Annual Review 2018 - 2019

Specsavers La Villiaze St Andrew’s GY6 8YP Tel +44 (0)207 2020 241 specsavers.com

Printed on recycled paper Our purpose Contents To make a positive difference to the lives of all 5 Introduction Our promise 6 The year in numbers To use our compassion and expertise to help people feel good, cared for 8 Customers and smart 14 People

Our values 20 Partnership To treat people as we would like to be treated ourselves 26 Corporate responsibility 42 Results Passionate about: Our customers the lifeblood of our business 44 Review from the regions Our people supporting our staff to be the best they can be Partnership at the heart of everything we do Communities giving back to and working with our local communities 48 Specsavers Executive Committee Results keep it simple, get it done, deliver on our promises 50 Contact details

2 3 Inside front Introduction

2018/19 has been another incredible year for the Specsavers Partnership. We have seen our global partners, store teams, support office colleagues and those in our manufacturing and distribution sites come together to deliver tremendous results and exceptional service.

This review describes our activities eyecare services all playing a part in and progress over the last 12 months us becoming recognised as a trusted and highlights just some of the things healthcare brand. We are very proud we have done to make a difference by of our strong brand but have exciting delighting our customers, developing plans to take it to new heights. our people and supporting our partners. Developing it to reflect our growing As 2019 marks the 35th anniversary of healthcare position at the same time Specsavers and we reflect on how our as representing our style and value business has evolved over more than credentials is an important step in three decades, one critical element making us fit for the future. But the that has remained constant is having truth behind our purpose hasn’t passionate and highly-skilled people changed since day one: we are at the heart of everything we do. here to make a positive difference Being knowledgeable and accessible to the lives of all. is essential to delivering world-class Our sense of humanity — making customer experiences, but what people feel good, cared for and smart our 38 million customers across the through the exceptional products, globe really remember is great human services and value we offer — is what interactions: the special care and sets us apart. attention that our people provide every day.

We are now a truly multi-category business with optics, home visits, contact lenses, audiology and broader

Doug Perkins Dame Mary Perkins Chairman and Founder Founder

5 The year in numbers Optical stores Audiology stores* Domiciliary partnerships

Figures as at the end of February 2019 80

Sweden 113 48 UK 816 191 49 530 million + 77 Contact lenses sold 6% 400,000 ROI 57 16 increase Hearing aids sold 144 128

Group revenue 2018/19 Increase on 9 2017/18 revenue 1.6 Partners million + million+ 21.6 330 51 52

Frames sold Customer feedback responses 1.4 million + *Audiology services are also available in 813 optical stores in the UK, 57 optical stores in the , 86 optical stores in Australia and 142 optical stores in the Netherlands.

Visitors to our website Optical and audiology stores 37,000 + every week Employees Our history

1984 1990 1997 2003

Opened first store in UK Entered ROI Entered Netherlands Launched ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ Revenue by market strapline in the UK

£1,474.2m UK 2007 2006 2005 2004 ROI £113.2m Entered Expanded into Entered Spain Entered Aquired Expanded Aquired Netherlands £134.7m Finland audiology in Norway Louis Nielsen into audiology Blic optical group the Netherlands in Denmark in the UK in Sweden £127.8m

Norway £96.3m 2008 2010 2011 2013 Denmark £120.2m Entered Australia Market leader: Market leader: Acquired UK domiciliary and New Zealand New Zealand Australia business Healthcall Spain £5.6m

Finland £39.3m

Australia £592.0m 2017 2016 2015 2014

New Zealand £73.3m Expanded into audiology Expanded into Partnered with Market leader: Market leader: in Australia enhanced optical ophthalmology Finland Denmark, Norway, Sweden services business Newmedica 6 7 Passionate about our customers

The lifeblood of our business

It is no secret that our success lies in our unrelenting passion ‘For me, Frame Styler represents the future to make a difference for our 38 million customers worldwide. of shopping. I had all the options right in front of me and could quickly create a shortlist of Offering the best possible experience, value and choice in the frames I liked the most.‘ eyecare and hearing care ultimately enables us to help our Louise Redknapp, singer and TV personality customers live a better quality of life.

refers to a customer service agent in customer journey for ever-increasing number of EOS schemes that were cases when it cannot, we are constantly mobile traffic and usage. Following a commissioned to benefit communities. looking at ways to teach the bot new successful launch, there are plans to We now offer optical coherence information and ultimately extend its introduce this version in our other tomography (OCT) in all our New reach into other areas of our business. markets. Zealand stores, 200 in Australia and We also became the first, and only, This year we developed plans to more than one in three in the UK with online contact lens retailer in Australia transform our customer experience. plans to roll out more over the next to provide instant health fund claiming The programme is set to re-engineer 12 months. Using OCT technology has for members of participating health the technology-enabled elements of enabled us to transform the way we funds via our website. Our customers our customer journey, ensuring we care for our customers’ eye heath enjoy the convenience of continue to evolve while remaining the and double the detection rates of claiming without the need to visit a number one choice for our customers, glaucoma. In 2018 our optometrists store as we saw a significant spike now and in the future. in ANZ referred more than 150,000 in Medipass orders within the first patients for tertiary eyecare with Our one millionth Frame Styler customer, Allison Ravenscroft, receiving her prize Enhancing our offer four months. over 30,000 of those for glaucoma. Our focus on enhanced optical services Innovating the customer customer used the exclusive, virtual offering proved successful not only Our online appointment system in (EOS) – those that fall outside the experience try-on technology. We also developed for its convenience, but also with the the UK and Republic of Ireland makes standard eye test – has continued We have an ever-increasing level of the Specsavers Confidence Scale, benefit of an in-store aftercare service. it easy for customers to find their and in 2018/19 more than 570,000 expectation from customers. Quite unveiled by British style icon and first- Despite being the fourth country nearest store and book an eye or customers across the UK were able rightly, they demand exceptional time wearer Louise Redknapp, in our Northern European region to hearing test at their convenience. Over to benefit from the availability of this customer service and high-quality which revealed that 20 million Brits enable online purchasing in this area, the past year, we reached a total of six service: a 37% increase on the previous products, delivered efficiently and in a wish they had a better sense of style. we launched enhanced, market-specific million appointments booked online year. Most were assessed and treated great retail environment. They expect The research identified that customers functionality including online bank since the pilot in 2016. This has not for minor eye conditions such as red to be able to interact with us digitally often found the big choice of glasses transfers (a popular payment method only saved significant time in-store by eye or sticky eye, for which they would at any time of day and using the latest on offer daunting. Frame Styler can in Finland) and an auto-refill system reducing manual bookings, but we have otherwise have had to go to their GP technology. Our ability to respond give specs-wearers the confidence for recurring orders. also seen a decrease in the number or to the local hospital A&E. Others to their rapidly-changing needs and to find the right pair of glasses by of no-shows as customers can cancel benefited from (not having to go to With the increase in online order provide a unique experience is vital to analysing face shape, examining their appointment within two clicks of hospital for) services such as diabetic volumes, developments to improve the protect our customers of today and purchase history and marrying the their confirmation email. retinopathy screening, pre- and post- customer experience of buying online continue to attract those of the future. results with latest trends. cataract surgery assessment and continued at pace in Australia and New We also developed a new solution glaucoma monitoring. Our game-changing app - Frame Styler Customers in Finland can now buy their Zealand, including the introduction of a in the Netherlands to support the Celebrating the introduction of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in our 200th store in Australia - enjoyed continued success in the contact lenses through our website. 24/7 Chatbot service for contact lenses growing number of bookings coming Working closely with the NHS and UK and we celebrated an incredible As 50% of all contact lenses sold in the customers. With 60% of queries being via our website. It has been built using with LOCs (local optical committees), milestone when our one millionth Finnish market are bought online, our successfully answered by the bot which a mobile-first approach to improve the we saw an increase of 22% in the

8 9 Specsavers optometrist Sanjiv Koasha providing optical care via our home visit service

