Our annual review 2021 2022 - Specsavers
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Our annual review 2021 2022
Contents
To
Our purpose 4
change
Our growth 6
lives
Our customers 10
through
Our people 22
better
Sustainably making a difference 32
sight and
Looking forward 40
Printed on Carbon Balanced Paper.
Visit carbonbalancedpaper.com
for more information.
hearing
Specsavers Executive Committee 42
4
We do, of course, continue to operate
in uncertain times. We know challenges lie
ahead due to the ongoing impact of the
pandemic, an increasingly tough competitor
landscape, as well as fragile political and
economic conditions. However, with the
strong recovery of our business, we are able
to refocus on the long term and the ambitions
that guide our plans for the next five years:
• Delivering outstanding value and being loved
by every customer
• Being the place we are all proud to belong
As we reflect on recent times, the challenges
of navigating through a Covid-19 environment • Being the clear market leader in every region,
naturally remain at the forefront of our minds. caring for 60 million customers
Although the pandemic meant that many As ever, our final thoughts in this introduction
eyecare services were withdrawn, reduced are for those who make Specsavers what
or restricted, our stores were able to remain it is today: our 45,000 partners and colleagues
open for those who needed us most. Ensuring across the world.
our services were available and accessible for
urgent and essential eye health or hearing Thank you to each and every one of you,
needs alleviated pressure on hospitals at such for your ongoing hard work, energy,
a critical time, and helped essential workers and passion.
carry out their incredible work. We are beyond
Thank you for inspiring us.
grateful to all our partners and colleagues
who worked on the front-line to care for our And thank you for keeping our purpose
customers safely - providing reassurance, as alive today as it was 40 years ago.
It was about making quality, best-value compassion, and clinical expertise.
Our
eyecare accessible to everyone.
Despite these difficult times, it has been
Taking those first steps, we had no plan another truly outstanding year
for Specsavers.
purpose
to be the biggest, simply an aspiration
to be the best. This relentless focus has
This review explains just some of the areas
enabled us to grow - opening new stores,
where we are making a difference: enhancing
entering different markets, broadening our
our offer to even more customers as we
services, and delighting more and more
entered Canada as part of our growth Doug Perkins
customers around the globe.
We started Nearly 40 years on, the Specsavers family
ambition; launching innovative products,
services, and systems to provide even greater
Chairman and Founder
Specsavers with one is a little larger, with almost 2,500 businesses
across 11 countries. But our purpose remains
value and choice to our customers; investing
in the development, careers, and wellbeing
goal in mind: to make as true as in those early days: changing lives of our people; reviewing our impact on the
world around us to ensure we are
through better sight and hearing - today, for Dame Mary Perkins
a real difference. more than 41 million customers. sustainably making a difference. Founder
5
6
Our
growth the year
Figures as at the end
of February 2022
in numbers
510 million 22.1 million+
£3.43 billion
contact lenses sold frames sold
revenue
Group
40,800 530,000
hearing aids sold
colleagues
24.88%
on 2020/21
41.4 million 4,700
Growth
customers partners
worldwide
2 million 1.4 million
UK £1,886.7m
ROI £152.1m
Netherlands £158.3m customer feedback
visitors to our website
Sweden £143.7m every week responses
Norway £98.2m
Denmark £159.1m
Finland
Spain
£42.9m
£6.3m 47,255 2,464
Revenue by
Australia £684.4m ophthalmic procedures optical, audiology,
market
New Zealand £86.4m performed via Newmedica domiciliary, and
Newmedica businesses
Canada £12.5m
7
8
Our
Finland 51 1984 Opened first store in UK
Norway 83
1990 Entered Republic of Ireland
businesses 1997 Entered Netherlands
2003 Launched ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ strapline in UK
UK 892 | 236 | 50 | 14 2004 Acquired Blic optical group in Sweden / Expanded into audiology in UK
Sweden 114 2005 Entered Norway / Acquired Louis Nielsen in Denmark
2006 Entered Spain
ROI 61 | 17 Denmark 78 2007 Entered Finland / Expanded into audiology in the Netherlands
2008 Entered Australia and New Zealand
Netherlands 142 | 135
Spain 9
2010 Market leader: New Zealand
2011 Market leader: Australia
2013 Acquired UK domiciliary eyecare business Healthcall
2014 Market leader: Denmark, Norway and Sweden
2015 Market leader: Finland
2016 Expanded into enhanced optical services
Partnered with UK ophthalmology business Newmedica
2017 Expanded into audiology in Australia
2019 Expanded into audiology in New Zealand
2021 Entered Canada
Canada 17
Our story
Australia 359 | 133
so far
Optical stores
New Zealand 56 | 17
Audiology stores
Domiciliary partnerships
Newmedica services
9
10
Our
customers
Delivering The Covid-19 pandemic prompted us to
outstanding value, accelerate some of our innovation activity
to support customers outside of the traditional
being loved by retail environment. For example, RemoteCare,
our free virtual consultation service, available
every customer. globally, enables our clinical experts
to be available by video call or over the
phone to provide essential health advice
for eyes and ears. We also improved our
online chat capability, giving customers quick
and easy access to answer their queries.
