In a context of changing stakeholder expectations, the adoption of a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy is becoming essential to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of companies in the optical sector. To encourage these sustainable approaches, SILMO, in partnership with the HYSSOP agency, has launched the Responsible Company Prize 2024.

This prestigious prize rewards companies that take a global, responsible approach to ethical, environmental and social issues. It is aimed at companies that are actively working towards a more sustainable future, while at the same time being innovative.

A panel of experts met to analyse each entry in detail, taking the time to discuss and evaluate the initiatives carefully. The winner will be announced at the SILMO d’Or Gala on 21 September.

THE FINALISTS ARE:

Andy Wolf

Andy Wolf has put forward a number of strong initiatives, including a guarantee of up to 7 years for the AWearness collection, optimising packaging to reduce its impact and using acetate renew for its frames. The company also stood out from the other contenders with its strong commitment to biodiversity (minimal intervention on sites to ensure biodiversity and soil health), a pre-owned collection, the employment of disabled people in its own workforce, the provision of a sustainable development library for employees, etc.

Friendly Frenchy

For the second year running, Friendly Frenchy is one of the finalists for the Prix de l’entreprise Engagée 2024. The company has ESUS accreditation, a French legal system which certifies that the company’s main objective is to serve a social purpose, but also that it is an exemplary environmental company: Local raw materials derived from waste (recycled shellfish, acetate eyewear production waste), production tools pooled and shared with other economic operators to reduce the need to manufacture or purchase additional equipment, maximum elimination of packaging, repair service instead of sending spare parts, collection of gauges/defective parts and/or after-sales service parts during visits to the workshop so that they can be recycled, etc. The assessors and jury also praised the company’s approach to continuous improvement in relation to its 2023 application.

Opal Demetz

Its strengths include an in-house ideas incubator (La Fabrique), which has offered to work on projects related to the environment (suitcases, travel, second-hand activity), as well as an after-sales service site where customers can order spare parts free of charge (temples and face). The company has also launched a number of initiatives for its employees, including a gym with free classes, extra holidays, partnerships to provide a dry-cleaning service and delivery of personal parcels to the office, etc. As a key player in the eyewear industry, Opal Demetz has shown a real desire to move forward.

Skans

Skans, which has been awarded the BCorp label, has demonstrated that it takes all its impacts into account in order to act accordingly: single-material frames (100% recycled stainless steel, including nose pads, a material that has also been found to have the lowest impact in a life cycle assessment), on-demand production to avoid overstocking, timeless models and packaging to minimise the need for replacement, identical spare parts for all models, etc. The jury and assessors praised the systemic approach and innovative dimension of the company’s actions. Through the ‘Skans Academy’, the company also offers courses on sustainable development to its employees and beyond, as the platform is also open to opticians. In terms of social responsibility, the company goes beyond its already committed 1% for the Planet initiative by donating an additional 1% of its turnover to social causes.

Vanni

As the first Italian company in the eyewear industry to become a “Società Benefit” (the Italian equivalent of a “Mission Company”) in 2021, Vanni has demonstrated that it monitors its social, environmental and community performance in terms of figures and best practices. The company even goes so far as to ask its employees to evaluate its performance in various areas (through a survey). 100% of VANNI’s employees have received training modules on sustainable development (between 5 and 22 hours of training per employee). In 2023/2024, the company carried out an internal reorganisation under the guidance of an organisational psychologist in order to better define the roles and responsibilities of each person and to respond to the needs of employees. With strong local roots, Vanni supports many local organisations in Turin and Piedmont. A cradle-to-gate LCA has also enabled the company to make a number of adjustments to limit the environmental impact of its products.

Click HERE for the press release.

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!