2018/19 was a fantastic year for our Not only does the service offer Focus on frames Osiris Eyewear has been part of home visit service in the UK and significant benefits to our customers Increasingly, our customers expect not Specsavers history for over 20 years Republic of Ireland as we provided and reduce public health spending due only unbeatable value but also great but following feedback from our optical care for 120,000 housebound to fewer unnecessary referrals, it also choice in styles, brands and ranges. customers and in-store teams, the people. By extending our offer of provides additional, case-based training In 2018/19, we continued to lead the range was completely reviewed last excellent customer service and for all our optometrists. way in frame design and development, year. The result was an inspiring unbeatable value to those who are selling more than 21.6 million glasses revamped range and we were Since announcing our ground-breaking unable to visit our stores, we saw worldwide. incredibly excited to announce our partnership with Newmedica in the sales increase by 15% in the UK and partnership with singer/songwriter UK in 2016, we have achieved a great Following its popularity in the UK 14% in the Republic of Ireland. Gary Barlow as the new face of Osiris deal together: opening a range of and Republic of Ireland last year, our in the UK and Republic of Ireland. We also published the inaugural State new services, doubling the size of the much-anticipated collaboration with of the Nation Eye Health report in business and delivering outstanding international artist will.i.am is now Australia and New Zealand. It provides a clinical experiences for more than offered as part of our global frame comprehensive overview of the status 120,000 patients during 2018/19 alone. portfolio. We saw an average of 43% of eye health in the region as well as Newmedica operates across 25 sites new customers under the age of 35 new data and insights based on analysis in England, covering the major adult coming into our stores to review of more than six million patient journeys. sub-specialities of glaucoma, cataract, the range in Australia and New medical retina, macular and YAG Zealand alone. We worked with Diabetes Australia lasers. Four Newmedica eye health to develop the KeepSight initiative As part of a continued global focus on clinics and surgical centres opened as which communicates directly with the kids’ market, we worked with our ophthalmology joint ventures in the the 1.3 million Australians living with best-selling brand Disney to launch past 18 months and we have plans for diabetes to ensure they are receiving Disney Vintage frames in celebration of at least two more in the year ahead. clear and regular messages about Mickey’s 90th anniversary. Superheroes when their next eye exam is due. As Hulk, Iron Man and Captain America part of our commitment to eliminate have been introduced to our Marvel diabetes-related sight loss, we have collection in line with the Avengers: pledged A$1m annually for five years Infinity War film release, making it one towards the programme. of the most successful branded ranges in the children’s category last year. We invested in an opportunity to enhance customer care in Denmark To ensure inclusivity among our with the launch of a specialist eye- youngest customers, we go beyond health tool. The system gives our considering popular characters during in-store optometrists direct access our design processes. As such, we to a secure, online hub of trusted included eight new KidsFit frames ophthalmologists, who they can ask to within our Disney and Marvel offerings review cases before formally referring which are specifically developed for to ophthalmic-level care. This service, children with low bridges and small facial which is the first of its kind in the parameters. These frames were a big market and offered at no extra cost hit with children and parents alike, with to our customers, has been used with one being shortlisted in the Optician huge success and now sees almost Nigel Kirkpatrick, consultant ophthalmologist and clinical Awards’ Frame of the Year category director, and Carl Hall, operational director, at the eye 1,000 cases reviewed every month. health clinic and surgical centre in Gloucester, England due to its innovation credentials.

10 11 Day: our fastest-selling range in Northern Europe to date Winning Audiology Retailer of the Year in the Netherlands

Specsavers stores across Australia and Using a special high-index material enables our store teams to make results can be reviewed immediately by 94% of our Northern European food items and deliver them to Anne New Zealand were the first to introduce means that, as the name suggests, recommendations about the benefits an in-store clinician and then emailed customers provided excellent feedback along with her glasses. She stayed all our newest couture brand, Marc Jacobs, lenses can be made thinner and lighter, of owning glasses and contact lenses directly to the customer. The digital about their eye tests with us. But afternoon for a chat over a cup of tea to the market. Its huge success has which is great for high prescriptions. rather than glasses or contact lenses as application has been hugely popular, we are always striving to do more: and even assisted in changing Miss seen the subsequent launch of this Not only do extra thin lenses improve further development and innovation of meaning customers who have no the greatest improvement was in McGill’s oxygen tank. exclusive collection across all regions to the appearance of glasses, but extra our dual-wear offer continues. hearing loss or referable conditions Sweden where we saw the number of We are reassured that more people further extend our premium portfolio light properties make them more can save time with a 15-minute rather respondents classed as ambassadors Advancements in audiology than ever are choosing and trusting and fashion credentials. comfortable to wear. than one-hour appointment. (being either extremely satisfied or We continue to provide our customers us for their optical and hearing care very satisfied with the value and overall Last year saw our biggest-ever We partnered with a major new in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the For the second consecutive year, because of the outstanding service experience at Specsavers) rise to 88%. launch in Northern Europe. Day quickly lens supplier and built even stronger Netherlands and most recently Australia our Dutch hearing business showed they experience as highlighted in become our fastest-selling range in the relationships with our existing with access to the highest-quality a volume growth of more than 20%. We know that such results don’t feedback messages like this one from region to date, achieving record sales providers, enabling us to move a audiology products and services, at We celebrated that thousands of happen without our truly exceptional a customer in Southern Australia: within its first six weeks. The collection number of single-sourced product the best value, delivered through the consumers voted us Audiology Retailer teams, whose care and compassion ‘We have been going to Specsavers was implemented to add an injection of lines to multiple channels of supply. most professional and trusted teams. of the Year in the Netherlands as changes people’s lives for the Newton for many years now because colour into the existing portfolio and awarded by leading retail consultancy better every day. We have various Following the launch of easyvision We celebrated the first anniversary the staff show great patience in proved so popular that it will go on to Q&A. We also introduced a new service programmes where we recognise unique contact lenses in the UK and of our audiology partnership model in working with our son, Archer, who has help shape future designs. for our customers: insurance against those team members who have gone Republic of Ireland, we extended Australia. With 51 audiology partners limited language and comprehension loss, irreparable damage and theft of the extra mile for their customers. As well as new additions, we continue the subcategory of our trusted and now providing expert services in 86 skills. The team members show him a the hearing aids. to refresh and expand existing ranges - exclusive easyvision core brand to all stores across the country, and new The overall winner of our Customer great range of frames and don’t rush most recently, Tommy Hillfiger. our markets. We also expanded the businesses opening every week, we The launch of Specsavers advance First award in the UK last year was him into making decisions about his The update contributed to a 19% year- range of easyvision contact lenses are continuing to change the industry rechargeable hearing aids brought Claire Feeley, an optical assistant from choice. They allow one of us to be on-year increase in sales volume. available, providing our customers for the better by offering high-quality, latest technology and unbeatable value our Bellshill store - here’s her story: with him at all times to help explain with the best quality and up-to-date affordable products backed by the together into our own branded products information if he does not fully Progress in lenses During the dispensing process Claire technology while remaining affordable. provision of clinical excellence. for the first time. The new range understand what he needs to do.’ The ongoing growth and enhancement found out that her customer was provides exceptional hearing clarity of our global ophthalmic lens portfolio For example, one of our new daily 2019 also marked an industry milestone suffering from leukaemia. Anne McGill’s at our lowest ever price and is packed saw sales volume increase by 2.3% disposable contact lenses offers as we became the first audiology friend had brought her to the store with digital technology and special as almost 45 million lenses were uncompromised comfort and handling provider in Australia to offer instant for an eye test but told Claire that she features that allow a more natural manufactured or supplied to our for our customers at outstanding value. health fund claiming for customers was going on holiday so wouldn’t be hearing experience while negating stores last year. easyvision daily alea lenses use smooth in store. available to bring Miss McGill back to the need to fiddle with batteries. silicone hydrogel to enhance all-day collect her glasses. There didn’t seem The introduction of polarising for We developed innovative technology comfort. Additionally, the innovative The value of feedback to be any other carers, so Claire offered 1.6 single-vision lenses is another to revolutionise the customer Smart Touch™ packaging design means During the past year, we received more to deliver the new specs to Anne’s example of our commitment to journey, increase efficiency and make the lenses are never inside out, making than 1.6 million feedback responses via home once they had arrived. ensuring customers have affordable audiology more widely available. Now their handling easier and reducing the our global customer feedback system. access to some of the very best allowing us to offer hearing tests in On the day the glasses were due to risk of fibres or contaminates being Hearing directly from our customers products. Unlike ordinary , all UK stores, AudioPad is a British be collected, Claire phoned Miss McGill present on the lens surface. is invaluable in helping us to really polarising lenses eliminate glare Society of Audiology (BSA) compliant to confirm delivery and she told Claire understand what is important and from horizontal surfaces such as These advancements are in support four-frequency pure tone hearing how much she was looking forward continues to influence and shape the roads, water and snow. of our activity to make contact check with triage questions which is to her visit as she hadn’t managed to ways in which we make a difference. lenses an integral part of every completed on a compatible iPad with get out or have any company since We also extended our varifocal offering Customer service index scores were customer interaction. Having lifestyle a set of calibrated headphones. The her friend went on holiday. Claire took to the Ultimate Thin + Light range. fantastic across all our markets and conversations with customers check takes around 10 minutes and the it upon herself to buy some essential Our 50th audiology partner in Australia, Alvin Gan

12 13 Passionate about our people

Supporting our colleagues to be the best they can be ‘Working in manufacturing as a shift leader for a number of years, I felt I was a good judge of character and was sensitive to individual Our people are committed to doing the little things that differences. But attending the unconscious ‘The Grow Our Own programme opened up bias training has made me re-evaluate how I matter, better, every day. The sum of which is our stellar so many amazing opportunities to me that perceive people. It has made me aware that performance, sustained over many years. Our ethos is to I would not otherwise have had. I am really people may see me differently to how I actually grateful for this and look forward to building offer inspiring development and fantastic opportunities am as a person, so I am now more conscious of on these experiences in my ongoing career how I act around my peers.’ to help our 37,000 store, support office and supply chain at Specsavers.’ colleagues continue to make a difference, either by serving A leader in one of our manufacturing and Grow Our Own participant distribution sites customers or supporting partners and their teams.

