changing environmentsexposes employees to new perspectives and teaches agility, systems thinking, and cooperation across differences. These are the exact qualities CEOs describe as essential, but are difficult to cultivate internally. 2. Strengthens culture and engagementEmployees increasingly seek meaningful work and a sense of purpose. SBV offers both. It reconnects teams to shared values, supports well-being, and fosters belonging at a time when engagement across industries remains low. 3. Produces multi-layered returnNonprofits and other host organizations benefit from much-needed skills and networks. Communities receive unprecedented support and critical insights. Employees grow professionally and personally. Companies advance ESG commitments while enhancing their cultures. Few corporate initiatives produce value across so many dimensions. 4. Builds cross-sector fluencyFrom climate resilience to healthcare access to food security to digital equity, the next decade of business challenges will require collaboration across government, civil society, and industry. SBV gives employees practical experience navigating those intersections, a form of strategic literacy that will soon be indispensable. This is why companies across industriesfrom technology and finance to logistics and manufacturinghave integrated SBV into their leadership and culture strategies. A GLOBAL CONTEXT Two developments underscore the timeliness of SBV. The first is that the United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. Although not a major campaign, the initiative still signals a broader recognition that volunteer-driven actionespecially skills-based engagementis essential for achieving the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. Companies that embrace SBV now will be better positioned to contribute meaningfully to that global effort. Second, each January, the World Economic Forum in Davos convenes leaders to tackle the worlds most pressing challenges. Davos is built around the search for solutions. SBV is a solution already available: a practical mechanism for aligning business capability with community needs, strengthening culture while improving outcomes for society. If even a portion of the companies gathering there committed to a coordinated SBV effort, the impact could be immediate and globally resonant. SBV is a practical, proven way to build the resilient, purpose-driven cultures companies say they want while contributing to the broader stability and well-being the world urgently needs. A NOTEWORTHY SBV DEVELOPMENT Against this global backdrop, two organizations known for advancing SBVPyxera Global (my organization) and Common Impactannounced that we are uniting our efforts. This alliance is designed to accelerate the work both have been doing for decades. We will retain our brands and long-standing relationships, but integrate strategically to help companies deploy SBV more effectively at a time when the need is acute. Our alignment reflects a broader shift occurring across the social impact sector: moving from fragmented initiatives to more collaborative, systems-oriented approaches. Our work also extends beyond SBV into partnerships focused on climate action, circular supply chains, economic opportunity and digital inclusionfurther evidence that cross-sector partnership is becoming an essential strategy for addressing complex global challenges. THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Alan Murray is right: The central challenge facing CEOs is not technological but human. Yet culture doesnt transform through messaging campaigns or structural reorganizations. It transforms through experiencesthrough opportunities that deepen empathy, expand perspective, and develop new skills. Skills-based volunteering offers exactly that. The companies that embrace it now will be better equipped to navigate the challenges ahead, and to help solve them. Deirdre White is CEO of Pyxera Global.
Category:
E-Commerce
Hollywood kicked off 2026 with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” atop the box office for the third straight week and with hopes for a blockbuster-filled year after a disappointing 2025.In three weeks of release, “Fire and Ash” has cleared $1 billion worldwide. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.“Fire and Ash” is doing its biggest business overseas; it’s grossed $777.1 million internationally thus far. The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday trumped the $1 billion milestone as “cementing another monumental achievement for James Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise.”But over the holidays, it wasn’t just about the weekend ticket sales. The whole week was a lucrative one for Hollywood, with most schools still out. What drove ticket sales, beyond “Avatar”? Sydney Sweeney, Timothée Chalamet and “Zootopia 2.”The most sustained success over the holiday collider in theaters belonged to a movie that opened all the way back in November. Yet Disney’s “Zootopia 2” has had remarkable staying power. It landed in second place with $19 million, dipping a mere 4% from the previous weekend.The animated sequel has amassed $1.59 billion in six weeks. That makes “Zootopia 2” Disney’s second highest grossing animated movie ever, trailing only 2019’s photorealistic “The Lion King” ($1.66 billion).“The Housemaid,” the twisty thriller starring Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, also emerged as a holiday-season hit for Lionsgate. It collected $14.9 million over the weekend, giving it $75.7 million domestically over three weeks. It dipped only 3% from last weekend. Internationally, “The Housemaid,” which cost a modest $35 million to make, has added $57.3 million.Just as Sweeney’s star power is propelling “The Housemaid,” so is Chalamet’s with “Marty Supreme.” The A24 release also held well in its third weekend, grossing an estimated $12.6 million. After two weeks of wide release, Josh Safdie’s frenetic table tennis tale has grossed $56 million in North America, passing the director’s previous film, “Uncut Gems” ($50 million worldwide).Just about everything playing in theaters saw small drops from the previous weekend. Sony’s action comedy “Anaconda,” starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, dipped 31% to collect $10 million in second weekend. Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue” dropped only 17% in its second weekend with $5.9 million. The Hugh Jackman-Kate Hudson Neil Diamond cover band movie has earned $25 million domestically.With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and a wide variety of smaller hits, Hollywood started 2026 strongly. Overall sales were up 26.5% from the same weekend in 2025, according to data firm Comscore.The movie industry is coming off a poor 2025, where domestic moviegoing continued to slide. U.S. and Canada ticket sales in 2025 amounted to $8.9 billion, a 2% increase from the year earlier, according to Comscore, but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. That slight improvement was notably less than anticipated and was also boosted by higher ticket prices. Actual tickets sold declined from more than 800 million in 2024 to around 780 million in 2025.The industry is now awaiting a potentially seismic shift with Warner Bros., one of the most theatrical-friendly studios, agreeing to sell to Netflix. That $83 billion deal awaits regulatory approval.Yet studios are cautiously optimistic 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade. A release slate filled with marquee franchises, including new “Toy Story,” “Avengers,” “Spider-Man,” “Super Mario Bros” and “Dune” movies, has raised hopes of a turnaround. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $40 million. “Zootopia 2,” $19 million. “The Housemaid,” $14.9 million. “Marty Supreme,” $12.6 million. “Anaconda,” $10 million. “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” $8.2 million. “David,” $8 million. “Song Sung Blue,” $5.9 million. “Wicked: For Good,” $3.3 million. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” $2.7 million. Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
Category:
E-Commerce
J. Crew just revealed its apparel collection with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Its an ode to retro ski aesthetics that even the most amateur athlete (or viewer) can get behind. The 26-piece collection, which includes everything from graphic sweatshirts and refined knitwear to ball caps, wool socks, and cozy leggings, is the first installment of J. Crews three-year-long partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, announced in March. Prices for the entire J.Crew U.S. Ski & Snowboard collection range from $49.50 to $498. It will be available online and in select J. Crew stores starting January 8. Each product collection is inspired by vintage logos and archival Olympic patches, blending touches of sportiness with laid-back, aprs-ski leisure. To package that aesthetic with this first launch, J. Crew has created an advertising campaign called Alpine People, featuring members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team in a lighthearted spot that feels like Wes Anderson dropped onto the slopes in the ’70s. [Photo: Courtesy of J. Crew] Its a refreshing approach to Olympic-branded gear, which has been most closely associated with Ralph Laurens buttoned-up take on Americana aesthetics since that brand started designing Team USAs ceremony outfits in 2008. Where Ralph Laurens Team USA collection for the 2026 Games has a more polished, preppy vibe, J. Crews collection feels both effortlessly casual and aspirationala balance that can be tricky to achieve in a sport with a reputation for elitism. Vintage references offer a new route into chalet core In recent months, weve seen other brands put their own spin on ski apparel, including Nike x Jacquemuss futurism-meets-80s Aprs Ski collection, launched in late November, and North Face x Skims sporty, neutral-chic line, launched in early December. J. Crews interpretation, with its charmingly retro design and loungewear focus, feels like the best collection for hunkering down in a chalet with a hot beverage, even if youve never put on a set of skis in your life. To conceptualize the new skiing collection, J. Crews team started by consulting archival imagery of both ski apparel brands and Olympic games past. “We spent a lot of time immersed in the archives, both our own and U.S. Ski & Snowboards,” says Olympia Gayot, J. Crews creative director of womens and childrens design. “We traveled to their headquarters and poured through historic imagery of the team and past Olympic moments, everything from old uniforms and outerwear to pins, patches, and ephemera that captured the spirit of different eras of the sport.” Details like the collections recurring red, white, and blue stripes and U.S. Skiing” shield patch have a clear tie to vintage Olympic patches, which often featured the same color scheme and motiftypically alongside imagery like a torch, the Olympic rings, and, for skiing events, an illustration of an athlete descending the slopes. [Photo: Courtesy of J. Crew] Dynamic athlete illustrations star in their own right across multiple items in this collection. One sleek line drawing shows a skier zooming down the slopes, which features on a comfy graphic tee and crew neck; as well as another of an athlete with their skis crossed mid-jump. “While we always start with our archives and brand DNA, the real inspiration for this collection comes from the sport itself, the skiers, the Olympics, and the energy of elite athletes,” Gayot says. Typographic call backs to American ski resorts of yesteryear The whole J. Crew Olympic skiing collection, and its accompanying campaign, is tied together by an ultra-70s sans serif typeface, complete with blocky letterforms, bold curves, and a funky combination of caps and lowercase letters. Examples of this typeface appear in the apparel collection almost everywhere theres lettering, as well as in the bright yellow, Wes Anderson-style captions that appear on the Alpine People campaign video. The typeface callsback to similar styles used in vintage ski apparel and destinations, including the Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, which once had a groovy wordmark with a near-identical look. “Youll see the vintage references reinterpreted in a way that feels timeless but also unique for this moment,” Gayot says. “Those elements show up across the collection as embroidered patches, knit-in graphics, and printed details, creating a through line that connects the heritage of both brands to the pieces in a way that feels thoughtful, nostalgic, and distinctly our own.”
