Electrolux named the finalists of the 2011 Design Lab. This is the 9th annual competition for international designers to demonstrate their intellectual mobile innovations. Eight finalists were chosen from 1,300 participants by a jury of expert designers. The jury considered the entries based on intuitive design, innovation and consumer insight. The winner will receive the first prize of a six-month paid internship at an Electrolux global design centre and 5,000 Euros. A second prize of 3,000 Euros and third prize of 2,000 Euros are also on offer.

On July 11, Starbucks Coffee Company announced a new corporate structure to accelerate its growth strategy, which will come into effect by the end of September. It means that Starbucks will move to a new three-region organizational structure: China and Asia Pacific, Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico and Latin America) and EMEA (Europe, U.K., Middle East, Russia and Africa).

A new investigative report from Greenpeace, called ‘Dirty Laundry’ features the problem of toxic water pollution resulting from the release of hazardous chemicals by the textile industry in China. Greenpeace accused the Chinese conglomerate supplying Nike, Adidas, Lacoste and other leading brands in discharging hormone-disrupting chemicals and other toxins into the country’s major water systems. Questions about corporate responsibility for the firms they do business with were raised up.