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CSR, at the heart of the optical industry

Adopting a comprehensive CSR strategy is now essential to meeting the expectations of stakeholders and strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of companies in the optical sector. Aware of these challenges, SILMO is actively committed to supporting the industry in integrating sustainable and ethical practices. In partnership with the Hyssop agency, it is offering practical factsheets on key issues such as sourcing, packaging and transport. These guides provide concrete advice on how to reduce the ecological footprint, encourage diversity and improve the transparency of supply chains. By combining innovation and responsibility, the SILMO supports industry professionals in their transition towards a more sustainable and ethical future.

VIDEO

The CSR chronicles of SILMO Paris

CSR is crucial in optics, driving sustainable innovation and empowering stakeholders. It affects production, material choices, and social commitment, thereby shaping a greener, more inclusive future for the industry

Discover the CSR sheets of SILMO Paris

Introduction to the CSR

Introductive CSR sheet

What is CSR (Corporate Social Responibility) ?

CSR is the contribution made by companies to the challenges of sustainable development. A company undertaking a CSR approach will therefore seek to respect the environment and have a positive impact on society, while remaining economically viable.

CSR is based in particular on 2 international frameworks: the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and ISO 26000, which cover subjects as diverse as waste management, relations with suppliers, governance, solidarity and philanthropy, the work/life balance of employees, etc.

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Sourcing raw materials

CSR sheet #1

The extraction of raw materials is responsible for the destruction and artificialization of natural environments (quarries for metals, cultivation for agricultural materials, deforestation for wood, etc.), and contributes to the over-exploitation of natural resources.

According to the life cycle analysis of a pair of spectacles, the raw materials used in frames account for 7% of their environmental impact. Of course, in addition to the environmental impact, the social impact must also be taken into account, particularly in the case of metals whose extraction is often relocated to countries where standards are poorly developed.

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Packaging

CSR sheet #2

Packaging, which is essential for protecting and transporting products, represents a major challenge in terms of environmental impact. Mainly made up of plastics, paper/cardboard and metals, it consumes precious resources and generates large volumes of waste.

According to the life cycle analysis of a pair of spectacles, packaging accounts for 13% of its environmental impact. Nevertheless, it is the showcase of a product's environmental commitment in the eyes of the consumer.

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Transport

CSR sheet #3

Transport accounts for 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of climate change.

According to the life cycle analysis of a pair of spectacles, transport accounts for 5% of their environmental impact.
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Manufacturing

CSR sheet #4

According to the IPCC , industry is responsible for 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Manufacturing products generally requires a lot of energy, which is a source of greenhouse gas emissions. If the energy mix in the country of manufacture is made up of fossil fuels, then these greenhouse gas emissions are all the greater.

According to the life cycle analysis of a pair of glasses,  their manufacture, including the manufacture of the lenses, accounts for 40% of their environmental impact. This stage requires machines that consume energy and resources and produce waste in order to operate, and these machines themselves require energy and raw materials to manufacture.
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Building and energy

CSR sheet #5

The building sector is responsible for 38% of energy-related CO2 emissions worldwide , and its impact can be broken down into two phases: construction and operation.
The construction phase puts a great deal of pressure on resources (sand and water in particular): for example, it is responsible for 2/3 of total sand consumption. It is also a source of chemical and noise pollution, and accounts for more than 1/3 of all waste produced in the EU.
During the operating phase, energy consumption (mainly heating, followed by electricity) and water consumption will be high.

The construction and operation of buildings (offices, factories, and points of sale) are included in the manufacturing, storage and distribution stages of the life cycle analysis of a pair of glasses , and represent a significant part of the environmental impact of the product.

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Product use and end of life

CSR sheet #6

The use phase of a product begins when the consumer begins to benefit from it, and ends when they choose to dispose of it. Prolonged use of a product allows the impact of the upstream stages (raw materials, manufacturing, transport, etc.) to be amortised. The end-of-life stage follows the use phase, and is the final stage in the product's life cycle. It poses major environmental challenges, such as waste treatment. Ideally, end-of-life products are reused or recycled, or incinerated or landfilled.

According to the life cycle analysis of a pair of spectacles, the use phase accounts for 19% of their environmental impact. This stage mainly involves the maintenance and cleaning of the product, which requires the consumption of water and cleaning products such as wipes.
End-of-life represents 4% of the environmental impact of a pair of glasses. The recycling rate is relatively low (need for dismantling, infrequent return of used spectacles for recycling). The sector needs to create a genuine recycling chain.

