Scope Eyecare launches first social impact report

Scope Eyecare has launched its first annual environmental, social and governance report.

Through the publication, Scope Eyecare explained that it has benchmarked itself against its commitments to ‘People, Patients and Planet,’ reflecting on progress made to date.

The three pillars focus on: the company’s ambition to make a difference in the sector, local communities, and causes close to colleagues’ hearts; gaining a deeper understanding of patients and bridging the gap between diagnosis and disease management; and preserving the planet as the business grows.
The report outlines the global issues that the company is working to mitigate through a commitment of continued investment in social and environmental programmes, along with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that Scope intends to measure progress against.

The report also includes features on work around diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health, safety and wellbeing.

Progress highlighted by the company includes more than 700 working hours volunteered by colleagues to 16 charities across four countries, through paid days off to volunteer since 2021.

The company will pilot a free recycling programme in 50 pharmacies in London as part of its waste management strategy in 2023, aiming to make it easier to dispose of hard-to-recycle plastics in local communities.
Key areas where the company feels it can make a difference at a global and local level include supporting patients in disease management after diagnosis, reducing inequalities for young people with vision impairment, as well as diverting waste plastic from landfill, and managing carbon emissions, with a commitment to become Net Zero by 2040.

Tom Freyne, CEO of Scope Eyecare & Healthcare, said: “It makes me proud to think we act with the levels of responsibility that we do. We have made great progress so far and recognise that we have a lot more to do.”

The company has donated more than £150,000 to causes globally, and supports patients through its non-commercial wellbeing programme.

“We also outline our commitment to managing our waste and carbon emissions in our report,” Freyne said. “None of this would be possible without the amazing people working in Scope.”

The new publication follows on from a Vision Commitment to Scope colleagues, produced in 2021, and an updated Vision, Mission, Values and Purpose revealed in 2020.