We also brought forward the roll-out
online will ensure we continue to lead the way
of eCommerce services to all our regions,
in delivering better health outcomes.
so that customers worldwide could purchase
Our investment in this area has again our products online. Launching Tele-optometry
increased as we introduce more digital (initially in Sweden) resulted in greater
enhancement into the customer experience, customer access to care in remote or hard
regardless of how and when our customers to recruit areas.
choose to interact with us. Last year,
As lockdowns were lifted and our stores
we improved many technological elements
experienced exceptional volumes, we enhanced
of the customer journey, allowing us to move
our online appointment system so that
faster, respond to consumer needs more
customers could easily view availability across
effectively, and introduce new features quickly.
a number of stores in their local area, making
it even easier to book an eye or hearing test
Innovating the at their convenience. We also upgraded our
customer experience virtual try-on technology allowing customers
to try frames at home, reducing the amount
As customers increasingly look for simple, of physical contact with frames in store.
convenient, and accessible ways to experience
We build trust and loyalty by providing our services, it is important for us to offer A new digital platform across the UK and
first-class clinical care, unbeatable value, a flexible approach to meet ever-changing Republic of Ireland, gave customers the
excellent choice, and unwavering quality expectations. Seamlessly combining first- convenience and freedom to manage elements
to our 41 million customers worldwide class interactions in our stores with remote of their contact lens scheme online; reducing
so that we really can change lives through expertise delivered over the phone or virtually, their reliance on in-store visits or contact
better sight and hearing, every single day. as well as the ability to purchase our products centre interactions.
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12
Leading the way in clinical care, we became We continue to invest heavily in the capabilities
the first optometry chain in Norway to required to grow Newmedica further, including
offer optical coherence tomography (OCT) our team, systems, and the brand itself. In the
in all stores. The technology provides our last 12 months, three new Newmedica surgical
optometrists with detailed 3D scans of the centres opened as ophthalmology joint
retina, meaning they can detect certain ventures, and we have plans for seven
eye conditions up to four years earlier than more in the year ahead.
traditional imaging methods.
We are hugely proud of the outstanding
patient outcomes achieved by our teams:
Enhancing our offer our posterior capture rupture rate (PCR)
is 0.3% (well below the national average
Exploring how we further diversify the services of 1.1%) and 99% of patients say they would
we offer across all our regions, providing recommend us to their friends and family.
a total care solution for customers, remains
as important as ever to ensure our success We are committed to reaching people who may
as a multi-category business. not be able to access our services in the usual
way. Our domiciliary business provides clinical
Following our partnership five years ago with care to those in the UK and Republic of Ireland
Newmedica, a UK leading provider of NHS- who are unable to visit our stores. With almost
funded ophthalmology services, we were proud 170 new colleagues joining us, we expanded our
to become sole owners in 2021. Newmedica business and saw sales increase by almost 25%
operates across 26 sites in England, offering in the UK.
services to NHS and private patients, covering
the major adult sub-specialities of glaucoma, To help ensure our ophthalmology provision
cataract, medical retina, macular and is accessible to all, we began forging links
YAG lasers. between our domiciliary and Newmedica
businesses, starting with supporting post-
cataract reviews for housebound customers.
Looking ahead, we are excited to offer
audiology services as part of our home visits
and will launch the first pre-registration
student programme in the domiciliary field.
In Australia, it is estimated that 50%
of Australians living with diabetes are not
receiving regular eye health checks. This is
despite diabetes being the leading cause of
blindness in Australia and the fact that most
vision loss is preventable through regular eye
tests and early treatment. KeepSight
is Australia’s solution. The initiative sees
patients with diabetes receiving reminders
from Diabetes Australia if they don’t return
An eye operation at Newmedica Eye Health Clinic for an eye test following a recall message
and Surgical Centre, Shrewsbury. © SAW Photography. from Specsavers.
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14
400,000 registrations to the KeepSight bring our concept to life for customers. While
patient database so far, registering more than it underpins our core principles of value, style,
80% of the patients with diabetes that have expertise, and care, we are always evolving
Now is the time appointments with us each week. to ensure it also maintains the very highest
levels of awareness. We further developed
to implement Our strategic alliances with leading eye-
health organisations across Northern Europe
our ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ messaging
to appeal to our ever-changing customer base
change, such (including the Finnish Federation of the Visually
Impaired and local Associations of the Blind
as well as investing heavily in newer forms of
media including data-driven, social, and digital.
as fast-tracking in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) saw us
hosting public events and delivering webinars Since announcing our exciting entry into
technology, that dedicated to highlighting the importance of the Canadian market in March 2021, many
good eye health and raising awareness of significant milestones have been met, and
will help to secure various eye conditions such as glaucoma. fantastic achievements realised, enabling Our store team in Woodgrove, Canada.
long-term
us to deliver our renowned care and value
We also commissioned the 2021 State of the
to even more people.
UK’s Eye Health report looking at the impact
sustainability Covid-19 has had on the nation’s eye health. At the start of 2022, we began running With such huge success, plans are fully
During the pandemic, all services were initially a series of engagement sessions to bring our
of patient- redirected, understandably, to care for partnership model to life for Canadian optical
underway to open 200 more partner-owned
stores across the country by 2024 with
centred care. critically ill patients. As a result, NHS elective
eye appointments were cancelled. The report
practitioners and experienced retailers. This
kickstarted our recruitment with more than
ambitions to become the market leader,
an investment expected to create more than
reveals that there was a 4.3 million drop in 350 attendees registering their interest in 2,000 local jobs.
Giles Edmonds the number of eye tests conducted in 2020, becoming a Specsavers partner.
UK Optometry Director referrals to hospital eye services decreased But it’s not all about Canada, of course.
by 28% during March to December 2020, and We now have 17 businesses in British Columbia, This year, across our markets, we enhanced
almost 3,000 people are estimated to have lost a combination of acquired and re-branded our accessibility and availability for customers
their sight due to delayed identification and Image Optometry outlets and our own, brand- by opening over 90 new stores and expanding
As a business, we were instrumental in treatment of eye health conditions. new Specsavers stores. or relocating 100 others, providing more than
establishing this process three years ago when 1,500 jobs. This is set to continue next year
we committed to contribute A$1m annually Thankfully, key groups from across the UK, From the outset, Canadian customers loved our
to reflect strong demand and partner
for five years. While data on improved health including Specsavers, are working together presence and offer as we pledged to make a
confidence, with plans for at least 100 new
outcomes and prevented vision loss is not to tackle the backlog of patients and reduce real difference by changing lives. Our modern
optical and audiology businesses across our
expected to emerge for another few years, waiting times. Our business has invested £45 and inviting stores, all fully equipped with the
existing regions, all fitted out to the
our optometrists have submitted more than million to bring world-class optical latest optical technology, continue to trade
highest specification.