Focusing on diversity distribution sites – raising awareness We have always made good use We launched our new global Future their full potential. We held the We also introduced a new event and inclusion of unconscious bias and encouraging of flexible working. Last year we Talent programme designed to help inaugural Australia and New Zealand for our global supply chain leaders, An inclusive workplace values and everyone to challenge their own reinforced our position by developing futureproof business growth by leadership conference, bringing including general managers and provides equal opportunity to behaviours. online support materials and practical building long-term succession together the regional leadership operations directors from our everyone regardless of differences. guidance for people managers to plans and developing technical and team to collaborate and think manufacturing and distribution sites. We partnered with a worldwide At Specsavers we recognise the help them manage more flexibly. functional experts in core business differently. With innovation high on Bringing these people together for diversity and inclusion organisation to benefits of embracing a diverse and We also launched an additional areas. We identified a total of nine the agenda, attendees were treated to the first time to look at our long- develop and deliver bespoke training. inclusive workforce, in terms of better programme in Australia and New ambitious individuals from internal a thought-provoking keynote speech term framework and discuss plans This included facilitating workshops for business performance, more engaged Zealand which included related and external pools across all our by global futurist and innovation collectively helped to build stronger our leadership population, interactive employees, enhanced employer brand workshops. regions, to take part in the 18-month strategist Anders Sorman-Nilsson. connections and team collaboration. online workshops for our managers, and greater innovation. programme. During this time, they as well as building and launching digital In the UK, we published our gender will embark on extensive and In 2017, we kicked off our global development tools for all employees. pay gaps for Specsavers Optical engaging learning and development diversity and inclusion programme with 87% of leaders and managers have so Superstores (our UK support office opportunities including three six- the Specsavers Executive Commitee far benefitted from this programme. network) and Vision Labs (one of month placements in the product, devoting time to explore ‘unconscious To keep unconscious bias awareness our manufacturing and distribution retail and marketing functions. bias’. The key focus for us in 2018 was firmly on the radar, we also put in sites), for the second consecutive to build a shared basic understanding place a two-hour online workshop year. The report highlighted that, So far, 174 people from across the around inclusion across our support suitable for new joiners or those like many other businesses, we globe have benefitted from being offices and manufacturing and wanting to build on previous have more men in senior roles part of the global Grow Our Own knowledge. than women. We also looked at programme, which is now in its third this representation across our year. The programme offers a blend In our UK and Guernsey A review of our recruitment and main global businesses. of core and bespoke development support offices alone, talent management activities is opportunities, so that each participant ongoing to ensure that every role Helping our support office a recent pulse survey can create a unique learning journey is open to the widest pool possible, teams succeed showed that more than to suit their needs. The groups also and our commitment to more flexible We have a strong legacy of growing 75% of people benefited network globally to learn from each working in our support offices our talent from within and developing other and share experiences. from some form of gives our existing and prospective a strong pipeline of talented individuals flexible working in 2018. employees freedom around how, with the skills and capabilities that we We are equally passionate about when and where they work. need, now and in the future. enabling our current leaders to reach Our leaders in Australia and New Zealand gathering in Melbourne for the inaugural leadership conference

14 15 Partners Alan Phillips and Mark Anderson being presented with their Platinum Employer award by Councillor Kate Anolue Holding a career information event for store team members from across Victoria, Australia as Enfield becomes the 500th Specsavers UK store to be accredited

Developing talent in our stores first time to inform store team and cataracts. Through our partnership programmes, with many progressing Specsavers Clinical Conferences took More and more colleagues are members about the various options with the International Glaucoma through a bespoke pathway onto place with huge success across all our ‘The PAC is a unique event. It’s progressing their careers as our available to help develop their careers Association (IGA), more than 3,500 the FBDO (Fellow of British Dispensing regions during 2018, with more than all about doing the best thing development offer for clinical and at Specsavers. Optical assistants, Specsavers front-of-house colleagues Opticians) by distance learning, 5,200 optical and audiology for patients, putting them at retail training continues to grow. dispensers, managers and optometrists in the UK and the Republic of Ireland to become a registered dispensing practitioners globally taking part in the centre of everything we do.’ from stores across Victoria attended have completed online training to give optician. events offering world-class learning There was impressive commitment Your Next Step and learned about them an increased understanding of and professional development. to learning and development in We piloted an Australian-based Paul Morris, UK Director of programmes to enhance their glaucoma and the confidence to advise Northern Europe over the past year. programme to make it easier for We also held a series of smaller events Professional Advancement dispensing skills, advance them into patients on effective administration We established virtual classroom optical dispensers to access an across Northern Europe which leadership and management roles, of eye drops. learning by delivering more than internationally-recognised FBDO included Norwegian optometrists and ultimately prepare them for 300 online sessions, 80% of all store Our optometrists in Australia and qualification. Traditionally, the gathering in Stavanger to learn business ownership. team members across the region now New Zealand obtained a total of more Fellowship Dispensing Diploma, which about our approach to working log into iLearn - our online learning As we continue to make sure that than 16,300 continuing professional is offered by the Association of British with ophthalmologists and a Swedish management system - every month Specsavers is an attractive and well- development (CPD) points, helping to Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has only expert in dry eye syndrome meeting and 5,600 people booked onto one respected career choice, we are ensure the provision of best-practice been available to Australians and New with optical practitioners in Malmö. or more of the 700 training courses proud that 75% of UK stores have clinical care to patients. Almost 90% of Zealanders in the form of a distance Around 2,000 attendees in the UK on offer. now achieved Platinum Employer these points were focused on learning programme that requires the benefitted from a truly accreditation, proving they have glaucoma and delivered through an student to travel to the UK or Malaysia Recognising the importance of multidisciplinary approach everything in place to provide a engaging mix of online to complete their examinations. convenience and making learning easy at this year’s flagship clinical event, the great place to work. and face-to-face learning. By working with ABDO to offer a to access we consolidated our product Specsavers Professional Advancement locally-facilitated diploma course we training content and worked on ways Professional development We also introduced new pathways Conference, with a programme that can give more of our experienced to digitally improve our offering. The Education for our optometrists is as for accredited qualifications for brought together optometrists, dispensers the opportunity to elevate result was a mobile-friendly Product important as ever. Enabling clinical clinical support staff, including the contact lens and dispensing opticians, their professional skills while obtaining Learning Hub and, with more than and dispensing support staff to gain NHS-approved Diploma for Healthcare optometry undergraduates, a highly-reputable accreditation. The 3,500 unique users within the first professionally-recognised qualifications Science Assistants (EOS Diploma), ophthalmologists and audiologists. initial success of the pilot programme, four months in the UK alone, proved is a key part of ensuring quality of designed to provide learning and skills In a first for the event, an interactive which combines online modules with that easily accessible, bite-size learning care to all our patients and customers. to a recognised national standard for discussion workshop brought together locally-based, face-to-face workshops is key to helping our teams offer great those working as part of an NHS and optical and audiology professionals to In the UK, our optometrists have and the ability to take examinations service to customers. private healthcare team. During the examine consent issues and clinical now completed more than 10,000 in Australia, has led to enrolment last 12 months, more than 750 students cases involving multidisciplinary care We held a career information event at postgraduate accreditations in plans for a full September 2019 intake. have been following our accredited for both hearing and sight loss. our Melbourne support office for the minor eye conditions, glaucoma

16 17 Our largest-ever intake of graduate optometrists in Australia and New Zealand

As part of our ongoing drive We also welcomed the largest ever to become the first choice for intake of graduate optometrists in optometry graduates, we continued Australia and New Zealand as 150 to offer a clinical programme at recently-qualified professionals seven universities across our Northern joined our two-year development European markets, with a record high programme - a 48% increase on of 850 participating students. We also the year before. saw a 35% increase in the number of optometrists completing professional training compared to 2017 and offered a new optical dispenser course for each country within the region.

