Specsavers Corporate Eyecare has published figures that it believes show that its eVouchers and online eyecare management portal has led to a reduction in carbon emissions.
Purely in terms of distributing eyecare vouchers, the online system could have a big environmental impact, the company reports.
It is estimated that each letter sent by mail generates on average 20g of CO2. Posting paper vouchers to 1,000 employees would, therefore, create a carbon footprint of 20kg of CO2. This is the equivalent of driving 75 miles by car, using a computer for 80 days, or flying 27.5 miles by plane.
The company argues that the online eVoucher system enables employers to now manage the entire eyecare process, from purchase onwards, directly, online.
eVouchers can be bought, allocated and distributed electronically and the employee can even produce the voucher on their smartphone, to redeem their eyecare entitlement at their local Specsavers store, says the company. It adds that the management of redemption reports and testing schedules is made simple and easily accessible.
Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said: “Our eVouchers enable our customers to feel confident that their responsibilities over eyecare are being met with the highest levels of expertise. It is very positive to see that they also help employers to meet their environmental responsibilities. Postage is just one element. Adding in that there is no longer a need to print paper vouchers, and that the whole allocation, distribution and redemption system is now paperless, the carbon savings could be significant.”
The company adds that its eVouchers are available to specifically cover DSE eyecare, safety eyewear, and driver eyecare. Optical Care eVouchers are also available for employers to provide eyecare as an employee benefit, over and above their obligatory provision.
All eyecare eVouchers include a full eye examination. In addition to checking how well a person can see and providing a prescription for poor eyesight, the eye examination can help to detect a range of eye and wider medical conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, diabetes, raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and even brain tumours.
The company says that all employees receiving eyecare eVouchers will also be automatically entitled to Premium Club, an exclusive corporate discount enabling employees and their family members to enjoy discounts at Specsavers’ stores.
www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate
