Optometry Australia (OA) will be targeting waste, carbon, and eco-awareness with a new ‘Sustainability Roadmap’ for the optometry sector.
Director of Optometry Advancement, Sarah Davies said this commitment to a Sustainability Roadmap was one the key objectives of OA’s 2021–24 Shared Strategic Plan.
“Australia’s health sector, including optometry, has a role in both climate change mitigation and adaptation, and in reducing its overall environmental impacts,” Ms Davies said
The roadmap identifies environmental targets and action issues that are important for the eye health sector, while drawing insights from extensive sector research, carbon footprint and waste audits, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and workshops.
The Sustainability Roadmap signals “a step towards a greener, more responsible future for the optometry and eye care sector”
Key Hotspots
The Sustainability Roadmap identifies three key environmental ‘hotspot’ areas within the optometry sector that need to be addressed: waste, carbon, and sustainability knowledge.
OA said practitioners, optometrists and consumers face significant waste challenges, ranging from e-waste to packaging and manufacturing waste. The roadmap identifies the need to minimise waste to landfill, improving circular solutions and designing out waste within the industry.
In response to the growing global concern of carbon emissions, the roadmap addresses carbon intensity issues within the optometry sector. Proposed initiatives include improving understanding, identifying reduction opportunities, and addressing carbon intensity burdens.
The roadmap also highlights the lack of sustainability knowledge within the optometry sector. It recommends initiatives to empower optometrists and consumers to drive change and reduce environmental impacts.
Actions
OA said the roadmap highlights the need for collaboration between different stakeholder groups (manufacturers, suppliers, and optometrists) to establish circular design standards, create transparency, and provide recycling options.
As well, action is needed to “future-fit” spaces to improve waste, carbon and sustainability knowledge on a practice level, and ensuring spaces are designed for efficiency.
The OA said proactive and informed purchasing decisions that integrate sustainability criteria is pivotal to reducing waste and emission within the supply chain, as is empowering people to learn more about environmental sustainability.
Greener Future
Director of Optometry Advancement, Sarah Davies
The Sustainability Roadmap signals “a step towards a greener, more responsible future for the optometry and eye care sector”, Ms Davies said.
“The roadmap identifies areas for priority action for all stakeholders across optometry and community eye health.
“Optometry Australia will seek to collaborate with colleagues across the eye health sector, as well as those working in the broader climate action and health space such as the Climate and Health Alliance, to ensure our work is aligned, and coordinated with other efforts.”
Ms Davies said OA would share more information about the roadmap initiatives with members as the year progressed and member resources would be developed.
The Sustainability Roadmap report is available online.
