CSR business initiatives have taken on new meaning with the growing trend of businesses that incorporate their philanthropic values into their retail model. The onset of eCommerce and online business management has assisted these new retail concepts by greatly reducing the traditional operating expenses associated with brick and mortar outlets. The decrease in overhead translates into value for their customers through quality products at competitive pricing that still allow for them to shop their values and feel good about their purchase.
TOMS One for One Eyewear image courtesy of toms.com
TOMS shoes was the pioneer of the “One for One” concept and since then there have been many others who have built on this idea. Examples are Sevenly’s designer charity T-shirts and Warby Parker who donates one pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair purchased.
TOMS is also growing on its original One for One concept by expanding into the sale of eyewear in addition to their complete line of shoes. “[Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS,] immediately recognized the incredible power of One for One™, and came to a startling conclusion: TOMS could be more than a shoe company – it should be a One for One™ company. With so many different needs around the world, he felt TOMS had an obligation to try to improve as many lives as possible.”
TOMS decided to branch off into One for One Eyewear because “blindness and visual impairment is the seventh-largest health disability in the world. But in most cases it can be prevented or treated. In fact, available solutions, including medical treatment, prescription eyeglasses or a 15-minute cataract surgery, could impact 80% of people afflicted with vision impairment and blindness.”
“Of the nearly 284 million people in the world who are visually impaired, almost 90% live in developing countries.” TOMS is helping to stop a vicious cycle where poverty leads to disease which leads to vision loss which leads to poverty. This cycle can be easily broken with a little assistance and TOMS is hoping its One for One Eyewear will help that along. Not to mention that sight hampers educational opportunities in many parts of the world. So giving the gift of sight is also giving people – mainly children – the chance to succeed in an academic setting. It is women who mainly suffer from sight issues in developing countries. “Two-thirds of people who are blind are women, in part because many families in developing countries are more likely to pay for eye care for male family members.”
TOMS One for One Eyewear image courtesy of toms.com
TOMS expanded their original “One For One” concept to eyewear because “Many of the solutions to blindness and visual impairment can be immediate. If it’s a pair of eyeglasses or medical treatment that’s needed, patients are treated on the spot. Those needing eye surgery are referred immediately so their vision can be restored within just a few days.” That is the basis of TOMS Eyewear. For every pair of glasses purchased someone in need will receive a pair of glasses, medical treatment, or sight-saving surgery. TOMS has decided to start this program in Nepal, Cambodia and Tibet.
Congrats to TOMS for not resting on their successful CSR business laurels and actively looking for new ways they can help others using their exceptional philanthropic business model.
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