Skills development for decent work
Create 25,000 primary vision care providers and micro-entrepreneurs in underserved areas to generate employment and alleviate poverty by 2020. In partnership with various local training institutions, Essilor trains young under-employed or unemployed youth to become primary vision care providers. They are then able to set up a micro-enterprise providing eye care services and dispense eyeglasses to members of their communities. 10,000 of the people trained will become Vision Ambassadors who will be able to sell readymade eyeglasses (reading glasses) and sunglasses to members of rural communities who don’t have access to conventional distribution channels.
Timeframe and/or implementation plan: 2013 to 2020
Other
Improve the lives of 50 million individuals at the “base of the pyramid” through vision correction by 2020. Uncorrected refractive error has a direct impact on productivity and earning potential; according to the WHO, every year uncorrected poor vision costs the global economy $272 billion in lost productivity. (Smith et al, 2009 adjusted to 2015 population data). Thus, for every person provided with corrective glasses, the increase in productivity for the global economy is estimated to be more than $100. Therefore, our 2020 commitment will result in an estimated gain in global productivity of more than $5 billion per year.
Timeframe and/or implementation plan: 2013 to 2020