Charenton-Le-Pont (February 21st , 2020) – At the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference (19th- 20th February) in Stockholm, Essilor, the world leader in ophthalmic optics, is drawing attention to the importance of good vision in efforts to achieve the UN 2030 goals for road safety. Essilor will join the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) via a financial donation of US$200,000. The company also pledges an innovative in-kind contribution of 1 million glasses and sunglasses to address the vision needs of road users in underserved communities, to be studied by the Fund.
3,700 people die on the world’s roads every day, making road accidents the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5–291; a trend which has grown in the past years as mobility develops worldwide. The 3rd Global Ministerial Conference in Stockholm (February 19th – 20th) gathered main representatives of governments, public and private sectors to discuss how to achieve the 2030 global goals on road safety, crucial to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With up to 90% of the information needed on the road coming through our eyes, good vision is critical for drivers, bikers, cyclists and pedestrians to take safe and appropriate decisions. However, there is a substantial lack of awareness about the importance of good vision and access to sustainable eye care remains limited in large parts of the world, with 1 in 3 people still suffering from uncorrected poor vision.
Essilor will join the UNRSF via a financial donation of US$200,000. The company also pledges an innovative in-kind contribution of 1 million glasses and sunglasses to address the vision needs of road users in underserved communities, to be studied by the Fund. By partnering with the UNRSF, Essilor is committed to leveraging its track-record in vision care to contribute to safe mobility across the globe and will continue to innovate for solutions to diagnose, correct, protect and enhance the vision of all road users.
Speaking to the attending decision-makers on the occasion of the Ministerial lunch, Laurent Vacherot, CEO Essilor International explained: "In a world where mobility is increasing, we hope Essilor’s engagement will help improve road safety as well as people’s lives, in line with our ambition to eliminate poor vision by 2050. To do so, Essilor will use its voice and expertise to raise awareness on this important topic and provide access to corrective and protective vision solutions.”
"Good vision is critical for road safety. Without it we endanger not only ourselves but everyone on the road. By addressing the visual needs of all road users, we're contributing to making the world's roads safer and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for a better future," added Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, Chief Mission Officer of Essilor and EssilorLuxottica.
This latest decision by Essilor to join the UNRSF further reinforces the Company’s commitment towards road safety, which goes back to Essilor’s partnership with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), signed in 2017, to jointly lead the fight against poor vision on the road.
PRESS RELEASE IN PDF:
Press_Release_Essilor_Global_Ministerial_Conference_Road_Safety_February_21_2020
PICTURES:
Global Ministerial Conference Road Safety Stockholm 2020 Laurent Vacherot CEO of Essilor
Global Ministerial Conference Road Safety Stockholm 2020
CONTACTS:
| Corporate Communications Ginette De Matteis Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 77 45 02 | Media Relations Maïlis Thiercelin Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 77 45 02 |
| About the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) |
| The creation of the UNRSF as a UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund in April 2018 has been a historic step in the fight for road safety, as requested in the resolution 70/260 adopted during the UN General Assembly in April 2016. |
| The UNRSF aims at creating the needed momentum to engage both public and private players in effectively addressing the factors improving road safety, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. |
About Essilor
Essilor International is the world’s leading ophthalmic optics company. Essilor designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of lenses to improve and protect eyesight. Its mission is to improve lives by improving sight. To support this mission, Essilor allocates more than €200 million to research and innovation every year, in a commitment to continuously bring new, more effective products to market. Its flagship brands are Varilux®, Crizal®, Transitions®, EyezenTM, Xperio®, Foster Grant®, BolonTM and Costa®. It also develops and markets equipment, instruments and services for eyecare professionals.
Essilor International is a subsidiary of EssilorLuxottica. The EssilorLuxottica share trades on the Euronext Paris market and is included in the Euro Stoxx 50 and CAC 40 indices. Codes and symbols: ISIN: FR0000121667; Reuters: ESLX.PA; Bloomberg: EL:FP.
For more information, please visit www.essilor.com
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