AIGA has presented Warby Parker with the AIGA Corporate Leadership Award for changing the eyewear industry by pioneering ideas, designing products and experiences, and making proper vision care more affordable and accessible. “Warby Parker illustrates the power of design by creating solutions to industry problems while making a positive impact on the world,” said Bennie F. Johnson, executive director of AIGA. “Their commitment to social entrepreneurship and leadership in the eyewear industry have created new alternatives that benefit the greater community – and it is for this innovative spirit that we honor Warby Parker with AIGA’s Corporate Leadership Award.”
The award also recognizes Warby Parker for leading the way for socially conscious businesses. Globally, 2.5 billion people need glasses, but don’t have access to them; of these, 624 million cannot effectively learn or work due to the severity of their visual impairment. To help address this problem, Warby Parker partners with nonprofits like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need, and operates the Pupils Project, which provides vision care and glasses to school-age children in their classrooms, where teachers are often the first to spot issues. “In receiving this award, we celebrate the impact that thoughtful design has had on our customers, nonprofit partners, and patients alike,” says Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO Neil Blumenthal. “It’s an honor to be recognized by AIGA – and a great motivator for us to continue to use design as a tool to communicate and elevate our mission to help people see.”
As part of the recent AIGA Design and Business Conference, Tim Riley, Senior Director of Experience Design for Warby Paker joined Bennie F. Johnson for a Fireside Chat that explored the values and culture that have made Warby Parker a user-centered leader in their field.
In their 107-year history, AIGA has recognized 33 organizations with the AIGA Corporate Leadership Award. The recipients have spanned countless industries – from media to education to technology.
