The gamification of fitness

Whether its for medical expenses, college funds, charity campaigns, chances are you've been asked to donate to a fundraiser online.GoFundMe is one of the biggest of the crowdfunding platforms, generating an estimated $30bn in funds since it launched in 2010.CEO Tim Cadogan tells us about joining as CEO in 2020, and the challenges of running a profit making company in a charity space. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: Tim Cadogan. Credit: Getty Images)

Advances in technology mean more people have devices which offer incentives and rewards for achieving fitness goals.From hi tech gyms to interactive home works outs, we explore why some companies are embracing this approach.It’s boosting user engagement and transforming workouts, but are trackers and leader boards a positive step? And is this what the future holds for fitness?Produced and presented by Sean Allsop(Image: A fitness class. Credit: Getty Images)

Ed Butler travels to northern Ghana in search of one of the country’s growing exports. Cashew nuts have become a feature of crop production, but there are problems. How does Ghana best add value to cashews in a way that benefits the country and doesn’t just see it exploited overseas?And could solving the cashew issue help Ghana's economy in other ways?Produced and presented by Ed Butler(Image: A worker at a cashew processing company sorting nuts in Ghana)

In November 2024, FC St Pauli became the first major football club to stop posting on X (formerly Twitter). In a statement, the leftwing Bundesliga club cited concerns over racism and conspiracy theories on the platform. It has moved to alternative social media site Bluesky instead.So is this part of a wider trend? We hear from companies who are finding alternatives to X, or staying on but reducing advertising spend. Plus we hear from those who say with hundreds of millions users, X still has an important role to play particularly in areas like customer service.Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney(Image: Fans of St.Pauli wave a skull and crossbones rainbow flag during the match between FC St. Pauli and 1. FC Magdeburg at Millerntor Stadium in Hamburg, Germany, 14 August 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Squatting has a long history in Spain, often fuelled by high rates of homelessness. And the country’s ongoing housing crisis means that despite being low in numbers, squatting is now a highly politicised topic. We hear from private companies set up to evict people, from businesses making products to prevent squatters moving in, and from squatters themselves about their experiences.Produced and presented by Stefania Gozzer(Image: A worker takes a mattress off the balcony during the eviction of 62 families from four apartments in June 2023 in Madrid, Spain. Credit: Getty Images)

We hear how his British accent and 'scouse cockiness' led him from physical education teacher in the UK, to a sportswear executive in the US.And how a career change in his 40s led Peter Moore to a job offer he couldn't refuse, as CEO of the football club he'd supported since childhood, Liverpool FC.Produced and presented by Matt Lines(Image: Peter Moore and Virgil van Dijk with the FIFA Club World Cup in Doha, Qatar on 21 December 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

A 2020 Academy of Social Sciences report found that sociologists, economists and philosophers help companies improve productivity, enhance problem-solving and heighten social impact. So it makes sense that businesses would want social scientists involved in strategy and decision making. But how does it work in practice? Are there conflicts between hard commercial realities and ‘softer’ social issues, and how do companies resolve these?We speak to Dr Melissa Cefkin, an anthropologist and former chief scientist at the Nissan Research Centre in Silicon Valley, about how she combined social science and the corporate world. And we find out if the trend is a uniquely western, or even Californian, phenomenon.Producer: Izzy Greenfield Presenter: Gareth Mitchell(Image: A group of women in a boardroom. Credit: Getty Images)

For decades, two multi-national giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have been competing for one of the world’s biggest consumer markets. Now they face tough competition from Asia’s richest man. Mukesh Ambani’s company, Reliance Retail, has launched its own cola brand - Campa Cola. With its vast retail network and aggressive pricing strategy, we find out how this has intensified the so called 'cola wars' in the country. Producer/presenter: Devina Gupta(Image: A group of young people drinking soft drinks at a bowling alley. Credit: Getty Images)

Today we’re in Jeddah, looking at how Saudi Arabia went from a Kingdom where cinemas were banned to a rising star in the film industry. We hear from Saudis revelling in new-found freedoms and foreign filmmakers lured in by cash incentives. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] and produced by Emily Wither(Picture: US actor Johnny Depp poses for a picture with a fan on the red carpet of the awards ceremony of the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, December 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

We are in the Central American country of Guatemala to hear how temporary work permits to the United States are changing some Guatemalan’s lives. We find out how this circular migration is benefiting both businesses in the US, and the economy back home in Guatemala.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected]/producer: Jane Chambers(Photo: Sandra Noemi Bucu Saz in her plot of land that she rents with her family in Guatemala. Credit: Jane Chambers)