HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeSustainabilityback to Research & KnowledgeEssilor’s Eye Mitra program: Serving BOP markets through inclusive business modelsback to Sustainability

Case Study

Essilor’s Eye Mitra program: Serving BOP markets through inclusive business models

By Benoit F. Leleux, Pallivathukkal Cherian Abraham and Jayanth Bhuvaraghan

22 pages

December 2021

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2311

At Essilor, Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, recently retired Chief Mission Officer (CMO), had launched and then promoted an original base-of-pyramid (BOP) operation in India, which recruited, trained and set up some 8,000 Eye Mitras to operate in remote rural communities. These primary vision care providers were able to run vision tests and produce correction lenses and glasses for the rural population at costs they could afford and, in the process, significantly improve the quality of life for millions. However, the program was still in its infancy and achieving its ambitious goal of eliminating poor vision by 2050 would require a new, more ambitious roadmap, which had to include recruiting other organizations – including eye hospitals, foundations and non-government organizations – to leverage its efforts for maximum impact, in the spirit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17). For Essilor to deliver on its own commitments and work with other organizations in India to execute on the strategy, it had to add another 52,000 Eye Mitras to its existing network, to reach a total of 60,000, which was essential to achieving the goal of eliminating poor vision by 2050. The litmus test was to determine how it could best contribute to making this happen. The path was clear, but the goals remained ambitious. Could it convince others to join the efforts to make this part of the world a better place to live? The quality of the lives of millions of rural Indians lay in the balance.

Learning Objective

Discuss the challenges of corporate impact investments and base-of-the-pyramid initiatives.
Investigate operational business models to engage others in reaching ambitious social goals.
Build the business case for social projects.

Keywords

Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, Bottom of the Pyramid, Impact Investment, Vision Correction, Ophthalmology, Eye Care, Eyewear, Poverty Elimination, Good Health, Well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work Conditions, Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption, Responsible Production, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Settings

India
EssilorLuxottica, Consumer Goods, Optical Products
2015-2021

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Keep reading

Article

5 Steps To Embracing Greater Diversity

Embracing greater diversity is key as new EU legislation mandates stronger female representation on corporate boards. Diana Markaki shares expert guidance.

Diversity and Equity and Inclusion

By Diana Markaki-Bartholdi

in I by IMD

Article

AI for sustainability - Industrial Use Case - Cedrik Neike

AI is revolutionising industry by improving efficiency and driving sustainability. Discover how data-driven insights shape a greener future

Artificial Intelligence Sustainability

By Cedrik Neike

in I by IMD

Article

CFO’s role - Driving Sustainability

Chanel Global CFO and IMD Executive in Residence Philippe Blondiaux explains how finance leaders can sustain a long-term focus on sustainability while addressing short-term challenges.

Luxury Sustainability

in I by IMD

Article

Responsible Leadership - Integrity & Authenticity

Discover a framework for Responsible Leadership, guiding you to lead with care and ethics in an increasingly turbulent and complex world.

Board Business Ethics Leadership Sustainability

By Mias de Klerk

in I by IMD

Case Study

DSS+: Carving out a sustainability consulting leader

Finance Entrepreneurship Sustainability

By Benoit F. Leleux, Giorgio Pignalosa, Larissa Margot Bieler, Mojisola Onabanjo Akinkunmi and Nicolas Campodonico

Article

Are you building a biodiversity strategy? A five-step guide

The need to protect nature is a challenge for all companies. But do you know the potential business benefits of a successful biodiversity strategy? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge of the issue, and read on for a five-step guide to gett...

Sustainability

By Julia Katharina Binder, Adrian Dellecker and Aurélie V. Stamm

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

24 February 2025

Article

Do you know the 5 steps to make money on sustainability?

Leaders, strategists, and decision-makers can play a pivotal role in integrating sustainability into business strategies – and make money in the process. Knut Haanaes, Bryony Jansen van Tuyll, and Øystein D. Fjeldstad outline five steps to make it...