Category:
E-Commerce
The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded when competition begins in less than a month.This will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history: The two primary competition sites are the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the winter resort in the Dolomites that is more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away by road. Athletes also will compete in three other mountain clusters besides Cortina, while the closing ceremony will be in Verona, 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan.Get ready for all of the events with this guide of things to know! Key dates to know Competition runs Feb. 4-22. Here are some of the big days to mark on your calendar:Feb. 4: Competition begins (curling).Feb. 6: Opening ceremony.Feb. 7: First gold medal events.Feb. 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill.Feb. 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating.Feb. 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom.Feb. 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey. First gold medals in ski mountaineering, a new Olympic sport.Feb. 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony. How to watch Dozens of countries will stream or air each day’s events, with some delaying broadcasts until primetime depending on the time zone. That will be the case in the U.S., where Eastern time is six hours behind Milan and Cortina. NBC will carry showcase events at night while streaming sports on Peacock. Top storylines Athletes to watch: Two of the most decorated Alpine skiers in history, 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, opened the World Cup season in dominant form, raising American hopes of a golden run in Cortina. Eileen Gu is back in freestyle skiing, as is Chloe Kim in snowboarding. NHL players are back on Olympic ice for the first time since 2014 so watch for the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.Venues: All eyes are on the hockey arenas in Milan, which were still under construction in December; the main rink will be about 3 feet shorter than NHL and PWHL players are used to. And the athletes’ village in Cortina is a set of more than 350 mobile homes.Russian athletes: Some sports federations are deciding whether to let Russians compete as neutral athletes but only after they are cleared by an independent review to ensure that they have not publicly supported the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated with Russia’s military or other forces.What’s new: Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut while skeleton has added a mixed team event, luge has added women’s doubles and large hill ski jumping added women’s and men’s super team events. AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
If you’ve been noticing that cobalt-hued water bottles have started to pop up everywhere you’re not alone. The water has recently made an appearance on shelves at major retailers including Whole Foods and 7-Eleven, starred in viral social media videos created by fitness influencer Ashton Hall, adorned on tables at the Golden Globes, and beginning this week, will star in a fresh new advertising campaign featuring WNBA point guard Skylar Diggins. All of these marketing efforts represent a more expansive pitch by Saratoga Spring Water that the brands premium-priced water isnt just for fine dining– which has been the brands core focus for the past several years — it’s for everyone. From fine dining to cultural signal We have an opportunity to speak to a lot more people than I think we thought we did, says Kheri Tillman, chief marketing officer of Saratogas parent company Primo Brands, in an interview with Fast Company. Consumers love the blue bottle and want to engage with it in many different places, as opposed to just fine dining. Its a bit of an affordable luxury. Saratogas total points of distribution has swelled by 69% during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the prior-year period, the brand told Fast Company, citing data from market researcher Circana. While partnerships with Michelin-starred chefs like Buddha Lo are still important, Saratoga felt it had room to stretch to a wider audience and has done so through a pop-up speakeasy at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles held in November, a brand partnership with BMX star Nigel Sylvester, and water-food pairings at fancy restaurants developed with water sommelier Martin Riese. It creates, dare I use a water pun, fluidity between the partners, says Christi Lazar, head of The Lab, the in-house creative agency at Primo Brands that vets external partnerships. She says the throughline through each of these relationships is a connection to water that feels as authentic as possible. A new face for a broader audience The brands next big new moment is an ad campaign starring Diggins, which debuts on January 5 just days before the Golden Globes, an event that Saratoga sponsors as its official water. The ad spot will run across