Local eyeglass company ZEISS partners with community to give back
San Diego (July 28, 2017) — On July 22, 2017, employees from Carl Zeiss Vision, Inc., a manufacturer of precision eyeglass lenses and diagnostic solutions, came together to give back to the local community at the Perkins K-8 School in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood. ZEISS has a 170-year history of innovation in all things precision optics and a corporate culture that embraces social responsibility and community involvement.
ZEISS is owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, which supports education, research, and scientific projects as well as social responsibility. Giving back to the community is part of its DNA and a key difference between ZEISS and other companies in the optical industry.
According to Jens Boy, President of Carl Zeiss Vision, North America, “People nowadays don't just care about what organizations do. They are increasingly interested in why businesses do things and their purpose or mission. At ZEISS, we are driven by a passion for optics and by a charter that—for over 125 years—has guided us to turn profits into a force for change, be it in science, education, or community support.”
The recent involvement with Perkins is just one example of the many ways the ZEISS organization gives back. “This is who we are and why we are different,” explained Boy. “As a successful global company in a highly competitive market, we have to focus on profits and the bottom line. However, we challenge ourselves to find a balance between profit and philanthropy, between earning and giving back. How can we stay humble and keep our hearts open along our path to success? One of my goals as a ZEISS leader is making this a priority.”
Last summer, ZEISS volunteered at the Braille Institute’s annual summer festival. This year, the company turned its attention on Perkins K-8. Located in a historically low income area of San Diego, Perkins takes pride in educating a diverse group of students to be the leaders of tomorrow. Unfortunately, budget cuts continue to plague this school and create suboptimal conditions for these already underserved children and the wonderful faculty and staff who work with them.
The ZEISS team spent the Saturday painting walls and a mural, lining the asphalt play area (there are no grass fields available), organizing classrooms, unpacking ZEISS-donated sports equipment, and making a lasting change in this important local institution and community.
“I truly hope this is the first step in what will become a lasting partnership,” said Boy. “From the moment the ZEISS team set foot on Perkins’ grounds they could feel the passion beaming from its extremely engaging and committed principal, Mr. Fernando Hernandez.”
After only a moment of speaking with Mr. Fernandez, it becomes obvious that his motivation and positive energy fuel the school’s teachers and staff to strive to create the leaders of tomorrow out of students who may not have the same advantages as others; in fact, as many as 30 percent of the students are classified as homeless and most received some sort of subsidized nutrition. Yet, at Perkins, every child is seen as an equal, worthy of receiving the best education possible, and deservedly so.
The volunteer work at Perkins is yet another example of ZEISS’s focus on partnerships—whether it’s with independent eye care professionals and retailers to grow their business and delight patients or philanthropic efforts like the ones at Perkins— ZEISS is committed to the synergy that comes from working together for a common good.
Founded in 1846, ZEISS North American headquarters are located in the Poway area of San Diego, with global headquarters in Oberkocken, Germany. From personalized, precision single-vision and progressive lenses to state-of- the-art lifestyle solutions such as a lens for a safe driving experience, one for reducing blue light and digital eye strain while using digital devices, and one for contact lens wearers that alleviates eye strain and fatigue, ZEISS lenses and coatings continue to define quality and innovation. For more information on ZEISS vision solutions, visit www.zeiss.com/lenses.
About ZEISS
ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries. The ZEISS Group develops, produces and distributes measuring technology, microscopes, medical technology, eyeglass lenses, camera and cine lenses, binoculars and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. With its solutions, the company constantly advances the world of optics and helps shape technological progress.
ZEISS is divided up into the four segments Research & Quality Technology, Medical Technology, Vision Care/Consumer Products and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. The ZEISS Group is represented in over 40 countries and has more than 50 sales and service locations, upwards of 30 manufacturing sites and about 25 research and development facilities around the globe. In fiscal year 2015/16, the company generated revenue approximating 4.9 billion euros with around 25,000 employees. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. Carl Zeiss AG is the strategic management holding company that manages the ZEISS Group. The company is wholly owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation).
Vision Care
The Vision Care business group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of eyeglass lenses and ophthalmic instruments. The business group develops and produces offerings for the entire eyeglass value chain that are distributed globally under the ZEISS brand. The business group is allocated to the Vision Care/ Consumer Products segment. In fiscal year 2015/16 the segment generated revenue of €1.1 billion with around 9,300 employees.