The EVF team were presented with the award on 16 November at a glittering ceremony held in Singapore. Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, Chief Mission Officer, Essilor International, also attended the event.

Since its establishment in 2014, employees, industry partners, local distributors and voluntary groups partnered with EVF in doing good through vision care across the region. In total, more than 500,000 people have been impacted through the Foundation’s efforts in ASEAN to date.

In 2017, EVF implemented an estimated 30 projects in ASEAN, 10 of which continue to impact communities in Singapore such as: low-income Singaporeans, through partnerships with People’s Association & industry partners; ex-offenders through prison associations and related NGO; and foreign domestic helpers through a non-profit organisation. A volunteer engagement program is also in place, as well as a one-time donation to EVF made possible for employees by payroll.

Examples of EVF’s programmes and initiatives include the Spectacles Voucher Fund, a partnership through Essilor Singapore with the Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB) to provide 10,000 needy students with glasses so they can see better at school; the SPECtacular Experience initiative, in partnership with Singapore People’s Association (PA), the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) and several eye care industry partners, providing local low-income residents with EVF eye tests and a pair of glasses if required.

The Champions of Good status is part of Singapore’s National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre’s Company of Good program which inspires and activates companies to do good. The program works to catalyse a corporate giving movement through advocacy, thus enhancing capabilities and facilitating giving opportunities.