18 Delegates at our seminar in Denmark 19 enjoying the interactive exhibitions Passionate about partnership ‘I really enjoyed the enthusiasm throughout. I thought the contact lens session was fantastic and loved looking at the new frame launches At the heart of everything we do in the media suite. This was my first seminar as new management and I was inspired.’ The strength of the Specsavers partnership is paramount to our success. Supporting our partners to lead their teams in UK store manager attending the national seminar for the first time making a difference to people’s lives is what sets us apart.

partner representation involved in In the UK, we transformed the We introduced a capability framework decision making has proved to existing programme to be more for our partners across Australia and be a huge success. Similar flexible and accessible, enabling New Zealand to help define what arrangements are in place across more people to undertake Pathway great leadership means at Specsavers. all our markets, enabling partners at their own pace. The provision of This is supported by a suite of tools, to meaningfully contribute to the more commercial and operational workshops and activities designed issues that will shape our business. themed modules also helps to ensure to assist partners to reflect on, new partners are business-owner- and develop in, these skill areas. Our Pay It Forward forums and ready from the start. Forty-five people activities continued across all regions. An initiative known as store safaris took part in a pilot version, 85% of This concept, which is based on the continues to present a unique whom were appointed as partners mantra of partners supporting one opportunity for partners to come within four months of completing another, enables the very best together in an informal setting and the programme. In addition, 120 new experiences and practices to be share knowledge, experience and Pathway learners officially began shared and promulgated. advice. We saw more and more their journey to partnership since the examples of safaris creating new programme’s revamp in September Supporting and developing partner communities, providing 2018 and a further 180 used the partners valuable support networks to partner learning diagnostic to Continuing to inspire and grow our address common challenges and assess their development needs. existing partners, as well attracting share successes across many of and preparing potential partners, As part of our ongoing support our markets. In Finland, where store

Members of our Grenaa store in Denmark winning the Best Overall Performance award at the Danish seminar is integral to our future success. for newly-appointed partners, safaris took place for the first time we offered a bespoke programme last year, peer-to-peer support We enhanced our in-house in the UK designed to upskill existing was successfully put into practice development programme for aspiring Nurturing our partnership was held over two days and we addition, audiology partners joined partners in mentoring techniques, on topics such as improving joint venture partners – Specsavers Our global programme of partner extended the invitation to store their optical peers for the first time at with more than 90 people now signed conversion rates and driving Pathway – through the launch of events, which includes communication managers for the first time. As our the 2019 partnership seminar in Sydney up to the partner mentor network. customer volumes locally. an additional offering for Pathway meetings, seminars, webcasts and future leaders, it is critical that and the awards section was expanded graduates in Australia and New forums, not only provides fantastic managers understand the context to include Audiology Business of the Zealand. Pathway Plus provides networking opportunities but also the behind the initiatives and priorities Year and Excellence in Integration opportunities for those who are chance to launch and obtain feedback they need to deliver with their of Audiology. in the process of transitioning to on initiatives, provide updates on plans store teams. More than 2,000 delegates Continuing to establish opportunities store ownership to further progress and priorities and tackle business were treated to even greater content, for partners to contribute and engage their leadership and business challenges together. presentations and interactive with our business planning process management skills. They are also exhibitions than ever before. Regular seminars take place in each plays a vital role in helping to shape invited to participate in Spotlight, our of our regions when partners come We held the inaugural audiology the future of the partnership. In the award-winning leadership development together to celebrate achievements partner communication meeting in Netherlands, we invited local partners programme for existing partners. and look ahead at business plans for Australia, which after being received so to join our executive management Following its initial success in Australia the coming year. 2018 saw our biggest- positively has now become a regular team and sit on our hearing board. and New Zealand, Pathway Plus will be ever seminar take place in the UK as it fixture in the Specsavers calendar. In Elected by their peers and having rolled out in other regions during 2019. Our biggest-ever seminar took place in the UK last year

20 21 ‘I love that there is a style on offer for everyone and the #LoveGlasses campaign truly celebrates the diversity of specs available to suit every individual. My glasses have significantly improved the quality of my life and my natural confidence.’

Mia MacDonald, #LoveGlasses competition winner in New Zealand

Reaching more customers essential and how they can be used our charity partner which aims to Working with our partners to attract to flag certain health conditions. prevent avoidable blindness. more people to our services - whether As part of a multimedia campaign to Marketing our style credentials and in store, online or at home - involves promote our eyewear collaboration appealing to fashion-conscious impactful campaigns, sponsorships with renowned musician will.i.am, customers have been key areas over and creative initiatives. we activated a Specsavers-sponsored the past 12 months. In Australia, we Our sports sponsorships, such as Snapchat lens for the first time. were official eyewear sponsor of deals with the New Zealand Super The lens resembled a hero shot of Melbourne Fashion Week when the Rugby referees, are important brand- will.i.am, giving snapchat users across city was taken over with events to strengthening partnerships. In the the UK and the Republic of Ireland the celebrate its renowned fashion scene. UK, we became the official partner of opportunity to virtually try on three We ran a styling pop-up space offering England Test Cricket which includes pairs of will.i.am frames and share the frame styling sessions and advice from The Specsavers Ashes Series. images socially. The multiplier effect of fashion designers such as Specsavers social sharing allows us to organically ambassador Alex Perry and our However, our reach goes beyond reach a wide audience very quickly. in-store style squads to help people affiliations with sporting organisations find their new favourite frames. as we continued to be the most The initiative was a huge success, with recognised partners of the Royal 140,000 people saving the selfie to Enhancing our supply chain Specsavers is the official partner of England Test Cricket Olympian speed skater Yvonne van Gennip is the Specsavers eye health ambassador National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) their camera roll and 170,000 users Continued investment in our supply in the Netherlands and the Glaucoma Association in the swiping up to view specsavers.co.uk, chain means we are well equipped UK as well as several eye health resulting in a record-high for traffic to support our ever-growing business types, including SuperClean lenses, the time. Display-only frames will a tool to assist with the consistent federations across Northern Europe, to our website. The activity also led and provide the very best service can now be glazed at the facility. be kept in store for customers to measurement of defects, both of including Diabetes Fonds in the to us winning the best use of social to our customers. By using more innovative technology, view and try on so that brand-new which are used universally. Netherlands. media advertising category at the Our manufacturing and distribution implementing smart re-design choices, frames are ordered as part of the 2018 Social Buzz Awards. Investing in our stores Raising awareness of public health sites across Asia Pacific set a and improving process flows, we dispensing process. Ever-growing customer numbers mean issues continued to be a priority for Launching the inaugural #LoveGlasses phenomenal new record as more reduced the physical size of the Our quality assurance teams ensure we need to ensure our stores are Specsavers last year. Eye health competition provided another than 500,000 orders were processed glazing lab by 50% to create space our frames are produced to the equipped to offer the very best service ambassadors such as Olympians Sir opportunity for an exciting, interactive and despatched to Australian and for expansion in other business- highest standard and in 2018 we and experience. This involves opening Steve Redgrave in the UK and Yvonne customer experience as we celebrated New Zealand stores in just one month. critical areas. extended the already rigorous new businesses, expanding, relocating van Gennip in the Netherlands helped spectacle wearers across Australia and We embarked on an expansion project Lens-Online and NRLX/Hi-Spec Lenses frame-testing capacity and criteria or reconfiguring existing ones, as well us highlight the importance of early New Zealand. As an evolution of our at Vision Labs, Szatmár Optikai and introduced new automated solutions at our facility in Hong Kong to as using leading technology to innovate detection and prevention of conditions popular Spectacle Wearer of the Airways Optical Limited which will to extend storage capacity without include enhanced durability, hinge processes and increase efficiency. which lead to avoidable sight loss. Year event, we invited proud glasses enable all our European surfacing the need for additional floor space. and component checks. We also teamed up with UK television wearers to post a spec selfie to social We opened 60 new optical and labs to produce 100,000 lenses presenter Eamonn Holmes to talk media using the hashtag. The contest This will support the roll-out of a To aid efficiency and consistency of audiology stores across the UK and per week. about the suggested link between attracted wide interest, with thousands project into our UK stores to deliver lens products across our territories, Republic of Ireland – the most we hearing loss and dementia. As of entries posted from across the region. The installation of another state-of- fantastic choice to our customers, we launched a global modular lens have ever opened in a single year – audiology ambassador, Eamonn helped We also donated A$1 per #LoveGlasses the-art glazing machine at Melbourne ensuring they can view our complete audit process. We also developed an and added 319 extra test rooms, explain why regular hearing tests are selfie to The Fred Hollows Foundation, Glazing Services means that all product frame range, every time and all audit training programme as well as designed to create a more comfortable

22 23 environment. We also now have window display units in Norway, 39 stores within Sainsbury’s Finland and Denmark. supermarket locations, increasing We opened six new stores in Australia convenience and accessibility for and expanded, relocated or refurbished even more people. 66 stores across the Asia Pacific region. In Northern Europe, we opened 16 This included the provision of 83 new new businesses and worked with audiology test rooms. our partners in around 70 stores As our stores operate in ever- to make improvements through evolving retail and competitor either relocations or expansions. landscapes, we worked with local This investment included the addition partners to refit three of our existing of more than 300 facilities such as stores in Copenhagen, London and optical testing, audiology services, Melbourne and trial exciting future pre-test and visual screening rooms concepts. As well as revamping and dispensing stations. We also the overall look and feel, we made embarked on a project to roll out innovative improvements to our digital messaging across the region product displays and clinical by introducing almost 200 digital environments.