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Internal mobilisation

CSR sheet #7

Over the last few years, employees have increasingly been looking for meaning in their work, and have growing expectations in terms of commitment to their company. In France, 31% of employees have left their previous job because they could no longer find meaning in what they were doing. Given this situation, CSR is a strong asset for retaining employees: a study shows that their involvement in corporate commitment programmes reduces turnover among recent employees (<2.5 years) by 52%.

Many in-store optical professionals decide to retrain, often after 10 to 20 years' experience. Despite the multi-faceted nature of the profession, this length of time often allows them to experience all its facets. There are a variety of reasons for these changes, often multiple, such as a disagreement between the job they are doing and their personal values (45%). These are all skills that the industry is losing and needs to re-train. Against this backdrop of mistrust among employees, who have increasingly high expectations of the company's commitment, it is key to mobilise both internal staff and new arrivals on the meaning they can find in the company. In this case, your CSR commitment, even if it's in its infancy, is an excellent way of mobilising your employees.

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Working environment

CSR sheet #8

Issues relating to well-being at work are playing an increasingly important role in employees' expectations. 61% of employees now consider work-life balance and well-being to be ‘very important’, compared with 53% in 2015. Well-being at work is also a real factor in productivity and professional success. When asked what employees mean by ‘well-being at work’, work-life balance comes out top. Young people also express a need for greater flexibility, time for themselves, and the ability to quickly assume autonomy and responsibility (without sacrificing free time). 47% of them want above all to be able to maintain good relations with their colleagues and to find a caring work environment.

In factories, workers sometimes have difficult working conditions: risks of foreign objects being thrown around, prolonged exposure to loud noises, restrictive working hours, etc. As in all companies, it is necessary to improve working conditions to encourage employee loyalty and commitment.
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Social commitment

CSR sheet #9

Community involvement is one of the seven central issues defined by the ISO 26000 standard, under the heading ‘Community and local development’. For the company, this means contributing, directly or via local public or private players, to improving the quality of life and to the economic and social development of the populations and territories affected by the company.

For the company, this commitment represents a number of benefits and constitutes a ‘creative’ part, an ‘open’ area of CSR, dealing with a multiplicity of issues, stakeholders, models and partners.

It offers the company freedom of initiative and opens the way to experimentation. It should be a showcase for the company's values and culture. It is governed by three main principles:

  • Corporate citizenship is not just about philanthropy
  • Companies must ensure that they address issues that are relevant to their business and expertise.
  • This applies to all companies, whatever their size, turnover, activities, etc.
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Responsible communication

CSR sheet #10

In response to the ever-increasing expectations of stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, principals, etc.) in terms of commitment, environmental messages have become much more prominent in brand communications: ‘Green Solution’, ‘Responsible Product’, ‘100% Natural’, ‘100% Biodegradable’, leading to the rise of Greenwashing.

More and more companies in the optical sector are also communicating about the environmental impact of their products. The ecological arguments, which are often debatable, focus mainly on raw materials and the end-of-life of products. However, as the LCA of a pair of spectacles shows, these two stages of the life cycle account for only 11% of its total environmental impact (see Fact Sheet 0: CSR, what are we talking about?), so the challenge for responsible communication remains above all to communicate on its main impacts. So how do you go about it?
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The survey

Find the results of your testimonies, experiences and remarks following our online survey:

VIDEO

The CSR chronicles of SILMO Paris

Highlights on sustainability initiatives, social responsibility, innovation in product design, and industry collaboration to promote eco-friendly practices and ethical labor standards
video

The CSR chronicles of SILMO Paris

How far has the optical industry come in integrating CSR? Our expert, Dominique Royet, gives us the lowdown on ecological product innovations, ethical sourcing and sector-wide initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental footprint and promoting social responsibility.

Would you like to find out more about CSR in the optical sector? Book your ticket now!

CSR Podcasts: Expert advice


EPISODE 1: CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS

By Géraldine Bouchot, long-term planning director, expert in new consumer behaviours. Carlin international.

EPISODE 2 : HOW BRANDS ARE COMMITTED

By Stéphane Popescu, CEO of COSE361, specialising in the CSR guidance of fashion brands.

SILMO and CSR: environmental commitment in the optical industry - what is at stake?

Dominique Royet, from the CSR agency Hyssop, talks about the importance of environmental commitment, how companies in the optical industry can make a difference and the risks if the industry does not follow this path.

Together with Nick Coffer, they are then joined by Guillaume Fort, Managing Director of Opal Demetz, who wants his company to be a leader in implementing a long-term CSR strategy.