In August 2020, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/74/299, proclaiming 2021-2030 as a new “Decade of Action for Road Safety”, with the objective of halving the number of road victims by 2030. To achieve this goal, the United Nations (UN) issued a set of recommendations1, including a call for countries to implement appropriate, effective and evidence-based legislation on risk factors related to distracted or impaired driving. Adopting measures to ensure good vision for all road users is part of these recommendations. The UN also encouraged Member States to take measures to promote road safety knowledge and awareness among the population through education, training and advertising campaigns, especially among youth, and to share good road safety practice.

With 1.4 million people killed in road crashes and 50 million more seriously injured each year, safe mobility is a global priority and a key pillar to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since eyesight is a key element to make safe decisions and anticipate potential risks on the road, good vision is critical.  It is part of the road safety culture and can help reduce any potential danger on the road. And even more so today, as the COVID-19 crisis has significantly accelerated the transformation of mobility, resulting in a boom of bikes, scooters and other forms of individual mobility joining cars on the road, reinforcing the need for good vision in all situations.

As part of their renewed three-year partnership within the new #PurposeDriven movement launched by the FIA, EssilorLuxottica and the FIA will continue to mobilise the general public, institutions, mobility players and eye care professionals, to address the UN’s strong call for action. Together, they will roll out a wide range of initiatives focused on: reinforcing awareness campaigns and advocacy in the run-up to the 2022 UNGA dedicated to the road safety global plan of actions; accelerating innovation in the areas of eye exams, visual solutions and other road safety-related products such as helmets, leveraging racing expertise to apply it to the roads and scaling up access to visual equipment in close collaboration with FIA Member Clubs all over the world. This will include joint actions with the United Nations Road Safety Fund.

EssilorLuxottica will kick off this partnership with a global “Action for good vision on the road” campaign, calling upon all eye care professionals to play a key role in raising awareness and addressing the crucial and reinforced need for good vision in all conditions, day and night. As part of this partnership, the Company will also collaborate with FIA Member Clubs and engage its own extensive network of retail footprint in Italy, North America and Australia.

“Vision is vital on the road. EssilorLuxottica’s commitment for safer roads is part of our wider responsibility as the industry leader and our mission to help people ‘see more, be more and live life to its fullest’. Public awareness about the importance of good vision remains low while the need for access to suitable eyewear continues to grow. This issue concerns everyone – low and middle-income countries as well as mature countries, from underserved communities to professional drivers. We are confident that together with the FIA, and with the support of public and private stakeholders across the globe, we will be able create a positive and meaningful impact as part of our plan,” commented Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy CEO of EssilorLuxottica.

“At the FIA, we are committed to improving global road safety, which includes the promotion of responsible driving. To do that, we need to build a comprehensive set of interventions, with a strong focus on prevention.  Our renewed partnership with EssilorLuxottica will contribute to building a culture of safety by raising awareness on the importance of good vision for all road users,” said Jean Todt, FIA President and UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety.

Watch the official partnership video here. 

Notes to the press release

1 ITC (Inland Transport Committee) Recommendations for Enhancing National Road Safety Systems, April 2020

About the FIA

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation of the world’s leading mobility organisations. Founded in 1904, with headquarters in Paris and Geneva, the FIA is a non-profit organisation. It brings together 245 Member Organisations from 146 countries on five continents. Its Member Clubs represent over 80 million road users and their families. The FIA promotes safe, sustainable and accessible mobility for all road users around the world. Further details can be found at www.fia.com.

About EssilorLuxottica 

EssilorLuxottica is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses. Formed in 2018, its mission is to help people around the world to see more, be more and live life to its fullest by addressing their evolving vision needs and personal style aspirations. The Company brings together the complementary expertise of two industry pioneers, one in advanced lens technology and the other in the craftsmanship of iconic eyewear, to set new industry standards for vision care and the consumer experience around it. Influential eyewear brands including Ray-Ban and Oakley, lens technology brands including Varilux and Transitions, and world-class retail brands including Sunglass Hut and LensCrafters are part of the EssilorLuxottica family. For more information, please visit www.essilorluxottica.com.

Contacts:

FIA

Communications: press@fia.com

EssilorLuxottica

Corporate Communications: media@essilorluxottica.com                     

Investor Relations: ir@essilorluxottica.com