24 25 Our new concept store in London Passionate about corporate responsibility

Supporting our local communities

Our position

At Specsavers, we are passionate Last year, more than £94m of tax was about giving back to and working paid on profits generated by Specsavers with our local communities, wherever businesses to the governments of the in the world we operate. We support countries in which those businesses many local, national and international operated. In addition, we generated causes, and are committed to and collected a number of other taxes, supporting eyecare and hearing care such as employee and sales taxes. In projects in developing countries. In 2018/19, the total amount contributed the past 12 months, we have donated to tax authorities around the world as a more than £2.5m to charities and good consequence of Specsavers’ commercial causes globally. activities exceeded £630m.

Tax payments make a vital contribution Our stores provide employment for to sustaining social welfare across all more than 32,400 local people, all of our markets, enabling governments to whom have access to regular training fund policies that help people avoid and development, helping them to economic hardship. We recognise our progress through Specsavers on responsibility to pay the amount of tax their chosen career path. The same legally due in the country in which that is true for the 4,600 people who are liability arises and to comply with the employed in our support offices and applicable rules and regulations in each manufacturing and distribution sites of the countries in which we operate. around the world.

26 27 Assisting with beach cleans in Spain to support environmental charity Plastic Free Seas Donating pairs of unwanted glasses to a project in Sri Lanka Volunteers from our stores in Finland supporting at an eye camp in Tanzania

Our progress Across all our markets, we are involved • More than 200 of our UK stores blindness. Our store in Calpe also (Stichting Oogfonds) to raise • €20,000 was raised for the Friends Norway in a vast number of activities to raise took part in fundraising activities donated more than 1,000 pairs to awareness and enable scientific of the Children’s Hospital Association • Our stores and support offices money for local, regional and national for Wear A Hat Day 2018 in aid of a project in Sri Lanka. research about eye health. to support research into eye diseases collectively raised NOK 150,000 for charities, helping to improve the lives Brain Tumour Research. affecting children. various local causes, including the • Our stores supported the Cruz Roja Denmark of those less fortunate than ourselves. Norwegian Association of the Blind. • More than 1,000 people in Kolkata, (Red Cross) Christmas campaign • Louis Nielsen donated 4,000 pairs of • We continued to support the Give Here are just some of the highlights India, received eyecare from our through the collection of toy unwanted glasses as part of our Give Sight in Tanzania project by organising • We donated NOK 250,000 to the from 2018/19: store partners from The Republic donations for families in need. Sight in Tanzania initiative, bringing a local eye camp where volunteers humanitarian organisation Right to

of Ireland in conjunction with the total contribution from our from our stores spent a week Play, which aims to teach children The UK and the Republic • Our Fuengirola store collaborated The Hope Foundation. We raised Danish stores to 40,000 since the conducting sight tests and dispensing in need using educational games. of Ireland with local food bank Bancosol to €75,000 to help the charity promote project began. 2,000 pairs of glasses to people in • Our stores and support offices raised support disadvantaged members • By travelling to Tanzania to take part the protection of street and slum need, as donated by our customers. more than £1.3m for various good of the community and sponsored • Following our new partnership with in our Give Sight initiative, we helped children in Kolkata. causes, including Vision Aid Overseas, environmental charity Plastic Free Danish Association of the Blind, we Sweden thousands of people through the Guide Dogs for the Blind, Blind • We supported Red Nose Day for Seas, assisting with local beach cleans. raised 542,000 DKK for research into • We continued our collaboration provision of free sight tests

Veterans UK, Hearing Dogs for Deaf the third year by selling jester- eye diseases by donating 20 DKK with the Swedish Association of the and glasses. The Netherlands People, and Sound Seekers. themed novelty glasses in our stores, every time we completed a (free to Visually Impaired, working together • €200,000 was raised by donating resulting in a donation of more than customers) eye test. on several awareness-raising activities. • We met our £100,000 pledge target a percentage from every pair of £334,000 to Comic Relief, which aims for the Royal National Institute glasses or hearing aid sold to local Finland • Our support office raised SEK 40,000 to tackle poverty and social injustice. of Blind People to fund sight-loss and national charities. • We donated €20,000 to the Finnish for Gothenburg City Mission which advisors around the UK. Spain Federation of the Visually Impaired. helps low-income and disadvantaged • Many members of our store teams • 5,000 pairs of unwanted glasses families. • Our annual Spectacle Wearer of the volunteered at their store’s chosen were collected by our Spanish Year competition raised more than local charity for a day. stores and donated to the Lions £105,000 for anti-bullying children’s Club International, which works to • We embarked on a partnership with charity Kidscape. eliminate preventable and reversible The Eye Association Netherlands

28 29 Carrying out sight tests as part of an outreach programme in Lautoka, Fiji

Australia and New Zealand • For the first time this year we ran (PEI) in Fiji we helped students Supply chain • Our community programme a fundraising campaign using social working towards their Postgraduate • Our global supply chain teams and celebrated its fifth anniversary. media during which A$1 was donated Diploma in Eyecare, worked with manufacturing and distribution sites This initiative now sees 89% of our for every customer who posted a nurses to carry out much-needed supported more than 40 charities stores across Australia and New specs selfie to #LoveGlasses, raising sight tests, and distributed glasses and good causes both locally and Zealand donating 20 cents from a total of A$29,900 for The Fred to hundreds of locals in need. nationally by donating a total every pair of glasses sold to charity. Hollows Foundation. of £37,000. • Fundraising activities at 20 stores As a result, 211 local charities, such • During World Glaucoma Week, across New South Wales helped to • In Hong Kong, we focused our as the Taronga Conservation Society we raised A$10,000 for Glaucoma fund 30 operations using a state- efforts in support of environmental and Surf Lifesaving South Australia, Australia with donations going of-the-art surgical robot. Over the issues by volunteering at a local received a total of A$505,000, while towards supporting the detection past five years, the stores have beach clean event. We helped to A$432,000 was raised for The Fred of, diagnosis of and research into raised a total of A$120,000 which clear 5,000 pieces of litter that could Hollows Foundation. the eye disease. has been donated to the Chris otherwise have damaged marine • We embarked on a new partnership O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney, a wildlife and fishing industries. • We continued to support outreach with Lions Recycle for Sight, enabling not-for-profit, independent centre programmes by sponsoring some • Our team at Szatmár Optikai in our customers to donate their specialising in advanced treatment of our optometrists to assist with Hungary collected and distributed Volunteering at a local beach clean event in Hong Kong pre-loved ophthalmic frames and and research for patients suffering intensive training schemes in remote Christmas presents for less fortunate prescription sunglasses to a worthy from rare and complex cancer cases. locations. At the Pacific Eye Institute members of the community. cause. Once collected, the glasses are checked, cleaned and categorised • We adopted a partnership approach by the charity. If the glasses pass with key suppliers to positively the quality control tests, they are ‘Lions Recycle for Sight is a part of the Lions Clubs International impact communities and generate delivered and dispensed to people in Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program. Over the past 26 years growth and prosperity into local need through a number of partnering in Australia alone, we’ve delivered more than seven million pairs economies. Last year a school in humanitarian organisations. We also of refurbished quality glasses to people in need all around the Bangladesh received funding, a helped provide funding for new world. We’re really excited about working with Specsavers on this country in which 4,000 people quality-testing equipment and program because it will mean that we can process more glasses are employed to manufacture glasses storage. than ever before and save the sight of so many more people.’ goods primarily for Specsavers.

Ken Leonard OAM, Chairman of Lions Recycle for Sight, Australia

Collecting customers’ pre-loved glasses for the Lions Recycle for Sight initiative in Australia

30 31 ‘The main benefit I had from visiting the Pacific Eye Institute was seeing how money raised for The Fred Hollows Foundation is used to train local health workers. The experience also made me incredibly appreciative of how fortunate we are in New Zealand to have access to optometry and ophthalmology services. We make a difference every day to how people see and live, but in the Pacific, people either have no access to eyecare or must travel a very long way to see anyone. The more local eyecare providers that can be trained, the better the level of care for communities will be.’