broadcast television; Instagram, TikTok and other paid social channels; and print titles including paid social channels including Instagram and TikTok, and print titles including Vogue and Travel + Leisure. [Photo: Primo Brands] Skylar was really interesting, because she was this great mashup of super high-end, with a great look that you would expect from Saratoga, but then also just this every day work, hard grit that you would need to be to be a professional athlete, as well as a mother, says Tillman. Diggins tells Fast Company that the campaign is a good fit for her own brand because obviously, as an athlete, hydration is extremely important. But, she adds that the campaign, which ends with Diggins appearing in front of flashing paparazzi cameras on a bluenot redcarpet appearance, represented her life off the court thats more style, elegance, and how I like to dress. Letting virality do the work The viral moment with Hall skewed more male. Tillman says that Saratoga opted to allow that cultural moment to play out without any interference from the brand. You cant plan a viral moment, but what you can do is make your brand relevant enough, to certain people, to make them want to have it by their side, says Tillman. Primo Brands says it grew the companys audience on Instagram by 77% in 2025. Primo Brands is a relatively new entity, formed late in 2024 through the combination of Primo Waters, whose brands included Mountain Valley and Crystal Springs, and BlueTriton, the water purveyor of Saratoga, Deer Park, and Poland Spring. [Photo: Primo Brands] The combined company now sells one out of every four plain water bottles in the U.S., according to beverage industry publication Beverage Digest, easily making Primo Brands the most dominant seller of branded plain bottled water. Private label plain bottle water accounts for 62% of the market, while soda giants Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper are all in the single-digits, Beverage Digests data shows. Premium waters crowded next chapter Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Fast Company that premium-priced water brands like Saratoga and Smartwater have reported growth thats outpaced the total plain bottled water industry, which in total reported a volume increase of 27% over the past decade through 2024. Saratoga, he says, elevated the brands positioning through a focus on distribution to fine dining restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality channels. They made a conscious effort to do a lot more with that brand and premiumize it and take advantage of that blue bottle, adds Stanford. Primo Brands says that the companys premium portfolio, which includes Saratoga and The Mountain Valley Spring Water, posted a 126% increase in retail sales for the first 11 months of 2025 versus the same period a year ago, citing retail scan data from Circana. But the category is competitive and rival brands have also rolled out major ad campaigns in 2025. Coca-Colas Smartwater reunited with pitchwoman Jennifer Aniston for a new campaign as macroeconomic pressures have dampened some demand for pricy water. Around the same time, ival Sanpellegrino, which is owned by Nestle, debuted an ad spot with The Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa. Primo Brands has also leaned on celebrities for its advertising, including the Saratoga-Diggins spot and an advertising campaign starring Perfect Pitch actresses Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson to promote the Splash Refresher brand. Tillman says it is key for Primo Brands to differentiate the marketing strategy for the glass adorned Saratoga and Mountain Valley from the regional water brands like Poland Spring and Deer Park, a portfolio of six names that focus on more hyperlocalized marketing and particularly leverage a sponsorship with Major League Baseball. Some of those brands are big sellersPoland Springs is a billion dollar brand thats only sold in six statesbut, the intention is to keep them regional, says Tillman. Saratogas fine dining efforts are also continuing through the work the brand does with Riese, a German-born water expert who created his first menu to explain regional variations and flavor in his home country in 2005. When it comes to water, our most important beverage on this planet, were treating it as a commodity, Riese tells Fast Company. He works with restaurants like Gwen, the Los Angeles Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Curtis Stone, to cultivate a water menu with selections from nine different countries, including Fiji from the Fiji Islands and Frances Evian. Saratogas sparking water has enough fizz that it can be enjoyed with appetizers as a champagne replacement, says Riese, who works with Primo Brands as a paid partner. I dont see water as hydration, says Riese. And I think, especially here in America, a lot of people don’t understand and don’t know it yet, that there’s an epicurean side to water.
Category:
E-Commerce
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