Green, Safe, Responsible

Climate change, plastic in the oceans, conservation, responsible consumption... Whether as consumers, businesses or organizations, we are increasingly being asked to consider our use of resources and our environmental footprint. What does this mean for the eye care industry? How do we respond when patients and wearers ask where and how lenses and frames are made? A look at the production of prescription and stock lenses at ZEISS shows what is possible today and what the future will bring.

_{Article first published: December 2019
Last update: February 2025}

It goes without saying that legal requirements and compliance regulations are observed. Issues such as child labor, fine dust and carcinogenic substances, which are widely discussed in public, do not play a role in lens production. Nevertheless, eyecare companies must be prepared to address the overall environmental footprint and take responsibility for our shared future.

Many millions of lenses are produced each year, from stock lenses and sunglasses to customized prescription lenses. Not surprisingly, the resulting use of materials, energy and water has a significant impact on the environmental footprint of lenses. With millions of lenses leaving manufacturing plants in the Americas, Asia and Europe, even a few grams per lens can quickly add up.

With the introduction of freeform technology in 2000, eyeglass lens manufacturing took a giant leap forward thanks to fundamentally new innovations – a transformation comparable to the shift from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor. For example, grinding and polishing times were reduced from 30 minutes to just over a minute and a half. The use of much less water for grinding and polishing has resulted in significantly lower energy and water consumption. Anyone who has seen a traditional spindle and a modern free-form cell has a very clear idea of how much things have changed. The goal now is to fully realize the potential for greener and safer lens manufacturing – not by taking one big leap forward, but by taking many small steps that add up to significant progress.

At ZEISS Vision Care, more than 500 initiatives at all locations worldwide have been brought together under the slogan "Green, Safe, Responsible" to promote more environmentally friendly production and logistics. Greater safety means improving occupational health, for example by further reducing the use of potentially hazardous chemicals or designing workplaces accordingly.

As a foundation-owned company, corporate social responsibility has played a special role since the 19th century, when Ernst Abbe established the Carl Zeiss Foundation as the sole owner of ZEISS in 1889. Commitment to sustainability is therefore anchored in our company's heritage, it is a clear expectation of the sole shareholder and it meets the expectations of today's customers.

Customers, patients and partners ask us time and time again – with good reason – how all of the company's employees actually put this responsibility into practice.

ZEISS relies on the collective effect of many small and large steps. The ZEISS Group's annual sustainability report provides information on achievements and goals. For 2023/24, it is reported that – compared to fiscal year 2018/19 and in relation to value added – carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 69%, energy consumption by 30%, water consumption by 44% and waste by 41%.

At ZEISS Vision Care, we have been contributing to ZEISS' sustainability achievements since 2017 through our "Green, safe, responsible" initiative, which consists of more than 500 individual activities at each site and throughout our value chain.

For example, the new standardized packaging for semi-finished lenses has saved 68 tons of paper per year since 2018. That's the equivalent of preserving 1,600 trees. And as a positive side effect, the company needs 2.1 tons less ink because it is no longer needed to print visuals on the packaging. Together with its industrial suppliers, ZEISS is working to significantly improve the eco-balance of its packaging in the future.

In eyeglass lens manufacturing, water is primarily used for cooling and cleaning during the manufacturing process. Water treatment – cleaning, filtration of plastic residues and microparticles, neutralization of cleaning water – is standard in modern lens manufacturing. Of course, the water is treated and cleaned after being used in production. At the same time, ZEISS Vision Care continues to work on further reducing its water consumption needs. In 2023/24, we implemented water conservation measures that save 450 million liters per year – enough drinking water for more than 400,000 people.

With 100% green energy, we avoid 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, and through energy efficiency projects, we have saved 3.2 GWh in 2023/24 alone – equivalent to the energy consumption of 10,000 households in Germany. And more than 3,050 tons of waste were recycled last fiscal year – it would take 110 standard shipping containers to transport that amount.

More sea freight instead of air cargo, the inclusion of sustainability topics in contracts with suppliers, "dry" grinding... There is no shortage of ideas and concrete projects for the future. This is another instance where teamwork has proven essential and effective.

