The Social Impact Strategy of Warby Parker
After Lyel's lecture and analysis of TOMS, I was curious to learn about other companies with a Buy One Give One social impact strategy. I was surprised to learn that Warby Parker, an eyeglasses brand I was familiar with, had launched their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program at the company's founding in 2010. It's interesting to note that this initiative was launched four years after the founding of TOMS but with its own unique focus and strategy. Warby Parker highlights the multiplying effect of eyeglass distribution -- their website states that one pair of glasses increases productivity by up to 32% and increases monthly income by up to 20%. The program encompasses 2 main distribution models:
1. Monetary Donations
Warby Parker's original and continuing strategy seems to be direct donations to non-profit organizations based on the equivalent price of a pair of glasses. The company's oldest partner, VisionSpring, is a nonprofit social enterprise that sells highly subsidized glasses and conducts vision screenings for people living in low-income communities. VisionSpring also train health workers and other organizations to further their mission. Similarly, they work with LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyperabad, India, providing monetary donations to offer free or subsidized eye care to underserved people living in remote locations.
2. Eyeglass Donations
In 2015, Warby Parker introduced the Pupils Project, a program that collaborates with local organizations and government agencies across the US. This initiative focuses on providing free vision screenings, eye exams, and eyeglasses to schoolchildren. By working within the school environment, where teachers are often the first to identify vision issues, the Pupils Project helps eliminate barriers facing children in accessing vision care. They also work with the organization Ver Bien Para Aprender Mejor, which follows a similar model to support students across Mexico.
Overall, it's interesting to see how Warby Parker uses a two-pronged strategy to their Buy One Give One commitment, particularly in light of the transition of TOMS to a monetary donation model. One thing that sticks out to me is the multiplying effect of the product itself, but also VisionSpring's role in training health workers and other organizations to amplify their impact.