Ian Russell, Optometry Partner at Specsavers Wanganui, New Zealand

Store team members from the Republic of Ireland presenting our donation to The Hope Foundation

Our plans In 2019/20 the Specsavers Australia and New Zealand • collaborate with Faktum, a magazine partnership will: • develop a new strategy and approach sold by homeless people in Sweden for our community programme to by providing free eye tests and The UK and the Republic of Ireland include establishing an advisory glasses for the sellers • continue our partnerships committee and steering group with national and international • continue to fundraise for Stichting organisations, including the Royal • organise four outreach opportunities Specsavers Steunt in the Netherlands, National Institute of Blind People for our optometrists and graduate which donates money to each store’s (RNIB), Guide Dogs for the Blind, Blind optometrists chosen charity

Veterans UK, Vision Aid Overseas, • continue our collaboration with Lions • build on our relationships with Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, and Club International to collect and re- federations such as the Norwegian Sound Seekers use pre-loved ophthalmic glasses and Association of the Blind to help fight • provide ongoing support to local prescription sunglasses preventable blindness charities through fundraising and • raise funds for The Fred Hollows Spain awareness activities in our stores Foundation by selling a limited- • continue our partnership with and support offices edition frame designed by Aboriginal the ONCE charity by sponsoring • continue our partnership with the artist Peter Datjing Burarrwanga guide dogs International Glaucoma Association • continue to donate paediatric glasses • support the regional Lions Club by to help promote glaucoma awareness to the Pacific Eye Institute in Fiji collecting and distributing unwanted • support National Eye Health Week, glasses to people in developing • provide ongoing support to the Lions promoting the importance of eye countries Outback Vision Van and the Mobile health and regular eye examinations Eye Clinic in association with The Fred Supply chain • raise at least £80,000 for anti- Hollows Foundation • continue to support local bullying charity Kidscape to help charities and good causes at our Northern Europe them carry out their vital work manufacturing sites and across • provide ongoing support for our our global supply chain teams • continue to support the National Give Sight project in Tanzania by Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) volunteering at eye camps in remote • encourage our teams to give back and work with The Hope Foundation areas and raising awareness of sight to our communities by volunteering loss and eye conditions and supporting local initiatives Assisting at Fiji’s Pacific Eye Institute

32 33 Passionate about corporate responsibility

Trading ethically

Our position Trading ethically is integral to the We are focused on increasing way we operate. We work to ensure transparency across our supply the people who make our products chain. We work with over 70 suppliers have safe and healthy workplaces, and 200 factories in 20 countries where human and civil rights to deliver the highest standard of are respected. products to our customers.

We also require our suppliers to take Therefore, understanding where the necessary steps to protect the our products are sourced and made, environment. and the risks inherent across our

operations, is an essential part of our We are committed to our global due diligence. ethical trading policy and ensure regular, independent audits of all our Our product origins are represented major suppliers who do not operate on the sourcing map overleaf. Primarily in globally-recognised regulatory our products come from globally- environments. recognised regulatory environments or factories situated in low and Wherever possible, we develop medium-risk countries. strong, long-term relationships with our suppliers so that we can work We continue to monitor activity in together towards our vision of these countries to ensure that slavery providing best value eyecare and and human trafficking does not exist hearing care to everyone. in our supply chain.

34 35 UK Ireland Hungary South Korea Germany United States Japan Slovenia China Taiwan Mexico Bangladesh Philippines Costa Rica Thailand Malaysia Indonesia Brazil Singapore Sourcing map

Our progress Our plans The Specsavers supplier ethical

In 2018/19: • We obtained declarations of In 2019/20, the Specsavers trading code of conduct • We completed 59 supplier audits conformity from our suppliers partnership will: across our product categories. Specsavers continually strives to • Working conditions are safe Specsavers suppliers must be operating within globally-recognised • complete at least 70 compliance These audits ensure compliance develop and promote high standards of and hygienic. prepared to work towards: regulatory environments. renewal audits to ensure existing with our social and environmental social and environmental responsibility. • Child labour, forced labour and • compliance with recognised suppliers meet our ethical standards, standards and adherence to • We reviewed our Global Ethical Since 2008, Specsavers suppliers and illegal subcontracting are not used. environmental standards in addition to audits for new suppliers regulatory requirements, enabling Policy and Frame Purchasing Manual their subcontractors have been • Local wage legislation is met • a commitment to actions that restore long-lasting improvements to and issued an updated version • identify opportunities to share best required to operate and be assessed in or exceeded. and preserve the environment be achieved. to all suppliers. We outlined our practice and collaborate with our accordance with our code of practice • Working hours meet local and • a commitment to reducing waste expectations concerning sourcing key supply partnerships to drive based on internationally-recognised legal standards. and pollutants, conserving resources, • We remained committed to acting materials, specifically conflict improvements standards: • No discrimination is practised. and recycling materials at every responsibly and trading ethically, minerals. All suppliers are required • Regular employment is provided. stage of the product lifecycle protecting the environment and • develop our conflict minerals Obey all applicable laws to verify that their source materials • No harsh or inhumane treatment whenever possible ensuring that the people who make approach in accordance with Commit to act in accordance with are from socially-responsible is allowed. • development and application our products are safe, healthy, and the Organisation for Economic all the relevant laws, regulations and suppliers and conflict-free mines. of technologies to minimise free from human right abuses. Co-operation and Development’s industry standards in the countries Protect the environment pollutant emissions five-step framework and adapt our in which our suppliers operate. Recognise global and environmental • As part our Modern Slavery Act • continual assessment of the impact compliance processes accordingly responsibilities and take all compliance activity, we developed Treat people with dignity of their products on the environment commercially reasonable steps new documentation to provide • review and update our policies and and respect and the communities in which to safeguard the environment. further clarity on our ethical trading practices concerning anti-bribery Adhere to the following best they operate

position and a set of e-learning practices to promote healthy and Comply with anti-bribery • continue the development of Each supplier is required to sign a modules to provide our teams safe workplaces, where human and and corruption policies educational resources for our Declaration of Conformity annually with both general guidance and civil rights are respected: Maintain and enforce procedures to suppliers and colleagues to increase to acknowledge and confirm their awareness of associated risks. counter any bribery and corruption knowledge of modern slavery issues • Employment is freely chosen. compliance with the principles and activity and commit to reporting all • Freedom of association and the requirements of the Specsavers • investigate ways to collaborate with instances of non-compliance. right to collective bargaining supplier ethical trading code non-governmental organisations are respected. of conduct. (NGOs) and improve stakeholder engagement with our suppliers

36 37 Passionate about corporate responsibility

Protecting our environment

Our position Our progress manufacturing and distribution sites, reducing carbon emissions We are committed to taking In 2018/19: by 16 tonnes. responsibility for the impact our Governance Energy use and efficiency business has on the environment • We conducted a third-party audit of • In the UK, Airways Optical Limited and have adopted a risk-based packaging compliance activity across and Vision Labs continued to exceed approach to understanding, minimising our European operations to identify their energy-efficiency targets by and mitigating this impact. This is ways of improving efficiency and 27% as part of their Climate conducted in line with our values accuracy. Change Agreements. and the responsibilities we have to our customers and our people, • We completed sample site audits • By utilising the enhanced energy- as well as our obligations in the of our UK stores as required under monitoring system at our Guernsey Our Australian store team members working with national charity Kids Off The Kerb countries in which we operate. phase two of the ESOS (Energy support office, we were able Saving Opportunities Scheme) to identify and solve building Our environmental programme is an legislation and reviewed new management issues, including the important element of our corporate energy-efficiency opportunities. control of heating, cooling and Water use • As we progressed our support office • Our box-recycling scheme, which has responsibility approach. We lighting systems. • Continued usage of the Bazell refurbishments, we continued to saved more than 600,000 cardboard understand that both global and local • Airways Optical upgraded its ISO centrifuge-based water-recycling find ways for the reuse of unwanted boxes across our Asia Pacific environmental issues can have a wide- 14001 environmental management • Vision Labs completed the installation plant at Szatmár Optikai helped furniture and fittings: offering office operations, extended to the reuse reaching and long-term effect on our accreditation to the improved ISO of an upgraded transformer to to further reduce its water chairs and cupboards in exchange of plastic bags and elastic bands society, now and in the future. 14001-2015 standard. improve the site’s energy efficiency consumption. We also installed an for charitable donations and shipping that are supplied with frames from and safeguard against power We recognise that the consumption • We continued our Keep Guernsey automatic water control system cafeteria equipment to a school in manufacturers. In 2018, Melbourne outages. of energy, the use of non-renewable Green Award (KGGA) activity at our for the tinting process which saved The Gambia. Glazing Services reused over 700,000 resources, water, plastics and La Villiaze support office, focusing on • An LED lighting upgrade of the 3,600m³ of soft water. frame bags, saving more than 50 kg • We continued to supply charitable packaging, and waste creation are waste reduction and the removal of surfacing area at Szatmár Optikai, of plastic waste. Many of our stores Waste and recycling projects with repaired, unwanted all things we need to monitor and single-use plastics. our lab in Hungary, resulted in saving in Australia have also adopted the • We removed all single-use cups, hearing aids and glasses for use in reduce in every part of our business: more than 123,400 kWh of electricity practice by returning plastic bags • We commenced preparatory glasses and cutlery from our UK developing countries. per year. A further 65,600 kWh of and rubber bands to the Melbourne • Our 1,900-plus stores account for the training to implement ISO 14001 support offices, replacing with electricity was saved at the site • Vision Labs and Airways Optical customer services team for recycling. largest share of our carbon footprint environmental management china and glass as well as offering due to improved practices requiring Limited reduced the use of paper, through the direct and indirect accreditation at our largest subsidised, reusable, bamboo Communication and engagement machinery to be completely switched as well as ink and energy use, by emission of greenhouse gases related support offices. coffee cups. • Our support office in Melbourne off when not in use and not left in implementing print controls and to energy use. promoted waste management Energy procurement and supply standby mode. • Our Australian stores completed a developing a ticketless job system. strategies as part of National Recycling • Our manufacturing and distribution • We continued to procure energy project with national charity Kids • We conducted a review of the • We installed a new compactor at Hi- Week. We explained how waste is sites have a significant carbon on low-carbon or green tariffs Off The Kerb to recycle old uniforms, building management systems (BMS) Spec Lenses to process used plastic managed at the office and provided impact through energy use, with supported by Renewable Energy donating 11.5 tonnes of discontinued controls at our support office in packaging and diverted 1.75 tonnes tips about how our teams can reduce the additional elements of water, Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) at our items to be repurposed. Nottingham to improve efficiency of plastic waste from landfill to their own carbon footprints. packaging and waste. UK stores and support offices. and eliminate the requirement for • We eliminated the provision of recycling in the first six months. • We started creating a vegetable • Our support offices also contribute • We generated more than 45,000 kWh continuous ad-hoc temperature single-use plastic carrier bags in patch and wildlife garden at our to our carbon impact by using of electricity from the installation of management. our UK stores. International Glazing Services and energy for administration and IT photovoltaic technology (solar Lens Online Limited sites. infrastructure. panels) at two of our UK