The use of plastics was and remains a challenge for the environmentally conscious production of plastic lenses. Semi-finished lenses used to be comparatively thick, which meant more monomers were needed. ZEISS' redesigned semi-finished lenses are up to 65% thinner and often weigh less than half as much, significantly reducing the amount of plastic required for each lens. A change like this requires the involvement of optical designers, technology and manufacturing specialists, IT, logistics personnel and other experts to enable the implementation within a complex production network without any disruptions for customers.

It is also possible to reuse the plastic left over after the lens is molded. Polycarbonate can be melted down and used to make castings, while the pellets of other materials like CR39 that cannot be melted down are increasingly being reused in other industries.

All initiatives at ZEISS Vision Care directly involve hundreds of employees. Ultimately, they enable Vision Care to do its part to help the ZEISS Group reach its ambitious sustainability goals. The specific reduction targets to be achieved are clearly defined: zero CO₂ emissions in our activities by 2025, less energy consumption, a significant reduction in water consumption and in waste accumulation, more circular economy, more value to society.

Climate change, plastics polluting the oceans, environmental and species protection, a commitment to responsible consumption and securing jobs and supply chains – with "Green, Safe, Responsible," ZEISS Vision Care is successfully working on demonstrating corporate responsibility day after day. The goals of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, founded by Ernst Abbe in 1889 and still the sole owner of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG, are reflected directly in the individual strategic business units at ZEISS.

Social engagement has been part of Ernst Abbe's living legacy for over 130 years. Today, one of the most pressing social challenges facing the eye care industry is the fact that millions of people in developing and emerging economies do not have access to eye and vision care.

ZEISS Vision Care pursues various approaches to improve the availability of eye care worldwide and supports major initiatives such as the Christoffel Mission for the Blind, Optometry Giving Sight and the Free Lunch Fund, as well as local projects.

With the Aloka Vision Programme, ZEISS has established a program for eye and vision care in rural India and other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. Every month, up to 80,000 people have their vision checked for the first time and, if necessary, receive glasses or eye care. The social business model was developed in partnership with local and regional NGOs and foundations, eye clinics and optometry colleges, and is implemented by a dedicated team of optometrists based in Bengaluru. The Aloka Vision Programme focuses on local, sustainable care: ZEISS optometrists support local organizations in establishing basic eye care services. The profits from the sale of glasses benefit local partners. In 2024, at ZEISS Vision Care, we have been able to help more than 1,000,000 people this way.

Here, sustainability means tackling the causes that limit the availability of eye care. This includes setting up local structures for basic treatment, training and education, as well as establishing business models that enable our partners to generate stable income. However, even initiatives such as the Aloka Vision Programme do not yet reach all target groups. For disadvantaged children, such as orphans, children from lowest-income neighborhoods, or children of migrant workers, free eye care is the most important way to serve them. In cooperation with the charity organization Miracle of Sight, ZEISS employees directly get involved, collect donations and organize programs that help make good vision available to everyone.

Granted, not many people ask this question. (And yes, they are.) But it is only a matter of time before socio-environmental awareness becomes a more common factor for consumers to consider before purchasing a pair of eyeglasses. Frames made from recycled plastic or biodegradable organic materials such as wood are becoming increasingly popular. And, as with any business, corporate citizenship and sustainability are not just nice "buzzwords", but part of the business strategy for eyewear manufacturers.

It is time to more proactively communicate the industry's broad commitment. This will encourage all those who are committed to green, reliable and responsible eye care provide answers to the increasing number of questions from customers, partners and talents about the special commitment to the future, and ultimately prove to be an indispensable criterion for consumers who value responsible suppliers when purchasing eyewear. ZEISS supports Earth Day, World Sight Day and frequently organizes workshops and events on sustainability topics to contribute to this goal. In order to work for a sustainable future, to protect the climate and nature and to add value to society, in order to contribute to United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, we need all hands on deck. ZEISS is responding to this call.

The current Sustainability Report for the ZEISS Group and the audited Non-Financial Report can be found at http://www.zeiss.com/responsibility.