Sustainability

By Knut Bjarne Haanaes, Bryony Jansen van Tuyll and Øystein D. Fjeldstad

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

17 February 2025

Article

Female entrepreneurs’ thirst for knowledge and the dark side of customer learning actions

This study investigates whether male and female entrepreneurs exhibit systematic differences in the customer learning actions they pursue, and how those actions convert to venture performance. Drawing from a dyadic sample of founders and startup a...

Entrepreneurship Customer Centricity

By Matthew R. Marvel, Marcus T. Wolfe, Emily Neubert, Donald F. Kuratko and Sophie Bacq

in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice

14 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587241311119

Article

How can I leverage AI for smarter sustainability?

AI can enhance sustainability reporting and help you deepen green efforts – but it also has an environmental impact of its own. Julia Binder and José Parra Moyano identify the four ‘hows’ of harnessing AI for enhanced sustainability reporting and ...

Sustainability Artificial Intelligence

By Julia Katharina Binder and Michael R. Wade

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

10 February 2025

Article

Net zero: 6 ways CHROs can support strategic transformation

No single leader or business function can drive progress toward net zero. Knut Haanaes identifies six ways in which CHROs can help drive organizational change.

Sustainability Human Resources

By Knut Bjarne Haanaes

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

3 February 2025

Responsible Leadership - Integrity & Authenticity

By Mias de Klerk
in I by IMD

Summary

Discover a framework for Responsible Leadership, guiding you to lead with care and ethics in an increasingly turbulent and complex world.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Board

Business Ethics

Leadership

Sustainability

Browse all topics

DSS+: Carving out a sustainability consulting leader

By Benoit F. Leleux Giorgio Pignalosa Larissa Margot Bieler Mojisola Onabanjo Akinkunmi and Nicolas Campodonico
Case reference: IMD-7-2639 ©2025

Summary

The case examines the entrepreneur-led carve out and buyout of dss+, DuPont’s safety and sustainability consulting division, by Gyrus Capital and dss+ management team. dss+ (formerly “DuPont Sustainable Solutions”) played a pivotal role in high-risk industries such as oil, gas, and chemicals, providing critical consulting services at a time when global regulatory pressure on operational safety and sustainability was intensifying. Gyrus Capital, a mid-market private equity specialist, came together with the management team to engineer the buyout, based on the firm’s strong and predictable revenue streams, long-term client relationships and specialized expertise in safety and sustainability consulting. What emerged out of the 2019 transaction was an independent sustainability consulting powerhouse with over 1,500 consultants around the world. By 2024, dss+ was still expanding rapidly in terms of staff and domains of expertise, not to mention geography, and had to respond to quickly evolving external and internal demands, with clients increasingly expected to be served globally on a full range of sustainability-related services. With a strong sense of purpose (saving lives and creating a sustainable future), a potent pitch line (Protect. Transform. Sustain), over 750 clients on 1,800 projects across 41 countries, a global team of 1,500 people and plenty of organic growth across 7 core industries, the company was clearly heading for the stars. Yet, new questions loomed: Was it time to start managing that wild growth, deepening competitive advantages and building functional moats? How would dss+ remain competitive? Was it time to put a few new initiatives on high octane fuel: Leadership? Digital transformation? Global growth? Some totally new ideas?

Reference IMD-7-2639

Organization dss+, Gyrus Capital, Inflexion

Industry Services, Environmental Services;Healthcare, Health and Medical Services;Services, Public Safety;Business Management Services, Consultancy

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Finance

Entrepreneurship

Sustainability

Browse all topics

Female entrepreneurs’ thirst for knowledge and the dark side of customer learning actions

By Matthew R. Marvel Marcus T. Wolfe Emily Neubert Donald F. Kuratko and Sophie Bacq
in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 14 February 2025, ePub before print, https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587241311119

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Entrepreneurship

Customer Centricity

Browse all topics

How can I leverage AI for smarter sustainability?

By Julia Katharina Binder and Michael R. Wade
in I by IMD Brain Circuits 10 February 2025

Summary

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications