Michele Gasparini: “Sustainability as a driver of growth for the eyewear industry”

In recent years, ANFAO has invested significantly in promoting a culture of sustainability through training initiatives, networking opportunities and projects dedicated to businesses. What results have you observed so far, and what are the main challenges eyewear companies face today in this journey?

Over the past few years, we have seen growing interest from companies in sustainability-related topics. While initially attention was focused mainly on regulatory requirements, today there is a much greater awareness that these issues directly impact competitiveness, reputation and the ability to create long-term value.

To support this transition, ANFAO, together with Deloitte Climate & Sustainability, launched a dedicated programme for eyewear companies, aimed at providing practical tools to address topics such as ESG, sustainability reporting and evolving regulations. The positive feedback we received confirmed the importance of continuing to invest in skills development and in fostering a culture of corporate responsibility across the industry.

Today, the main challenge is helping small and medium-sized enterprises integrate these topics into their business strategies, making them a structural component of decision-making processes and organisational models. Sustainability can no longer be viewed as a side project or a simple compliance requirement; it must become an integral part of how a company plans its future.

For this reason, ANFAO has decided to continue its collaboration with Deloitte Climate & Sustainability through a new training programme launching on June 26 and running through November with five dedicated sessions. The initiative has been designed to provide companies with practical tools, regulatory updates and a strategic perspective on the ESG issues reshaping the market.

Topics will include sustainability strategy development, voluntary ESG reporting, the relationship between sustainable finance and access to credit, sustainable supply chain management, and emerging challenges related to nature and biodiversity.

The goal is to support businesses through a practical and progressive learning experience, encouraging direct interaction with Deloitte professionals and the sharing of real-life case studies. Today, sustainability is no longer just a matter of compliance; it is a strategic lever for innovation, competitiveness and growth.

Sustainability is often perceived as a set of regulatory obligations and compliance requirements. How can companies be encouraged to see it as an opportunity for growth, innovation and competitive positioning?

If sustainability was once associated primarily with regulatory compliance, it is now increasingly recognised as a strategic driver of business growth. Organisations that invest in innovation, efficiency, responsible resource management and transparency are often those best positioned to strengthen their market presence.

In the eyewear sector, the challenge is to combine corporate responsibility, quality, design and manufacturing excellence while preserving the values that have made Made in Italy a benchmark worldwide. It is not simply about responding to new regulatory requirements, but about seizing an opportunity to innovate processes, products and business models.

An ESG approach can become a tangible competitive advantage, helping strengthen relationships with customers and stakeholders while making companies more attractive to younger generations. This is why we continue to invest in spreading a culture of sustainability, convinced that the future of the sector will increasingly depend on the ability to interpret these changes proactively.

However, sustainability cannot be limited to material selection or reducing environmental impacts. Today it is essential to adopt a circular economy perspective, considering the entire product life cycle and identifying solutions that allow companies to optimise resource use and enhance production waste.

This is precisely the direction ANFAO is pursuing through new projects and partnerships. On June 23, together with Circularity, we will host a webinar focused on the challenges of circularity in the eyewear sector. It will provide an opportunity to explore the European regulatory framework, analyse the key challenges related to eyewear product circularity and reflect on the opportunities that a supply-chain approach can generate for the entire industry, including through the presentation of a significant case study. I believe that the real challenge today is turning ongoing changes into opportunities for innovation, growth and value creation.

One of ANFAO’s most significant sustainability projects is CSE – Certified Sustainable Eyewear. What stage has the initiative reached, and what value could it bring to the future of the Italian and European eyewear industry?

CSE – Certified Sustainable Eyewear is one of the most ambitious projects ANFAO is pursuing to support the sector in adopting increasingly responsible and transparent development models. Created through the collaboration between ANFAO, CERTOTTICA and the Association’s Technical Commission, it is the first international sustainability certification programme specifically dedicated to eyewear. Its aim is to provide companies with a credible, measurable and recognisable tool to showcase their commitment to ESG principles.

One of the most innovative aspects of the project is its life-cycle approach. The certification evaluates every stage involved in the creation of an eyewear product, from raw materials and manufacturing to distribution, use and end-of-life management, through specific criteria covering environmental, social, economic and technological aspects.

We are currently working to further strengthen its value and potential, assessing with our consultants the possibility of developing CSE as Product Category Rules (PCR), with the ambition of promoting its adoption as a European benchmark. This would be a particularly significant step, enabling the Italian eyewear industry to play a pioneering role in defining shared standards and anticipating future regulatory developments affecting the sector.

Our goal is to ensure that CSE becomes not only a certification, but also a common language for the entire supply chain. If we succeed in establishing it as a recognised European benchmark, Italian eyewear will be able to play a leading role in defining sustainability standards for the sector, enhancing a heritage of expertise, innovation and quality that already represents an international excellence.

We firmly believe that the future of the eyewear industry will depend on its ability to combine innovation, design, manufacturing excellence and responsibility. For this reason, it will be essential to continue engaging not only manufacturers, but also distributors, opticians and consumers, so that the value of sustainability can be understood and recognised throughout the entire supply chain.

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