On Earth Day and every day, CooperVision is acting to create a more sustainable world. The company’s first-of-its-kind plastic neutrality initiative has expanded to include additional countries in Europe and Latin America, and will soon launch in select Asian countries. Beginning today, eye care professionals and contact lens wearers can view the program’s collective impact—made possible by their partnership with the company—using the new CooperVision Impact Dashboard, which provides updates on how much plastic waste has been collected in collaboration with Plastic Bank®.
Last year, CooperVision pioneered the world’s first plastic neutral contact lenses by funding Plastic Bank’s collection, processing and reuse of general ocean-bound plastic waste that is equal to the weight of the plastic contained in designated products in North America and Europe. As the program has grown, the company expects to prevent the equivalent of nearly 90 million plastic bottles from reaching Earth’s oceans in 2022.
“For CooperVision, plastic neutrality is about making a meaningful, measurable difference in partnership with eye care professionals and wearers. By simply prescribing and wearing our plastic neutral lenses, they’re making an impact. With our Impact Dashboard, everyone can see for themselves how these contributions quickly add up. It displays the eye-opening amount of ocean-bound plastic we’ve recovered to date and the local communities we’ve empowered—working together,” said Simon Seshadri, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, CooperVision.
Beyond the positive impact on the environment, CooperVision’s plastic neutrality initiative enables Plastic Bank collectors in nearly 200 coastal communities to clean up their towns and villages while earning credits for necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. The Impact Dashboard also includes an interactive map of the communities impacted to date.
As a leading manufacturer of contact lenses, CooperVision is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint, and its efforts extend beyond plastic neutrality. The company has a strong track record of sustainable manufacturing and operations focused on areas in which it can make the greatest impact. CooperVision has developed best-in-class manufacturing processes resulting in award-winning conservation efforts in Puerto Rico and prestigious sustainability certifications in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Spain, and the U.K.