Why partner with The Fred Hollows Foundation

Nine out of 10 people who are blind don’t need to be. 

Avoidable blindness is one of the world’s most solvable health challenges. Yet millions of people are still excluded and isolated from education, employment and economic opportunity because they cannot access basic eye care. 

Corporate partnerships with The Fred Hollows Foundation create measurable social impact while strengthening ESG objectives, employee engagement and brand reputation. These partnerships support sustainable eye health systems and long-term community development. 

Why businesses choose to partner with us 

Corporate partnerships with The Foundation are designed to create shared value. They align business strategy with measurable social impact. 

ESG and CSR alignment 

Business shareholders, boards and customers increasingly expect organisations to contribute to social and environmental progress. 

Partnerships not only meet these expectations, they are also good for business, enabling businesses to:  

• engage their staff to a meaningful cause  

• drive sales through cause related marketing 

• demonstrate tangible impact to their customers, to be a business that stands out 

• contribute to something they care about, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing.  

• build trust with their audience, by partnering in a true and meaningful way with one of Australia’s most trusted charities (4th most trusted charity in 2025, according to RepTrak). 

• All of our partnerships include ways to engage, educate and advocate for a world where no one is needlessly blind or vision impaired. We provide transparent reporting, tangible impact and cause related marketing and engagement to achieve this. 

A proven partner with measurable impact 

Founded by Professor Fred Hollows, The Foundation has spent more than 30 years restoring sight and building sustainable eye health systems. 

Key outcomes include: 

• more than 3 million people have had their sight restored 

• programs operating in over 25 countries 

• thousands of surgeons, nurses and health workers trained 

• partnerships with governments to strengthen local health systems 

Our model focuses on sustainability and capacity building. This ensures communities can access quality eye care long after initial interventions. 

Dr Senglar Laorsen and Dr Phetsamone Indara perform cataract surgery at Oudomxay Provincial Eye Hospital in Lao PDR, where The Fred Hollows Foundation is supporting access to sight-restoring care for people who would otherwise go untreated.

Photo credit: Michael Amendolia

Everyone deserves the right to sight. Ending avoidable blindness creates social and economic opportunity. 

Read more about our impact to help end avoidable blindness.  

The economic case for action 

Vision loss costs the global economy an estimated $447 billion each year in lost productivity. 

More than 160 million working-age adults live with preventable moderate to severe vision impairment or blindness. With access to affordable treatment such as cataract surgery, many could return to work and education. 

Research shows that every $1 USD invested in eye health delivers an economic return of approximately $28 USD. 

Eye health investment strengthens productivity, community participation and economic resilience. Businesses that support eye health contribute to sustainable development and shared prosperity. 

Employee engagement and workplace culture

Purpose-driven initiatives strengthen employee connection and organisational culture.

Partnership opportunities include: 

• workplace giving programs 

• matched donations 

• fundraising initiatives 

• volunteering opportunities 

Workplace giving allows employees to donate directly from pre-tax income. Many organisations match contributions, doubling impact and engagement. 

Charities are not able to access the same resources as corporate, so when you lend your time, skills, resources or funds to our work, we are able to make an event bigger impact.  

Sector leadership and social proof 

Long-term partnerships demonstrate strategic commitment to social impact. 

Specsavers has partnered with The Foundation for over 16 years. During this period, the partnership has: 

• contributed more than $10 million to eye health programs 

• supported cataract surgery and diabetic retinopathy treatment 

• improved access to care for over 375,000 people 

• strengthened services in Australia and the Pacific 

This sustained collaboration demonstrates how aligned business partnerships can deliver systemic change. 

In 2022, The Fred Hollows Foundation and Specsavers delivered outreach eye care in Lightning Ridge, NSW, working alongside the Outback Eye Service to help address a backlog of patients and improve access to essential eye health services in rural and remote communities.

Photo credit: Daniel Jesus Vignolli

Corporate partnerships across retail, healthcare, energy and professional services show that businesses of all sizes can create meaningful impact. 

Sustainable, systems-level impact 

The Foundation focuses on strengthening health systems so communities can deliver eye care independently. 

Partnership contributes to: 

• training local health professionals 

• equipping clinics and hospitals 

• expanding outreach to remote communities 

• addressing barriers to care 

• supporting government-led health systems 

This systems approach ensures lasting change. It prevents avoidable blindness and builds capacity for future generations. 

At Kilifi Referral Hospital, our free eye surgery camp delivered 103 sight-restoring surgeries and screened more than 2,000 patients. Supported by the County Government of Kilifi and the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), it reflects what’s possible when partners come together to strengthen access to essential eye care.

Photo credit: Mark Maina

Join a network of purpose-driven organisations 

Corporate partnerships span sectors including retail, healthcare, energy and professional services. 

By partnering with The Foundation you’ll join a group of like-minded businesses, partnering with a shared goal of ending avoidable blindness with an understanding of social impact leadership and shared value. 

To explore existing partnerships and social proof, visit our corporate partners page. 

The opportunity 

Avoidable blindness is solvable. The economic and social return is proven. The need remains urgent. 

By partnering with The Fred Hollows Foundation, your organisation can join a global movement to end avoidable blindness. Together, we restore sight, strengthen health systems and create long-term opportunity in communities that need it most. 

If your organisation is interested in making a measurable social impact, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss partnership possibilities. 

Email our Corporate Partnerships team to learn more.