eye test technology, OCT, to our stores. significantly above expected forecasts,
This technology, previously only available growing by 67% on pre-rebrand levels and
in hospital ophthalmology departments, regularly achieving record sales weeks. Focus on frames
has transformed our evaluation of
To help make Specsavers a household name Offering our customers unbeatable choice
a customer’s overall eye health.
across British Columbia, we launched and value means we are continually investing
a multi-million-dollar marketing campaign, in frame design and development. This year
That’s Specsavers Love, created specifically was no different as we introduced exciting
Reaching more customers
for the Canadian market. It was an instant new ranges, trends and technology, selling
Our investment in the Specsavers brand over hit, being seen and heard on media platforms more than 22.1 million glasses worldwide
the last 40 years continues to successfully across the province. - a 24% increase on 2020/21.
15
16
With an ever-increasing focus on waste We boosted our fashion credentials through our eyes are having to work harder than ever.
reduction and sustainability we introduced a partnership with iconic luxury brand Liberty The global rollout of SuperReaders 1-2-3, which
ReWear, our environmentally-conscious range to create a unique eyewear collection. The 19 takes traditional reading glasses to the next
partially made from recycled, post-consumer different styles combine Liberty’s signature level, was met with great success. The ‘1-2-3’
plastic waste. This quickly proved popular heritage-inspired designs with vibrant prints represents the different distances available,
with our customers, selling more than 5,000 and launched exclusively to Specsavers with vision for one, two, and three metres
frames per week. Following a successful trial with huge global success, especially the four away, so are ideal for customers who need
launch in Northern Europe, our new bio-acetate children’s styles which saw sales outperform to regularly switch between close-up and
collection called Luxe will be available globally forecast by 63%. intermediate-distance tasks. Wide zones within
as part of our commitment to increase our use the lens provide clear and comfortable vision
Another exclusive global eyewear launch was
of bio-based raw materials. This will reduce Listening to feedback from our customers at each distance, negating the need to keep
the result of an exciting collaboration with
our reliance on non-renewable resources and and in-store teams is an important part of our a different pair of glasses perched on your
Vivienne Westwood. The collection, which takes
means frames will biodegrade more quickly approach to frame development. We regularly nose, always swapping specs, or constantly
inspiration from Westwood’s use of tartan,
at the end of their economic life. review and adjust our product mix to satisfy moving your head to find the desired
iconic orb design, and rococo details proved
consumer preferences and eyewear trends. vision spot.
Later this year, we’ll also be launching our new an instant hit for customers, with the tartan
ECO frame cases, designed to further minimise sunglasses being particularly popular. And, as part of a continued global focus With growing demand in the contact lens
our impact on the planet. on ensuring our in-house collections are
In addition to introducing new styles, we market, focus in this area continues
as prominent as possible and complement our to be important for us, so we re-vamped our
refreshed 30% of our existing ranges including
great selection of well-known designer brands, trusted and exclusive easyvision range with
best-selling brands Converse, Tommy Hilfiger,
we increased our own product volumes a completely new look and feel. Our easyvision
An iconic tartan frame from HUGO and MARC JACOBS, leading to double-
to account for 64% of our overall portfolio. contact lenses are hugely popular with
our Vivienne Westwood collection. digit volume growth.
customers as they offer uncompromised
comfort, using the very best technology and
Progress in lenses
materials, at outstanding value. As a first for
Our ongoing commitment to enhance our our newest market, we launched the design
global ophthalmic lens portfolio saw volume in Canada initially with Europe, Australia,
growth across all our regions: varifocals grew and New Zealand soon to follow.
by 11% in the UK alone and sales of high-index
(thinner, lighter lenses for those with strong As the number of children with short-
optical prescriptions) increased by 21% globally. sightedness increases, so does the scientific
research into how progression of short-
During 2021/22, we refreshed our varifocal offer sightedness might be slowed down. We are
by upgrading existing designs and introducing keen to help our customers gain access
new, technologically advanced products to the latest products as they come to market,
such as Intro-HD, available in a wide range which is why we began to offer MiSight® 1 day
of materials at excellent value. contact lenses for children in more than 200
stores in Australia. These lenses may help slow
Our Canadian market was the first to offer down the progression of myopia, as well
SuperBoost to customers, a lens designed as offering children all the benefits
to give wearers a boost to their vision of wearing single-use disposable
by relieving visual fatigue. contact lenses.
For many of us, using digital screens Having friendly, knowledgeable conversations
is a significant part of our daily life, meaning with customers about their lifestyle
17
18
enables our store teams to make informed thirds of our Australian stores and in more Designing world-class stores screens within window displays and elsewhere
recommendations based on their specific than half of our New Zealand stores. in store to help with messaging to customers.
requirements. Contact Lenses for Life was As we operate in an ever-changing retail and
Delivering the audiology products and services competitor landscape, we continually evolve We care about how we make our customers
introduced as a brand-new way of structuring
our customers need is essential. During the UK’s our stores to ensure the very best environment feel, and so we revolutionised the experience
our product range with consumer needs
first national lockdown in response to Covid-19, for our customers, partners, and colleagues. of trialling contact lenses. Appreciating that
at the heart. Helping even more customers
we led the way in innovative digital support trying to fit contact lenses for the first time can
to understand that not all contact lenses are
when we provided a remote fine-tuning Significant, ongoing investment in both design be daunting, especially in an open, busy store
the same and communicating the various
service. Our audiologists could stay in contact and technology means we can accommodate environment, we introduced all-new fixturing
benefits and technological innovations, means
with customers and adjust their hearing aids, rising customer volumes, increase efficiency, to create designated and secluded areas,
we can delight with products that are tailored
via a smartphone, without the need and ensure we are fully equipped to offer giving customers space, comfort and privacy.
