ADVERTISEMENT: At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we’re committed to creating a healthier and happier world. We know that we - and you, our Eye Care Professionals (ECP) partners - have a role to play in helping people around the world see better, connect better and live better.
But we also know that delivering our mission shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment. Because to have healthy people, we need a healthy planet.
That’s why we’re constantly innovating to find sustainable solutions to tackle climate change, both in our business, through ECPs and our ECPs’ patients. We want to make positive sustainable change easier for everyone.
Our sustainability efforts are focused in three key areas:
Climate: Reducing our carbon footprint and increasing the use of renewable energy
Waste Reduction: Reducing waste, optimising our packaging, and helping our customers and patients recycle more
Natural Resources: Limiting our use of natural resources and finding solutions to protect the environment.
These sustainability efforts are working towards achieving our three core climate goals:
To source 100% of our electricity from renewable energy by 2025 - and at Johnson & Johnson Vision we are proud to have met our goal three years early1
Achieve carbon neutrality across all of our operation by 2030
Reduce absolute upstream value chain (Scope 3) emissions 20% from 2016 levels1 by 2030.
Reducing waste
In the UK, we know that reducing waste is a top priority for our partners and patients, and is essential to providing a brighter future for our planet. In 2022, a Johnson & Johnson Vision UK survey found that…
72% of contact lens wearers were more likely to increase their frequency or use if they knew their contact lenses could be recycled
67% of contact lens wearers and those considering contacts were more likely to switch to an optician that offered contact lens recycling
We are on a mission to limit landfill contribution through recycling efforts and by continuously exploring opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging. Our approach to developing more sustainable products looks at the full life cycle: from formulation and manufacturing to use and end of life.
For example, reducing the amount of secondary packaging we use has helped to lower the impact of shipping, distribution, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
89% of raw materials at ACUVUE® contact lens manufacturing sites are recycled2
The ACUVUE® Contact Lens Recycling Programme
Our partnership with TerraCycle® in the UK has seen over 11 million contact lenses, blister packs and foils recycled through the ACUVUE® Contact Lens Recycling Programme3
The programme operates through a network of over 1,000 public drop-off locations, in partnership with opticians across the UK
We funded 3,500 Zero Waste Boxes in 2022, free of charge at participating stores
In 2023, 6,500 boxes will be funded by Johnson & Johnson Vision.
Increasingly we’re finding that patients are asking us about the sustainability of our eye care products and services. The ACUVUE® Contact Lens Recycling Programme has helped people conveniently minimise their waste and means that we’re helping build towards a healthier, more sustainable future.
Beyond reducing waste, we’re focused on two additional core areas:
Reducing carbon footprint
We’re on track to help Johnson & Johnson meet its carbon neutrality goal by 2030, having significantly reduced our carbon footprint in the last ten years.1 To date we have:
As of 2022, 100% of Johnson & Johnson Vision’s electricity comes from renewable sources - three years ahead of target4
Saved 48,000 tons of CO2 annually through renewable and energy efficient programmes**5
Made sure that all our ACUVUE® contact lenses are now made with 100% renewable electricity4,6
Invested $50MM at our Limerick (and Jacksonville, Florida) manufacturing sites to reduce our CO2 footprint. Our production site in Limerick, Ireland is 100% powered by wind7,8
Achieved both certification and recertification of ISO50001 standard in our Limerick manufacturing facility for our energy management systems - including policies, targets, improvements, and use of data
Preserving natural resources
We strive to limit our use of natural resources and find new solutions to protect the environment, which is why:
Our paper packaging is sourced from sustainable forestry products, helping combat deforestation9
In 2023, we removed the plastic pouches on delivery notices for all our ACUVUE® orders, saving 2.8 tons of plastic each year in the UK10
These are just a few examples of how we are meeting our sustainability commitments. As we look to the future, we will continue to demand more from ourselves as we work towards our sustainable vision and creating a healthier planet. After all, a healthy planet contributes to healthy people. That’s why we recognise the crucial role sustainable solutions play in protecting the planet against climate change.
“At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we’re committed to doing the right thing. It’s part of our heritage and Credo - whether that’s tackling climate change, waste reduction, or protecting natural resources. We’re passionate about our global sustainability strategy and using science to guide our actions to create a healthier world.” Jakob Sveen, General Manager UK and Ireland, Johnson & Johnson Vision.
** CO2 savings are based on engineering estimates completed at the time the projects were approved. Equivalency calculation was completed using US EPA’s
Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
5. JJV Data on File 2021. Data Substantiation for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects at US and Ireland ACUVUE® Contact Lens Manufacturing Facilities
9. JJV Data on File 2022. Data Substantiation for Paper Packaging Certification Claim.
10. JJV Data on File 2022. Data Substantiation for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Projects at US and Ireland ACUVUE Contact Lens Manufacturing Facilities.
These are designed to support providers in developing qualifications to meet the GOC’s Education and Training Requirements for therapeutic prescribing contact lens specialisms.
