SEE Summit panelists announced
OSA chair, Jayne Abel
The SEE Summit is shaping up to be the must-attend event for anyone in the optical community committed to sustainability, with an exciting panel of optical practitioners announced for the event.
The panel will include Jayne Abel, chair of the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA) Sustainable Committee, optometrist Simon Berry, and dispensing optician (DO) Ruth Shelton.
Chaired by ABDO’s head of communications Antonia Chitty, the panel session will give attendees the chance to hear from practitioners leading the field in sustainability. Questions can be submitted to the panel both in advance and during the event.
As well as her OSA role, Jayne Abel is the co-founder and CEO of Eyespace. Jayne is heavily involved in the vision and progression of Eyespace, taking a particular interest in product design and the use of new sustainable/recyclable materials and eco-friendly practices from manufacturing processes through to packaging.
She said: “I am hoping to spread the word and encourage opticians to make greener choices when buying from suppliers across all sectors of the UK optical industry.”
Simon Berry is an optometrist from Durham. He opened his own independent practice in 2002 and works as a specialist optometrist at Sunderland Eye Infirmary.
DO, Ruth Shelton
He said: “I have always been interested in sustainability and in 2017 I developed an Ethical Supply Questionnaire that I now give to our suppliers. I look forward to discussing some of the issues on the ABDO panel.”
Ruth Shelton has been a DO since 1995. When her children went to school, she went back too and has been a chartered landscape architect since 2011. She is currently a senior advisor for Natural England and a locum DO. Her love of the natural world drives her determination to help make the necessary changes to our lifestyles. She commented: “We have to find a way to live more sustainably in order to hand a healthy planet over to our children and grandchildren.”
The SEE Summit is supported by a host of optical organisations including the Federartion of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO).
Harjit Sandhu, FOD managing director, believes that “tackling climate change is one of the biggest issues of our time. We welcome initiatives that help our eye and ear care members respond to this global challenge with local action in the communities our members serve. We look forward to taking part and responding with concrete action to make sure we all do our bit to protect our environment for future generations.”
Book your place at the inaugural SEE Summit on the Environment on 4 October 2021 to get access to the Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool, along with inspiring and practical tips from a range of key figures in the industry.
Click here to book.