to suit their individual needs.
to leave home. world-class services and care. Last year,
as well as revamping the overall look and feel
We also agreed a quick repair service with across many of our stores globally, we made
our largest hearing aid supplier to reduce innovative improvements to our product Enhancements across
turnaround times on both standard and displays and clinical environments. our supply chain
customised products, meaning our customers
are inconvenienced as little as possible. This not only involved a new approach to frame Ensuring our supply chain advances in line with
merchandising in all our markets with the our ever-growing business is vital in order
To enhance the Specsavers Advance product to maintain the very best service to our
provision of state-of-the-art illuminated frame
portfolio, our own collection of digital partners and customers.
display units, but also the roll-out of new digital
hearing aids made exclusively for us by well-
known hearing brands, we launched the new
Specsavers Advance 19 and 71 ranges, alongside
Phonak Audéo™ Paradise and Signia AX. Our new store in Coquitlam, Canada.
Using the latest technology and great new
features to assist with hearing speech,
customers can also personalise their listening
experience using a smartphone, and stream
phone calls, TV programmes, and films straight
Advancements in audiology to their hearing aids.
Our audiology business, available in the UK, We were also delighted to introduce Signia
Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Australia Active and Active Pro hearing aids to our
and New Zealand, enjoyed another successful customers. A fashionable alternative to classic
year as our customers benefited from the hearing aids, these Signia products offer an
highest-quality hearing care products and award-winning earbud-style design without
services. Dispensing more than 530,000 compromising functionality.
hearing aids globally, represented a 63%
Offering sustainable solutions for our
volume growth on 2020/21, and a 20%
customers is also critical. To reduce the reliance
increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
on single-use batteries, rechargeable hearing
Fuelling this growth, we made audiology aids are now provided to more than eight
services available in a further 65 stores across in every 10 customers when a rechargeable
Australia and New Zealand, meaning customers model is available in the range and
can now access best-value hearing care in two style requested.
1920
Each week, our 11 manufacturing and our full portfolio to customers in Canada card to Sarah, our Optometry Partner
distribution sites across the globe produce meaning they can enjoy the value and variety at the Clarkson store in Western Australia.
more than 450,000 lenses, glaze more than that Specsavers offers – with an appropriate Her young daughter visited us for an eye
250,000 pairs of glasses, and dispatch hundreds
of thousands of contact lenses, ophthalmic
product range and meeting local
regulatory requirements. Positive and test and to choose new glasses, but Sarah
discovered optic nerve changes that required
lenses, and frames to our stores all over
the world.
To support both global and regional growth, friendly staff who urgent referral.
Our sites grew their capacity by 25% last year
we invested in the construction of a new,
joint-venture manufacturing site in Zhuhai, helped change Thanks to Sarah’s clinical expertise and great
care, the child received treatment for elevated
through the introduction of new technologies,
improved processes, and increased efficiencies,
southern China. Century Optic is an impressive,
purpose-built facility designed specifically
and customise intracranial pressure. The customer was
eternally grateful for our sight-saving, and
enabling our partners and store teams
to exceed customer expectations every day.
to accommodate our manufacturing processes
and equipment. The site totals 40,000m2
my lenses after the indeed lifesaving, care.
Throughout the pandemic, our supply chain
over six floors as well as an adjacent
8,000m2 dormitory building, offering the
ones I initially tried
teams worked tirelessly with our manufacturing
and logistics partners to secure the continued
extra production capacity needed to meet didn’t suit my needs.
increasing demands.
transportation of goods and contingency
of supplies. As global prices rose and supplies
The most important
were constrained, we managed to maintain thing for her was
stock levels and stabilised prices, ensuring
continued service with minimal disruption The value of feedback that I was happy.
to our customers.
Hearing directly from our customers A customer at our Gulskogen
A crucial focus for us last year was to secure continues to be an invaluable part of our store in Norway
partnerships and establish supply routes business. Over the past year, our global
to serve our Canadian market. We can offer customer feedback system provided us with
1.4 million responses – all of which are used Or like hearing from Debora Krut, (above right),
by our teams to improve every day. The scores In recognition of our outstanding service, who, as a busy university student, thought her
we received were fantastic across our regions; we received a multitude of awards last year. sore neck, nausea, and vertigo were stress-
for example, 93% of our Northern European In Denmark, we were ranked number one related but, when she also developed double
customers said that their experience with in insights agency Wilke’s Best Customer vision, she called the hospital. Understandably,
our colleagues was either good or excellent. Experience category and named the Best Retail the hospital couldn’t see her immediately,
Chain in the Netherlands in the Hearing so she made an appointment at our Oxford
In the UK, Republic of Ireland, and Spain,
Care Professional category for the fourth store in the UK. Our optometrist, Ciara Ní
we launched ‘Smiles’: a simplified service
time during the annual ABN AMRO Retailer Chléirigh, spotted a swelling on Debora’s optic
philosophy designed to focus on the key
of the Year Awards. Reader’s Digest magazine nerve which is usually caused by a pressure
impact we try to achieve with every customer.
crowned us as one of Australia and New increase around the brain.
Zealand’s Most Trusted Brands for 2021 in
Our smiles, along with our care, compassion, She referred Debora to hospital straight away
the highly competitive Optometrist category.
and advice when helping customers with their where tests later that day confirmed she had
eye health or hearing care, really do go a long Although these accolades bring us great a brain tumour. Debora had surgery to remove
way and our store teams take pride in doing pride, it is the human stories behind such the tumour followed by proton beam therapy.
what they do best with a smile. Since launch, achievements that really inspire us to go She is now telling everyone to make sure they
Century Optic, our new joint-venture
90% of customers in the UK told us they left the extra mile. For example, when a patient’s get their eyes tested as it could also save
manufacturing site in Zhuhai, China. a Specsavers store with a smile on their face. mother sent a heart-warming thank-you their life.