38 39 Reusable, bamboo mugs available at our UK support office instead of single-use cups

Our plans In 2019/20, the Specsavers • revisit the installation of smart • investigate push-reporting Water use Communication and engagement partnership will: metering systems in our UK stores options for our UK stores, meaning • install new generators at Airways • create an ideas-sharing network to on NHH (non-half hourly) electricity notification alerts are triggered when Optical Limited to increase the discuss and instigate environmental Governance supplies. Although these stores use electricity usage exceeds expected number of lenses produced per initiatives • review our activity globally and less electricity than their larger limits which is particularly useful if machine while reducing associated launch an updated, group-wide • introduce drop-in sessions with a counterparts, which had smart out-of-trading-hours consumption water usage environmental programme local waste supplier as part of our meters installed under previous is too high Waste and recycling Keep Guernsey Green Award Energy procurement and supply energy legislation, the rollout will • continue energy-efficiency auditing • analyse findings from improved (KGGA) status • continue to procure energy on low- significantly increase opportunities and the implementation of identified waste supplier reporting at some carbon or green tariffs supported to improve energy efficiency opportunities for our UK portfolio to of our support office locations by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Energy use and efficiency ensure compliance with phase two of Origin (REGOs) at our stores, support • explore opportunities to consolidate • assess opportunities identified by our ESOS (Energy Saving Opportunities offices and manufacturing and the despatch processes from three European Energy Efficiency Directive Scheme) regulations distribution sites across the UK of our distribution sites to reduce (EEED) audits across our stores in and Republic of Ireland transport environmental impact and Northern Europe packaging use

40 41 Passionate about partnership

Keep it simple, get it done, deliver on our promises 2018/19 was another tremendous year for the Specsavers partnership, with great results across the business. Here are a few highlights:

‘Each audiology partner who has joined us and each audiology business that is now open owes so much to the hard work of passionate professionals who have committed themselves to making a change in this industry. With new stores opening every week, I look forward to the day when we are operating in all Specsavers locations across Australia.’

Darrel Magna, General Manager - Audiology (ANZ)

Our virtual try-on technology, Frame Styler, in action

Worldwide appointments booked via our accreditations in minor eye • Continuing to complete huge order • Launching online appointments in • Winning Audiology Retailer of the • Surpassing £2.78bn in group revenue website since 2016. conditions, glaucoma and cataracts. volumes from our Melbourne Glazing New Zealand, enhancing convenience Year in the Netherlands as awarded - an increase of 6% on 2017/18. Services facility, with a staggering for our customers. by leading retail consultancy Q&A. • Gaining Platinum Employer status at • Winning the best use of social media 500,000 jobs being dispatched to • Selling more than 21.6 million frames, 600 of our stores, as part of our advertising category at the 2018 • Welcoming 150 recently-qualified • Launching online contact lens stores across the region in a 530 million contact lenses, and commitment to provide a consistently Social Buzz Awards for our campaign optometrists to our graduate retailing in Finland. single month. 400,000 hearing aids. exceptional employee experience. to promote our will.i.am eyewear programme – our largest ever intake, • Receiving several customer collection. • Enjoying a record year in New a 48% increase on the previous year • Serving more customers than ever, • Winning Gold at the Learning Awards service commendations in Norway, Zealand, with sight test volumes with more than 38 million people 2018 in the Learning Team of the • Raising more than £1.3m. for various Northern Europe including Provider of Best Customer reaching more than 10,000 in one now registered with us. Year category for the learning and good causes through fundraising • Celebrating the 40th anniversary Experience in the optometry week for the first time. development offer created by our efforts across our stores and of Louis Nielsen in Denmark. category as awarded by the • Seeing more than 1.4 million people digital team. support offices. • Winning the 2018 Platinum LearnX Norwegian Customer Satisfaction visit our websites every week. • Seeing Day become our fastest- Award for our Spotlight Engage Barometer and being ranked the • Seeing our one millionth customer Australia and New Zealand selling frame range in the region • Receiving more than 1.6 million programme: a wellbeing leadership number one retailer in KPMG’s in the UK use our virtual try-on • Selling a total of 30 million pairs of to date, achieving record sales responses via our global customer course for partners. Customer Experience in Excellence technology - Frame Styler glasses since we entered the market within its first six weeks. feedback system. Analysis. in 2008. • Celebrating the first anniversary of • Providing optical care to more than • Achieving 20% volume growth in • Donating more than £2.5m. for our audiology partnership model in • Seeing a record number of 850 120,000 people via our home visit • Being awarded Optometrist Gold our Dutch audiology business. charities and good causes. Australia, with 51 audiology partners optometry students participating our service. Winner at the Reader’s Digest Quality now providing expert services in • Surpassing 1 billion DKK in revenue clinical programmes offered at seven UK, Republic of Ireland and Spain Service Awards in Australia for the • Supporting optometrists to complete 86 stores. across Denmark and continuing to universities across Northern Europe. • Reaching a total of six million second consecutive year. more than 10,000 postgraduate grow market share.

42 43 Review from the regions

Our continued focus on delivering great value and world-class customer service in the UK and As ever, reading this report fills me the Republic of Ireland resulted in staggering with a tremendous sense of pride. sales growth during 2018/19.

It is easy, perhaps, as an accountant by 10-year-old that our team in and social backdrop. Despite this, we As more and more people choose offer services spanning optics, teams across our stores and support training, to look at the numbers first: Loganholme, Australia were able have a strong plan and a team Specsavers, we need to make sure audiology and eye health. For example, offices. Together, we look forward to the increase in customers who trust us to support by fitting him with of passionate and committed partners our store network can continue to we saw our audiology offering across continuing to make a difference in with their eyecare and hearing needs; contact lenses, and then inserting and colleagues across our markets set welcome them. We opened more the UK and Republic of Ireland evolve people’s lives in 2019/20. the growth in sales and store numbers; and removing them for every match to deliver it. than 60 stores across the region - with impressive results, exclusive the volume of engaging training and during an entire season! the most we have ever opened in products and innovative technology, Thank you to each of them, and here’s development opportunities of which a single year – many of which were such as AudioPad, being used to On other occasions, it’s how we have to a terrific 2019/20. partners and colleagues have taken within Sainsbury’s supermarkets, streamline the experience for our changed the life of a colleague: the advantage. giving an extra level of convenience customers. story of Lucy who saw no way forward to our customers. Similarly, I can’t ignore the multitude with her previous employer. Her career A particular highlight for me was of awards and accolades achieved by has now flourished, thanks to her I was excited to see such a fantastic seeing our revolutionary digital our teams; being awarded Franchise passion and the leadership of her selection of new products, offering application, Frame Styler, being Chain of the Year in both Sweden store partners in Bellshill, Scotland. our customers even more choice at enjoyed by its one millionth customer. Paul Marshall, and Norway – numerous marketing unbeatable value. These included It is moments like these that make me Managing Director - UK/ROI It is these examples, and many more, and people awards – and, a personal Specsavers advance rechargeable realise how the knowledge of our team that bring to life why 37,000 people do highlight, celebrating the 40th hearing aids as well as an exciting members, coupled with game-changing what they do, day in, day out - making John Perkins, anniversary of our Danish business, refresh of our exclusive designer technology, can really help to provide a positive difference to the lives of all, Group CEO Louis Nielsen. frame collection, Osiris, in standout customer experiences. using compassion and expertise to help collaboration with Gary Barlow. However, it is the human stories behind people feel good, cared for and smart. It goes without saying that none of these achievements that always inspire We also made great strides in these achievements would have been We live in a time of monumental me the most. Sometimes it’s how we becoming recognised as a multi- possible without the passion, care change: new technologies, new might have changed the life of a category business, being able to and commitment of our partners and competitors, a new political, economic customer. For instance, the rugby-mad,

44 45 Review from the regions

2018/19 has been a memorable year on both sides of the world with our partners, store and support-office teams working hard to deliver incredible results.

