With the Responsible Company Prize, SILMO Paris shines a spotlight on companies that are evolving their practices and, at their own level, helping to build a more responsible eyewear industry.
Developed in partnership with Hyssop agency, the prize takes a comprehensive look at responsible business practices, from environmental initiatives and responsible purchasing to product design and life cycle, working conditions, governance and social engagement.
There is no single way to make a difference, but as many paths as there are companies. Each moves forward at its own pace, according to its own realities and priorities, evolving its practices and exploring new ways forward. It is this momentum — driven by concrete action and a determination to go further — that the Engaged Company Award seeks to highlight.
2026 FINALISTS
This year, five companies caught the jury’s attention. Their different profiles and journeys reflect the diversity of approaches being taken, while sharing the same momentum: CSR is playing an increasingly important role at the heart of practices across the eyewear industry.
- ANDY WOLFhas turned its product carbon footprint assessments into concrete action: 85% of its acetate frames are now made from Acetate Renew, while aluminium has been removed from its cases in favour of cardboard and recycled materials. Between 2021 and 2024, the company reports a 53% reduction in the product footprint of its acetate frames and a 38% reduction for its metal products. The company also stands out for its 100% European supply chain, with no air freight, as well as services designed to extend the lifespan of its eyewear, including repairs, second-hand options and a seven-year warranty on its AWearness collection. On the social front, people with disabilities account for 6% of its workforce, while four local work-integration organisations contribute to production activities such as keyrings, labelling and displays – further demonstrating the company’s strong focus on tangible action.
- MODO Eyewearbases the approach of its Eco brand on measuring the carbon footprint of its products, using the results to guide its choice of materials: bio-based frames made from castor oil, recycled metal and plastic recovered from the ocean. This approach has received several accolades, including Sustainable Frame of the Year in London, an iF Gold Award and a German Design Award. The company has also taken steps to improve its logistics, with 90% of transportation carried out by sea, as well as its packaging, using boxes made from 80% recycled material, recycled paper packaging and cases made from recycled PET. In terms of social impact, Modo stands out for the scale of its “Buy a Frame, Help a Child See” programme and its vision centres in India and Nepal, which aim to improve access to vision care for one million people. These initiatives are complemented by a tree-planting programme.
- The young company OOMADEof eight employees is turning the traditional eyewear model on its head: when a frame breaks, the optician can 3D-print a replacement frame in just ten minutes, directly in-store and designed around the customer’s existing lenses. The same technology can also give a second life to used lenses collected through a network of partner opticians. This approach offers clear environmental benefits: on-demand production with no excess stock, no transportation of the finished parts and no associated packaging. The model is supported by carefully managed logistics, with supplies sourced from European distributors to consolidate freight and no use of air transport. The 3D printers are leased to opticians with a maintenance service and are all taken back at the end of the contract to begin a new lifecycle. Team members are directly involved in collecting second-hand lenses and in the resulting humanitarian initiatives, while the company entrusts the cleaning of its premises to an ESAT, a French organisation providing supported employment for people with disabilities. Its goals for 2027 include relocating its raw-material sourcing to Europe and developing a 100% recycled filament made from used frames collected from opticians.
- The ten-employee company TCNstands out for a particularly rigorous approach to CSR management for an organisation of its size. Suppliers are assessed against five criteria – quality, compliance, environmental performance, ethics and proximity – while a dedicated set of indicators is used to track performance and analyse any gaps against objectives. The company also holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications and has carried out a Responsible Care® assessment. Employee engagement is equally strong: 100% of staff have taken part in CSR awareness workshops covering topics such as inclusion and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as site visits to water and waste treatment facilities. R&D, laboratory, production and logistics operations are all located on a single site, while 73% of suppliers are based in France. A practical social policy – including three to four days of training per employee each year, profit-sharing, a value-sharing bonus and flexible working hours – together with an all-female management committee, completes an approach driven by senior management and firmly rooted in continuous improvement.
- The young Indonesian company REGENESIS MATERIALSof eight employees approaches eyewear through the materials themselves: 100% of its products are made from recycled and traceable raw materials. These include Carbonite, which contains more than 70% recycled material, and a circular acetate produced from offcuts that are collected and reprocessed into sheets. The circular approach extends throughout the product lifecycle: production offcuts are ground down and reincorporated, products come with a lifetime warranty and a digital product passport, suppliers are audited on site, and GRS certification is currently in progress. What particularly sets the company apart is a model in which impact is built directly into the product: every pair sold funds the collection of 1 kg of waste and the planting of one mangrove tree, while a proportion of revenue is allocated to ecosystem restoration projects, including river waste barriers, mangrove restoration and coral restoration. Another distinctive feature is that every employee has their own impact-related role and objectives, while also taking part directly in field operations. To date, the company reports that more than 120,000 kg of plastic has been collected and 4,000 mangrove trees planted.
GOOD EYES ON THE PLANET : FROM INSPIRATION TO ACTION
This is precisely the purpose of “Good eyes on the planet”, SILMO Paris’s dedicated CSR space. Best practices drawn from entries to the Responsible Company Prize, eco-responsible materials, discussions and talks: this space invites professionals to learn, find inspiration and discover practical ways to take action themselves.
Through the Responsible Company Prize and “Good eyes on the planet”, SILMO Paris champions a clear belief: by sharing initiatives and spreading best practices, an entire profession can be set in motion.
The winner of the 2026 Responsible Company Prize will be announced on Saturday, 26 September, during the SILMO d’Or awards ceremony.