2122
Our
people
Focusing on diversity
and inclusion
Broadening and strengthening our approach
to diversity and inclusion involves working
to cultivate an environment that respects
and values difference, and where our people
feel they can be themselves at work.
Over the past 12 months, we have introduced
diversity and inclusion forums in all our regions
Our membership, and supported the creation of four colleague
network groups:
(of Diversity • PRISM for LGBTQIA+ colleagues globally
in Retail), will help • MenoTalk – a menopause support group
us to explore, grow, • Empowered Together – focused on ensuring
and understand we celebrate women in our business
• EmbRACE for black and ethnic minority
We wouldn’t be who we are today without more about how colleagues and their allies.
our people. We strive to ensure that
Specsavers is a place where everyone is proud we can ensure our We also joined forces with Diversity in Retail
to belong: from those who work in our global in the UK, an organisation devoted to increasing
support offices and supply chain sites to our culture embraces diversity and inclusion across the retail sector.
the different views
optical, audiology and domiciliary partners Being a member of this community offers
and colleagues changing lives on a daily basis. a unique opportunity for us to gain a broader
The passion and contribution of more than and thinking of perspective, enhance our commitment
to diversity, and be as inclusive as possible.
Being the place 45,000 colleagues and partners across the
globe make Specsavers a truly special place. a diverse workforce. Our 2021 gender pay gap report highlighted
we are all proud We place much focus on helping everyone that the number of women in senior roles has
to feel valued, cared for, and supported John Perkins increased to 31% compared to 26% in 2019
to belong. in achieving their full potential. Group CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer within our UK support operation.
2324
Caring about wellbeing Creating a great place to work Great Place to Work status was also accredited receive from their RST is among the most
to our ANZ region, with 84% of our store important, valued, and effective service
We are passionate about supporting our Our partners, store teams and support office and support office colleagues in Australia of the business model.
people to be the best they can be, helping them colleagues across Northern Europe were invited and 81% of those in New Zealand stating that
to maintain positive mental and physical health. to take part in a Great Place to Work® (GPTW) Specsavers is a great place to work. Working with internal colleagues and external
survey for the fourth time. Each year, GPTW suppliers, we provide a blend of learning
Through our wellbeing offer, our colleagues conducts employee surveys for more interventions via virtual workshops,
have access to a wide range of services than 10,000 workplaces globally, all aiming online content, podcasts, and videos
including: Nurturing our partnership to support our partners with their personal
to be awarded the well-known accreditation.
Our success is undoubtedly down to the development, the engagement of their teams
• WeCare, an employee assistance programme We had incredible success as Specsavers was
strength of our partnership. Providing and the growth of their businesses. Last year,
crowned Sweden’s Best Workplace for 2022 we launched our re-vamped partner induction
• Mental health services via medical insurance exceptional support to our partners enables
in the large companies’ category: in the UK which involves attending virtual
them to focus on what they do best
• A fully trained group of mental health an achievement made particularly impressive sessions to help build their business knowledge
– changing lives by inspiring their teams
first aiders considering we were in ninth place in 2021. and support networks, with more than 120
and caring for our customers.
We were also delighted that Louis Nielsen, partners from optics, audiology
• Online GP advice available at any time our Danish business, was ranked as the Across each of our regions, our Retail Support and domiciliary taking part.
and from anywhere. second-best workplace in Denmark and proud Teams (RST) are at the vanguard of helping
to be titled as Europe’s 11th best place We continued to recognise and engage aspiring
our partners put in place plans to develop their
Our regional teams also run regular wellbeing partners through Specsavers Pathway,
to work overall. businesses. We have continued to invest heavily
events locally such as a ‘The Way We Feel’ week our in-house development programme which
in this critical area, with specialisms in HR,
in Australia and quarterly wellness sessions supports our internal pipeline across every
change management, audiology, contact lenses,
across our manufacturing and distribution region. Last year resulted in 255 Pathway
customer service, and clinical advancement
sites. The focus here, and indeed for all our graduates globally. Each region’s ‘Green Room’
to support every partner and enable the
wellness activities, is on a holistic approach: enables us to provide ongoing training and
sharing of ideas and best practice across
understanding that wellbeing is not only support to approved partners, ensuring they
all stores. Our results, particularly from a recent
concerned with mental or physical health but
can also relate to financial and social influences. Being recognised survey in Australia and New Zealand, indicate
how well this is working with the majority
are ready for formal appointment into the
partnership when opportunities
Following its success in our Northern European as a Great Place to of partners stating that the support they
become available.
Engaging and developing our partners ensures
region, we launched Headspace, a mindfulness
and meditation app, for all partners and Work® is testament they are equipped to lead thriving, sustainable
to the positive
colleagues globally. We saw almost 5,000 businesses, whatever the future brings.
registrations in the first month and we’re Following its huge success in Australia and New
offering interactive webinars in partnership
with Headspace to help colleagues
environment we Zealand, we launched Specsavers 7, our highly
regarded leadership development programme
maintain their wellbeing. consistently strive for partners, across Northern Europe.
The programme brings together proven
We also created the new role of Wellbeing
and Inclusion Leads, responsible for our global
for at Specsavers characteristics of high-performing business
leaders with unique elements of Specsavers’
approach. Working with colleagues across across Australia partnership model. The result is a focus on,
the business, including those in our network and support in, seven skills that we believe all
groups, to ensure we continue to focus and New Zealand. Specsavers leaders need to demonstrate
on wellbeing in the right way and fully in order to be world-class at what they do.
embrace our ambition to create a more Paul Bott We also started plans to bring Specsavers 7
diverse and inclusive environment for all. Managing Director (ANZ) to all UK partners during 2022.
