World Sight Day (WSD) is observed every year on the second Thursday of October to focus the world's attention on the importance of eyecare.
On October 10, EssilorLuxottica celebrated WSD with all its employees and partners around the world to support the advancement of eye health. To mark the occasion, its teams pulled together and engaged in a variety of activities across the globe – from more than 305,000 global screenings and dedicated local events to fundraising initiatives. Externally, the Group continued its efforts to raise awareness on good vision as a basic human right through powerful portraits from world-renowned photographer Steve McCurry as part of ‘The Right To See’ campaign. These were featured in prominent areas across its online and offline communications platforms.
As part of the Company’s powerful Mission to help people around the world "see more and be more”, WSD served as an opportunity for its teams to get vision care to places that need it the most, in a safe and efficient way. Here are some of the many highlights:
The Group’s teams in Africa took the lead with the highest number of vision screenings, approximately 42,000 across the region. In Liberia, glasses were distributed at vision clinics conducted in communities and schools. In Kenya, a road safety campaign was conducted with vision screenings for truck drivers. Students were screened at a vision clinic in partnership with the Optometrist Association. Vision screenings were conducted in remote locations in Zambia and thousands of glasses were distributed. In South Africa, employee engagement clinics were organized and glasses were distributed. Community screenings were held in Nigeria in partnership with the Ministry of Health and eyeglasses were distributed. Outreach activities were also conducted in Rwanda, the Gambia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Gabon, Morocco and Tunisia.
In North America, local teams organized a t-shirt fundraiser which raised over US$70,000. In addition, vision screenings were conducted in the Group’s offices in Dallas, Fairfax and Toronto as well as in the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Various initiatives were organized by the employees in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, local teams held a local fundraising event and provided critical vision screenings to 80 elderly residents. In Thailand, 36 employee volunteers across different entities participated in its vision clinics in Bangkok. More than 1,400 refraction screenings were conducted, and 1,167 patients were equipped with eyeglasses. In the lead up to WSD, employee volunteers across its business entities in the Philippines participated in a series of vision clinics in local schools and communities, resulting in 4000 students being screened. Indonesia amplified the impact of their outreach through collaborations with Smart FM and MNC TV to bring the joy of good vision to over 1,000 students and teachers at a local university.
In Europe, the teams initiated a variety of activities to mark the occasion. In Italy, the Foundation presented its first-ever report on Vision Poverty. In addition, football competitions were organized in Belluno, Turin and Pescara with participation from 200 employees from its local plants across the country. The aim was to share more about the Italian chapter of the Foundation. In France, the Foundation organized a breakfast event to present its activities. Employee volunteers conducted over 900 vision screenings in twenty Parisian town halls, in partnership with the Lions Club. A vision clinic was organized with a mobile unit in the Group‘s Dijon factory. Vision screenings were also conducted in partnership with the Edmond De Rothschild Foundations. BBGR France partnered with Vision Solidarité to organize vision screenings in its factories in Sézanne and Provins. Various activities and eye exams were organized for those in need as well as for employees and their families in Greece, Germany, Spain, Russia, Finland, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Portugal, the Netherlands and Czechoslovakia, in partnership with local non-profit associations.
In China, the teams held WSD celebrations in the Group’s Shanghai and Hong Kong offices, as well as in the Tristar and Songjiang plants. They also worked with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation to provide vision care services at the Shanghai FuDan University and in various local provinces, in collaboration with Wanxin Optics.
In India, a dedicated townhall was organized for employees where children from a local shelter home were invited and provided with corrective glasses. A vision clinic was held for migrant workers in Bangalore and a road safety vision event was organized for Delhi National Capital Region’s transport workers.
In ANZ, a breakfast event was organized in the Sydney office with over 100 employees in attendance. In partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Cook Islands, the local teams organized a vision screening clinic on Manihiki Island, a highly remote area.
In the Middle East, the Group’s employees in Dubai organized screenings for the migrant worker community. In Saudi Arabia, a vision clinic was organized in the office along with a WSD presentation for employees.
The LATAM region carried out various outreach activities to get vision care to the forefront. The Wholesale, Retail and Lab teams in Brazil partnered with local associations to provide vision care to children and adults across the country. Along with organizing a Family Day for employees and their families, the Wholesale and Retail teams in Chile conducted vision clinics in two local underprivileged schools. A webinar on visual health and eyecare in the work environment led by a doctor was organized by the Ecuador office. In Mexico, 925 people were equipped with eyeglasses at a vision clinic. In Colombia, a WSD video was shared along with gifts for employees.
Visit OneSight.EssilorLuxottica.com to learn more about the Foundation and EssilorLuxottica’s Mission.