Australia and New Zealand campaign. In support of this, we growth but also in seeing new Other highlights for me include The past 12 months have seen our continued the roll-out of optical activities pave the way for great increasing the availability of customer businesses in Australia and New coherence tomography (OCT) in opportunities. appointments by 20% in Sweden as

Zealand go from strength to strength. our stores and achieved a fantastic well as embedding comprehensive Looking back over the last 12 months, milestone as every store in New eyecare services including optical It has been a record-breaking year, I have no doubt that the contribution Zealand is now able to offer the coherence tomography (OCT) in our with New Year’s Eve marking the and hard work of our dedicated teams non-invasive, diagnostic imaging test, Finnish stores. biggest-ever trading day in Specsavers has led to our fantastic results. Our redefining the standard eye exam Australia’s history, and weekly eye test Louis Nielsen business in Denmark A key priority for the year ahead is to provide leading customer care. volumes exceeding 10,000 in New celebrated 40 years of optics and our quest to transform the eye health Zealand for the first time. We also We further established our audiology achieved the highest market share industry. So, as we continue on our supplied our 30 millionth pair of business in Australia, with 51 partners of the region at 47%. journey, I am excited to see how glasses since opening our first store, now operating in 86 stores across the impressive performance, coupled The growth within our Dutch making us feel very privileged and country. As these numbers continue to with new opportunities, will enable audiology business has been honoured to have made a difference grow, we can ensure that more and us to showcase our clinical offering remarkable and we have also seen to so many people. more people benefit from accessible, with credibility and professionalism. impressive improvements in our optical convenient and affordable audiology Our partners, support office and store business due to the introduction of services team members have worked together optometry services such as preventive to launch some fantastic new tools, Looking ahead, the next 12 months are eye health checks in stores across the such as QuickPay in Australia and full of opportunities - opportunities to Netherlands. online appointments in New Zealand, continue bettering the lives of people I am incredibly proud that Norwegian increasing efficiencies and streamlining across the region by providing first- consumers have not only rated us as the customer experience. class eye and hearing care. the most professional optician in We also started our journey to Northern Europe Norway but that we also won the transform eye health with our ANZ It has been an extremely exciting year Provider of Best Customer Experience Nigel Parker, optometrists leading the way as media for Specsavers across our Northern among Opticians accolade as awarded Managing Director - spokespeople, complemented by our European markets. 2018/19 has been by the Norwegian Customer ANZ & Northern Europe ground-breaking Priceless Eyes eventful not only in terms of continued Satisfaction Barometer. Transforming the way we care for our customers’ eye health using optical coherence tomography

46 47 Specsavers Executive Committee

Doug Perkins Dame Mary Perkins John Perkins Katherine Whitton Kate Brown Nigel Parker Chairman and Founder Founder Group CEO Chief Marketing Officer Global People Director Chief International Operations Officer

A qualified and registered optometrist for A qualified and registered optometrist John is responsible for the overall Katherine joined Specsavers in 2018, Kate joined Specsavers in 2018 and is Nigel joined the Board in 2006 and provides more than 50 years, Doug is accountable for more than 50 years, Mary plays an performance of the partnership and following a similar role at Barclaycard. responsible for all elements of people and overall leadership to Australia and New for the overall success of the partnership. active role in the business in a number of the strategic direction of the group. Katherine is responsible for ensuring that organisation development activity across Zealand, and the Northern Europe region, Doug also has specific responsibilities for areas, including driving customer service John joined Specsavers in 1998 and worked our brand is protected, represented and the group. She is also responsible for with a focus on driving continued growth, the advancement of professional standards standards, championing our values, and in UK stores and operations, as well as a developed in a manner appropriate for the group services, including insurance and as well as sharing best practice and across Specsavers and supporting the shaping our corporate responsibility number of international teams, before dynamic, fast-changing world in which we business continuity, office facilities, travel innovation across all our markets. Nigel regulatory agenda across our markets. commitments. Mary plays an active role joining the Board in 2003. A qualified live. Previously, she was the head of global and aviation. Before joining Specsavers, Kate joined Specsavers in 1997 from , the He and his wife, Mary, established with a number of national and local charities chartered accountant with an MBA in and UK marketing communications at British was Chief People Officer at Countrywide world’s largest manufacturer of ophthalmic Specsavers’ joint venture partnership and was made a Dame Commander of the retailing, John spent five years with Airways and, prior to this, held a number and has previously held senior roles in BUPA, lenses, becoming Product Director and model in 1984, with the vision of making Order of the British Empire in 2007. She Deloitte before joining Specsavers. of senior brand and marketing roles at RSA and AXA, including Emerging Markets then Commercial Director. eyecare more affordable. was appointed ambassador for Vision Aid American Express. HR Director and Group Organisational Overseas in 2009. Effectiveness Director.

Paul Fussey Paul Bott Paul Marshall Stretch Kontelj Adrian Thompson Tom Buller Chief Financial and Commercial Officer General Manager - Optics (ANZ) Managing Director - UK/ROI Group Legal Director Chief Information Officer Group Finance Director

Paul joined Specsavers in 2009 and has Paul joined the Specsavers Executive Paul joined Specsavers in 2013 to assume Stretch joined Specsavers in April 2008 as Adrian joined Specsavers in 2017 as Chief Tom joined Specsavers in 2010 as Group overall accountability for the group finance, Committee in 2017 as Group Commercial responsibility for leading the development the first stores in Australia opened, and was Information Officer and is responsible for Financial Controller. In 2017 he became the tax and treasury, legal, business change, Director based in Guernsey and in 2019 of our UK and ROI hearing businesses. In a key member of the ANZ leadership team the overall leadership of the technology, Group Finance Director with responsibility supply chain and commercial functions of the returned to Melbourne with responsibility 2014, he assumed additional responsibility during our expansion across those markets. digital and data functions, including the for our finance, tax, treasury and risk business. Paul assumed the role of Managing for our ANZ optics business. Having joined for leading our Healthcall and Corporate He became a member of the Specsavers direction and execution of our global functions before joining the Specsavers Director in Australia and New Zealand in Specsavers in 2005, Paul initially worked as Eyecare operations. He became Joint Executive Committee in 2015 as Group Legal programmes and information governance. Executive Committee in 2019. Prior to December 2014 and returned to the UK as a Commercial Manager. In 2007 he relocated Managing Director for the UK and ROI in Director with responsibility for our legal Before joining Specsavers, Adrian was Specsavers, Tom worked in assurance Chief Financial and Commercial Officer in to Melbourne, establishing our Hong Kong 2015, bringing together optics, hearing and function across all markets. Before joining Global Chief Information Officer for services for Ernst & Young for 10 years 2017. He joined from UK where he office and forming part of the team for our domiciliary under one leadership structure Specsavers, he was General Manager for Dyson, and prior to that, held senior IT supporting businesses in their UK, Channel was Finance Director and, prior to that, market entry into Australia and New Zealand for the first time, and took full responsibility franchise retailer Sportsco and, prior to and business change positions at Gala Islands and Australia practices. held positions of Divisional Finance Director (ANZ). As Commercial Director for ANZ, in June 2016. Before joining Specsavers, that, was partner in a legal firm for 14 years. Coral Group, New Look, Oasis and Harrods. for Supply Chain and Shared Services, and Paul was responsible for critical business Paul was Group Managing Director at Stretch has a long history of community Managing Director for Boots’ manufacturing functions, including Finance, IT, Commercial Vets4Pets for five years and, prior to involvement, particularly in supporting division, with operations in the UK, France, Projects and Optometry. Prior to joining that, he spent 16 years with leading UK ethnic communities, for which he was Germany, Poland and the Far East. Specsavers, Paul qualified as a chartered supermarket chain Sainsbury’s. awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2001. accountant, working for companies including 48 Andersen, Deloitte and Severn Trent. 49 Contact details

Guernsey Netherlands Hong Kong Partnership opportunities with Specsavers Specsavers Optical Group Specsavers International BV Specsavers Procurement Asia Ltd La Villiaze Bisonspoor 4004 Room 1701-1704 UK and Republic of Ireland St Andrew’s 3605 LV Maarssen 17/F, Lu Plaza David Martin Guernsey Tel.nr +31 (0)35 6288311 2 Wing Yip Street +44 (0)7585 307897 GY6 8YP Kwun Tong, Kowloon Denmark Hong Kong Spain Southampton Louis Nielsen A/S Tel +852 (0)3719 0000 José Ángel Moral-Tajadura Specsavers Optical Superstores Indkildevej 2A +34 637 237320 Forum 6 9210 Aalborg SØ China Solent Business Park Denmark Specsavers Procurement Asia Limited Northern Europe (Netherlands and Nordics) Whiteley Tel +45 (0)96 32 5000 No. 288 B/706 Nick Eaton

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