2526
Annual seminars have always been development, providing a safe space to learn, Opposite page: ANZ partners celebrating
at an end-of-year event.
an important part of the Specsavers calendar fail, stretch and prosper. Creating and investing
when partners and support teams come in opportunities for everyone to realise their This page: Partners in Norway at the annual seminar.
together to celebrate achievements and look full potential while feeling valued and inspired
ahead to future business plans. The pandemic will ensure we attract and retain the best
obviously meant that face-to-face events were people to meet the needs of our business
put on hold as we faced an uncertain period today, and in the future.
with continuously changing restrictions.
We offer a huge variety of career paths
Despite this, we found new ways to keep at Specsavers: whether you’re an optical
everyone in the partnership connected, assistant in store, leading a team of warehouse
designed to respond to the needs of each operatives, working as part of our innovative,
region; seminars moved online, we introduced digital technology function, or travelling
virtual breakfast sessions, and regular around the country in a field-based role.
entertainment events were broadcast digitally. We are committed to ensuring that extensive
and fulfilling careers are accessible for all.
With the lifting of restrictions across many
of our regions in early 2022, we recommenced We introduced monthly ‘See your career
in-person communication meetings and at Specsavers’ features in the UK, highlighting
seminars. These gave our partners and support the many individuals from across our support
office colleagues the chance to reconnect after offices and manufacturing and distribution
almost two years, sharing their passion and sites who wanted to share stories about their
Specsavers stories face-to-face once again. career journey with us so far. Not only
do these showcase the diversity of careers
on offer, but they also shine a light on the
Supporting and developing
learning and development opportunities
our teams available to help every partner and
colleague be the best they can be. This often
To continue being recognised as a great place
involves embracing opportunities outside
to work and achieve our long-term goals,
of their specialism or exciting
our focus must be on our people and their
geographical secondments.
In Australia, we held a careers information
week for our support office colleagues.
A series of interactive virtual sessions provided
teams with the options, skills, and confidence
to proactively plan their internal
career progression.
In the UK, 2021 saw the launch of our New
Talent Programme which provides people in the
early stages of their career, or those looking
for a change, with the support and skills they
need to succeed. During the programme,
participants experience different roles through
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two six-month placements in our support Supporting our store teams to become skilled
offices. They gain a comprehensive insight and confident experts in their field is vital
into everything we do and have countless to ensure they can continue to make
opportunities to expand and strengthen their
skillset. By encouraging all those involved
This programme a positive difference to our customers’ lives.
Key to achieving this is the investment
to continually expand their capability, see new taught me how in our digital training platforms, the network
possibilities, and discover their true potential, of regional trainers across all our markets,
we can help them find, and get fast-tracked to think more as well as having in-store trainers in every
strategically and
onto, the most suitable career path. location who inspire and encourage our store
colleagues every day.
This was so successful that we expanded
it to participants in Australia and New Zealand. use an out-of-the- Our online learning management system,
We then launched our largest ever iLearn, was upgraded in the UK with
multi-channel recruitment campaign box approach improvements to make it even more intuitive
to attract a further 51 people to join the
2022 programme across the UK, Guernsey, when searching and accessible from multiple devices. Optical,
audiology, domiciliary and contact lens modules
leaders of the future, an important step
and Northern Europe. This was open
to internal colleagues from our stores,
for solutions. were brought together into one learning
journey instead of separate focuses and the in safeguarding our internal pipeline.
Newmedica business, manufacturing and introduction of levels demonstrated career To help get our new recruits in audiology off
Joyce ten Broeke
distribution sites, and support offices paths and core performance for roles within to a great start, we provided a new specialised
Lead CRM Manager in the Netherlands
as well as external applicants. retail teams, clinical professions and ultimately induction, called Ready to Serve, to our hearing
partnership. The enhancements were a huge aid dispensers in the UK. Ready to Serve offers
Our global Grow Our Own programme success with 91% of colleagues logging in and
supported 81 high-potential colleagues to grow teams in preparation for more trading-led flexibility to inductees with a range of engaging
more than three million page views post launch. learning solutions from virtual sessions
the capabilities required to take on a more career paths. Through a mix of masterclasses
senior or broader role in the future. In addition and online learning sessions, delegates focus Such foundations ensure access to ongoing to on-the-job activities.
to learning as a group in key areas, we help on increasing their knowledge of customer training, but also to support specific initiatives.
participants to personalise their development, insights, supplier management, and trading For instance, in Northern Europe, we developed Professional development
creating a unique learning journey suited strategy while being mentored by senior a suite of new materials for our in-store
to their needs. leaders with experience of trading trainers and delivered bespoke training Specsavers’ Professional Advancement
director positions. to assist with the roll-out of optical coherence Conferences (PAC) have been delivering
A new 12-month Trading Mindset programme tomography (OCT) in our Norwegian stores. world-class clinical education and professional
was designed to broaden the experience More than 90 colleagues from across development to optical practitioners for the
and skillset of a group of leaders from across our regional marketing teams took part We also developed more than 90 bite-size past 27 years, and to audiology clinicians
our UK, Northern Europe and supply chain in a global development programme to ensure sessions covering all aspects of the new since 2011.
we deliver first-class customer experience and equipment (which enables our optometrists
communication. Participants attended virtual to identify early signs of certain conditions As one of the UK’s largest multi-category
workshops about upskilling in priority areas, using non-invasive diagnostic imaging), clinical conferences, our PACs have attracted
followed by a practical case study, working all available remotely via our GreenPoint industry-renowned expert speakers from
together to identify and present innovative learning platform to bolster the across the world and have continued to
solutions. Development in this area not classroom training. innovate with the introduction of practical
only built consistency in modern workshops, exhibition spaces and large-scale
marketing expertise across our teams, We launched our Management Ascent peer discussion sessions, delivering tens
but also led to stronger internal networks, programme for store managers in Australia of thousands of CET (continuing education
greater collaboration, and enhanced and New Zealand, designed to equip them with and training) points and CPD (continuing
career paths. everything they need to be highly skilled retail professional development) opportunities.
