Gonçalo Empis, 2023.
General Manager Carl Zeiss Vision Portugal.
Founding Partner AASO
Sustainability is a key driver for innovations that create greater added value for society. At ZEISS, this key factor is firmly anchored in our strategy. It is an essential part of our commitment to the planet and future generations, whether or not the ZEISS DNA is rooted in a Foundation.
The Group's Sustainability Program, created in 2020, demonstrates this and points out the objectives and issues of strategic focus: climate protection, circular economy and added value for society.
A path that dates back more than 175 years and that has always been based on establishing new objectives every day to face our social responsibility, and establishing increasingly sustainable actions within the entire company. For example, we strive every day to use less water, energy and plastic in lens production to reduce our CO2 emissions.
In order to make the lens production process as sustainable as possible, we continually review and improve our procedures. We are developing methods that allow us to manufacture lenses with less and less material input and to replace obsolete production equipment with energy efficient devices.
We want to abandon the concept that automation is, in itself, efficient. For this purpose, we make efforts in the search for ideal parameters capable of resulting in lower energy consumption and lower volume of waste production. It is not just the volume of materials used that has an impact on sustainable development, but also the raw materials themselves. By using a significant amount of bio-based materials, we have, for example, developed greener sun lenses and offered customers a sustainable option.
Also in terms of packaging, and as part of our commitment to using sustainable and recycled materials, we have developed a new packaging concept. Fully recyclable cardboard boxes and bags made from 100% recycled PET bottle material.
The goals are clear and by 2025 ZEISS will reduce its waste by 10%, its water consumption by 15% and its energy consumption by 20%.
From the point of view of creation and value for society, our mission is to create added value for a more sustainable society. Therefore, one of our corporate values is to act responsibly and allow “a clear vision for everyone”. In this pillar, we support various local initiatives, for example in underprivileged or developing regions that do not have the professional and logistical resources to offer visual correction to the population. It also involves annually allocating 13% of our revenue to research and development.
At ZEISS, we believe that sustainability and business success are inextricably linked, which is why we are different and a trusted brand.
Gonçalo Empis, General Manager at Sola Optical from 1999 to 2005 and at Carl Zeiss Vision from 2006 to today.