Corporate Giving

Alcon sees a world where treatable, preventable conditions that affect people’s eye health receive the attention they need, when they need it, regardless of geography, gender, age or socioeconomic status.

Caring for our eyes is an essential part of health. But too often, our eyes don’t receive the attention they deserve. Many people do not have the means to access the eye care they need, and there are many places around the world where quality eye care is not even available. The absence of eye care has an enormous impact on individuals and societies, resulting in more than $400 billion in lost productivity every year.¹ The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. Many devastating eye conditions such as glaucoma are treatable or, in the case of cataract blindness, even preventable. When eye health conditions are left unchecked, they can lead to bigger problems for our eyes and overall health.

The unmet need for quality eye care remains acute globally. We have the tools to make a difference. But without experts, partners and people on the ground who are trained and equipped to make a difference, people’s eyes and health will continue to suffer needlessly.

We know that the need is bigger than any one organization can address. We understand that the problem requires more than just additional money, supplies or equipment. The only way to make quality eye care more available and accessible is by cultivating self-sustaining eye health ecosystems.

Together with our partners, the Alcon Foundation and Alcon Cares are helping people see brilliantly by expanding the availability of quality eye care and access for all.

Services, Systems and Talent

We’re enabling vital services for vulnerable populations around the world so that everyone has access to quality eye care.

Services

We’re equipping hospitals and clinics with resources to create permanent, comprehensive local eye care systems that improve quality of life and economic mobility.

Systems

We’re empowering our partners to make a difference by helping them develop talent – diverse eye care teams of doctors, nurses and technicians – to meet global eye health needs.

Talent

Alcon Giving

Our corporate giving supports hundreds of charitable organizations. Our programs align with our giving objectives through monetary donations, product and equipment donations, and associate volunteer activities.

Charitable Monetary Donations

Alcon provides charitable monetary donations (often referred to as grants) to eligible 501(c)3 organizations that offer high-quality programs and services to increase access to quality eye care and strengthen the communities in which we live and work. These donations are offered through the Alcon Foundation.

Learn more about the Alcon Foundation’s criteria, objectives and restrictions:

The Alcon Foundation

How to apply for a monetary donation from the Alcon Foundation:

To determine eligibility to apply for a donation from the Alcon Foundation, please first review the criteria, objectives and restrictions documents above. Well-aligned applications can then be submitted upon successful completion of the online eligibility questionnaire.

Click here to access our online donation programs portal.

Charitable Product and Equipment Donations

Alcon donates ophthalmic products to eligible eye care partners who work to improve and restore vision to underserved patients around the world. Our donations help improve the sustainability of eye care systems so they can provide long-term care to more people. We also donate products and equipment to support short-term medical missions that deliver eye exams and surgeries for patients and training for local Eye Care Professionals. All product and equipment donations are offered through Alcon Cares.

Medical Missions Support and COVID-19

Medical missions are a valuable means to help people see brilliantly, and our commitment to responsibly supporting medical missions with product donations remains as strong as ever. COVID-19 continues to pose a significant health risk to the global community. To protect traveling volunteers and in-country medical teams and patients, Alcon Cares’ medical missions support is temporarily limited to countries accepting visitors, where minimum requirements we’ve established are met. We are vetting each medical mission request on the basis of its particular circumstances, including the destination’s U.S. State Department Travel Advisory* level, local partner support and patients’ access to post-operative care. We will continue to monitor and assess the situation and advise our partners of any updates to our policies.

*For the safety of all participants, Alcon Cares does not support medical missions to countries with a Level 4 U.S. State Department Travel Advisory

References

“The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health: Vision Beyond 2020,” The Lancet Global Health Commission, Volume 9, Issue 4, E489-E551, April 01, 2021.