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In 2021, we delivered a hugely successful series At the start of 2022 the UK’s General Optical New Zealand, welcoming more students and five international students in 2021,
of web-based events, having moved online Council replaced CET with a new CPD scheme. into our stores than any other company. as well as a Bachelor of Vision Science degree
in 2020 due to the pandemic. Around 2,000 Our Professional Development team worked Having representatives on advisory groups at the University of Canberra, that will
optics delegates in the UK attended our PAC, tirelessly to make this transition as smooth also means we can provide opportunities welcome its first cohort mid-2022.
with peer discussion sessions covering topics as possible and launched a helpful new CPD to maintain close relationships between
We recruited record numbers of graduate
from cataracts to contact lenses, resulting online dashboard. universities, employers, and professional
optometrists, pre-reg optometrists and
in the provision of more than 12,000 CET points. bodies, strengthening the interface between
The tenth UK PAC for audiology practitioners trainee audiologists into our stores across
academic study and optometric practice.
In Northern Europe, 2,200 industry was by far the biggest yet, with more than every region, with more than 750 joining
professionals attended virtual talks, 700 delegates. February 2022 also saw the one of our exciting development
To help mitigate a forecasted shortage
panel discussions and masterclasses delivered introduction of short, monthly webinars hosted or graduate programmes.
of graduate optometrists in Australia,
by 32 speakers from six different countries, by a variety of industry professionals we forged new partnerships with optometry We also began a clinical leadership
a formula we continue to use in Australia in response to requests for more regular, schools. Specsavers supported the programme in the UK aimed at developing
and New Zealand, where our clinical bite-sized CPD opportunities. development of a new Doctor of Optometry our optometrists with five or more years’
conferences were virtually attended degree at the University of Western Australia experience to become our future
Viewpoint, our online learning platform for
by 1,300 delegates. which offered placements to 55 domestic clinical leaders.
optometrists in Northern Europe, generated
Feedback from delegates across all regions 2,800 subscribers last year. It also serves
was positive, including many clinicians external as a community, where members can access
to Specsavers seeing our PAC events various events and an ever-growing library Panel discussion filming for our 2021
as a hallmark for quality professional of practical knowledge created in collaboration Clinical Conference in Northern Europe.
development, valuing the opportunity with industry experts.
for in-depth clinical discussion with
other experts. Learning from the success of our Clinical
Performance Consultants in Australia and
New Zealand, we introduced a team
of Clinical Engagement Managers (CEMs)
into the UK and Republic of Ireland. CEMs
directly support partners by applying their
‘I’m not a Specsavers wide range of professional experience to help
our clinical colleagues with their development.
employee but Through coaching, sharing best practice,
and the adoption of new clinical processes,
welcomed the our clinicians and CEMs work together build
fulfilling careers alongside delivering even
opportunity to join better health outcomes for our customers.
the PAC events Working with the Karolinska Institute
and gain a valuable in Stockholm, we created materials to further
develop the role of clinical assistant in support
insight as well as get of our aim to recruit 100 clinical assistants
a year into our Swedish stores over the
my CET points.’ next three years.
We continue to be the largest clinical
PAC attendee placement provider across Australia and
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Sustainably Protecting our
planet
making a difference Our position
We are committed to taking responsibility
for the impact our business has on the planet
As a privately-owned, partnership and have adopted a risk-based approach
business, we have a unique perspective
to understanding, minimising, and mitigating
this impact. This is conducted in line with our We aim to be carbon
focused on a long-term duty to make values and the responsibilities we have to our
customers and our people, as well as our net zero, starting
a genuine difference to those obligations in the countries in which we
operate. with achieving
in our communities. Our environmental programme is an important climate positive
element of our sustainability approach because
both global and local environmental issues can status by 2035.
have a wide-reaching and long-term effect on
our society, now and in the future.
We recognise that the consumption of energy,
We plan to do this by:
the use of non-renewable resources, water,
on the world around us, has grown since plastics and packaging, and waste creation are Reviewing our product offer and
we began almost 40 years ago. all things we need to monitor and reduce in manufacturing processes – looking at the
every part of our business. materials we use, the way they are produced,
We are challenging ourselves to further
where they come from, and how they get to us.
improve the role we play in the lives of the
Our aim is to ensure all the plastics we use are
people we work with, the communities we Our plans
sustainable by eliminating problematic materials
serve and the planet we all share. We have set
We aim to be carbon net zero, starting with or, where that is not possible, substituting or
ourselves some strong targets in these key
achieving climate positive status (taking out reducing their use.
areas to ensure we are making a meaningful
more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than
A home visit as part of our domiciliary service. difference today, and for the future. Reducing our carbon emissions – those we
we put in) by 2035.
directly control through our operations as well
We recognise the passion and enthusiasm
as those in our supply chain. During 2022/23,
that our people around the world have in this
we will focus on better understanding our
area, meaning our plans and related activity
carbon baseline and where we need to make
Making this difference starts with us, are very much a collective effort. To help
necessary changes, setting out detailed carbon
supporting our colleagues, partners, and us deliver our sustainability targets,
targets and planning our journey towards
suppliers to change lives in a sustainable way. we appointed our CEO John Perkins as Chief
a net zero future.
Sustainability Officer, introduced dedicated
Over the past 12 months, we have reviewed our roles focused on sustainability, and established
sustainability approach, acknowledging how governance with both global and regional ReWear: our environmentally conscious range partially
much our business, and therefore our impact sustainability committees. made from recycled, post-consumer plastic waste.
