DuPont sponsors Horizons, a new BBC TV series exploring business of the future

DuPont is sponsoring a new BBC series called Horizons. The television program will examine the future of business by looking at companies around the world that are making the greatest progress in their sectors and influencing the way people will live in the future. Horizons began airing on May 6, 2011 around the globe on the BBC World News networks. 

“Horizons will offer a glimpse of what the future holds for all of us, by looking at the businesses that are testing the boundaries of science and technology,” said BBC Global News Senior Commissioner Paul Gibbs. “It’s a global series, and we’ll be visiting companies across the world to uncover the ones with the most interesting, intriguing and advanced ideas and products.” 

The show has a prestigious panel of experts who represent collaboration from diverse businesses, academia and organizations from around the globe who came together to identify the world’s most daunting challenges. They are looking to see how innovation is going to solve the most pressing needs of the world and its people. Inventors, scientists, entrepreneurs and business leaders will be featured alongside their latest breakthrough technology, grand idea or venture to begin real solutions to the problems facing our world today. 

Horizons have been taping in all corners of the world from Kenya to Hong Kong to Germany to Brazil. It promises to be a truly global journey. Horizons is being aired on BBC World News from May 6 to July 4 and will be also aired from October 3 to December 5. Check local listings for local airing times.

For more online interaction, Horizons has a comprehensive, interactive website at www.horizonsbusiness.com where viewers can watch bite-size parts of the latest shows on demand, take part in live web chats with program host Adam Shaw and members of the production team each week, search for areas of interest to access relevant content and participate in an online forum. 

DuPont produced stories of inclusive innovation that will air during the program’s center commercial break. Filmed around the world, the stories highlight global collaborations that reflect how businesses, governments, non-profits and academia are working together with DuPont to solve global challenges one region at a time. 

“We turned the cameras on everyday heroes: the farmers who are feeding the world, the policemen who are protecting our communities and the scientists who are inventing tomorrow’s next big innovation – today,” said DuPont Chair and CEO Ellen Kullman. “These stories demonstrate the importance of innovation and collaboration in addressing some of the world’s most pressing needs in food, energy, and protection.” 

The first story, which was aired on May 6, highlighted the collaboration between local Tennessee farmers, Genera Energy and DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE) to produce cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass, corn cobs, stalks and other forms of sustainable biomass.

Farmer Brad Black, whose farm has been in his family since 1820, said, “This land is as important to me as one of my kids.”  Black is currently growing switchgrass through the University of Tennessee Biofuels Initiative production program. Every acre of switchgrass on his farm could mean up to 1,000 gallons of fuel year after year.