3334
Reducing our packaging – not only on our Commissioning an independent audit of We are passionate about giving back
products, but also the materials used to packaging used within our supply chain and to and working with our local communities,
transit our products across the world, without store operations to provide a baseline wherever in the world we operate. We support
compromising the quality. of where we are today and identify areas many local, national, and international causes,
for improvement. and are committed to supporting eyecare and
Understanding the types of waste we create hearing care projects in developing countries.
- identifying where we can reuse or recycle
by changing how we operate and eliminating We also want to help those in our communities
materials that typically end up in landfill.
Supporting our who might not otherwise be able to access
sight and hearing care services. This includes
Introducing water efficient technologies - to
limit the amount of waste water we produce. local communities providing broader access, increasing awareness
of prevention, and early detection support.
We are proud to generate significant tax
Our progress Our position
revenues for each of the countries in which
In 2021/22, our activity included: We take our responsibilities as a global business we operate. In the year ending 28 February
very seriously, particularly in relation to: 2022, Specsavers, its businesses, and its
Making progress towards our zero waste to partners paid £334m in various taxes directly
landfill target with 75% of our UK production • The people we employ (covered in attributable to them. In total, £801m
waste now diverted from landfill. ‘Our people’ section) of taxes were generated and collected for
• The communities we support the governments of the countries in which
Launching ReWear, our first nature-inspired
those businesses operated. Full details of our
range partially made from recycled, post- Volunteers from our stores in Norway supporting
• The financial contributions we make. tax strategy are available on our website. at an eye camp in Tanzania.
consumer plastic waste. With each frame
containing five plastic bottles, our customers Our stores provide employment for more than
can choose a more environmentally conscious 35,900 local people, all of whom have access Our plans
frame. to regular training and development, helping
Improve prevention and early detection
them to progress through Specsavers on their We will:
Working with our audiology supply partners awareness. While we already offer hospital-
chosen career path. The same is true for
to reduce our carbon footprint through more Enhance access to care. We believe this is grade scanning technologies in our stores, our
the 4,500+ people who are employed
efficient quantities of hearing aid batteries, a right, not a privilege. By extending our optical next step is to raise awareness of eye and ear
in our support offices and manufacturing
resulting in fewer shipments. and audiology care network through strategic health challenges by better informing people
and distribution sites around the world.
partnerships, outreach services, and our about conditions such as glaucoma and
Introducing a new binaural order and growing domiciliary provision, we aim macular degeneration.
fulfilment structure to reduce the use of to reach even more people.
plastic cases across our audiology products. Colleagues from our Great Dunmow store in the UK Increase donations and sponsorship.
presenting our donation to St Clare Hospice. We will continue to support many charities and
Completing all carbon baseline activity good causes as well as giving our colleagues
across our Newmedica business and opportunities to help through our volunteering
appointing a Sustainability Lead to work scheme. We will also be offering our products
with a new governance group on reducing and services free of charge to those who
carbon emissions. need it most.
Controlling energy consumption by fitting the Offer more opportunities for our people
latest LED lighting in all our new, relocated, to make a positive difference. Support our
and refurbished stores across retail, clinical, colleagues with finding new ways to give back
and back-office areas. to their local communities.
3536
Our progress with local health authorities as a means
of preventing cataracts. In March 2022, as
In 2021/22, our activity included: restrictions were reduced, volunteers from
our stores travelled to Tanzania where they
The UK and the Republic of Ireland
conducted 1,050 eye tests and prescribed more
Our stores and support office colleagues than 1,500 pairs of glasses to people in need.
raised more than £1.2 million for various
charities and good causes, including £500,000 Australia and New Zealand
for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
We donated A$1,442,000 to various
through a partnership with the British
charities and good causes.
Red Cross.
During the height of the pandemic our stores We donated A$847,970 to The Fred Hollows
donated £150,000 to British Asian Trust’s Foundation including A$175,050 from the
Oxygen for India appeal. sale of our limited-edition frame. Our funding
helped to support two indigenous eye health
In Scotland, more than £73,000 was raised programmes: the Outback Eye Service which
for the premature baby charity Bliss, to buy provides ophthalmology services to rural
a PanoCam for the Simpson Neonatal Unit and remote areas of New South Wales
Witnessing the big in Edinburgh. and the Lions Outback Vision programme
in Western Australia. Together, these
Our colleagues and partners in the Republic
difference a pair of Ireland raised over €70,000 for The Hope
programmes trained 254 eyecare workers,
conducted almost 337 telehealth consultations,
of glasses can make
Foundation, helping people in Kolkata, India,
and performed over 820 eye operations
to receive eyecare. Specsavers has also
and treatments.
will stay with me committed to fund the education of eight
students undertaking an Optometry Through our donation of NZ$138,751 to The
forever. The smile Diploma course. Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand, we
supported the Mobile Eye Clinic in Fiji to
on people’s faces Northern Europe
deliver 3,110 eye health consultations, perform
Across Northern Europe, we raised more 251 surgeries, and dispense 1,851 pairs of glasses.
and the tears of joy than €300,000 for various charities and good
Our store teams in New Zealand conducted
when they received causes including Synlinjen in Sweden and
The Salvation Army in the Netherlands.
more than 53,500 free eye tests to children
as part of our Kids Go Free programme.
something to really In Denmark, we signed an agreement with
We continued to support outreach
improve their lives Dansk Folkehjælp, which provides emergency
aid and long-term assistance to vulnerable
programmes as 13 of our optometrists
delivered virtual tutorials for postgraduate
was very special groups, to support disadvantaged people
with access to free eye tests and glasses.
students working towards a diploma
in eye health. The students travel from all
to see. We continued to support the Give Sight over the Pacific to either Fiji or Papua New
in Tanzania project during the pandemic Guinea to train for a year before returning
Trine Johnsen when travel was restricted. Our store teams home with the knowledge and tools required
Head of Professional Advancement in Norway sent 1,000 pairs of sunglasses to to provide eyecare services for their
Norway Zanzibar which were distributed in cooperation local communities.
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