29 September 2026
EssilorLuxottica has announced a new partnership programme that it hopes will bolster the growth of its independent practice partners in the UK.
The ELevate programme will help eye care practitioners navigate the future of optics, attendees at the launch event at The Vox, Birmingham, on Thursday 10 September were told.
The partnership brings the existing Essilor and Luxottica loyalty programmes together for the first time, under the ELevate banner.
The new offering includes rewards, professional training, business support and clinical expertise, which will sit together on a single portal.
Around 200 independent practice owners attended the launch event, which was hosted by Sally Gray MBE.
Simplicity and a higher bar for partners
Speaking at the event, Giona Riccetti, general manager UK and Ireland at EssilorLuxottica, told attendees that the ELevate partnership has been designed to “reinvent the way we work with partners.”
The partnership came after extensive feedback was gathered from existing EssilorLuxottica customers, Riccetti said.
Richard Davies, sales director for UK and Ireland independents – frames and lenses, explained that ELevate represents an exciting next step in bringing together the combined strengths of Essilor and Luxottica, creating one joined-up partnership programme across both frames and lenses.
Through ELevate, independent eye care practitioners will benefit from a simpler, more connected approach, with one programme, greater access to the breadth of EssilorLuxottica’s portfolio and a dedicated account manager helping them unlock opportunities across the business, Davies said.
Riccetti noted that, throughout the development of the new programme, “simplicity is what we kept in mind from the very beginning.”
EssilorLuxottica has a responsibility to “set the bar higher” for its customers, he said.
Davies acknowledged that independent practices are operating in an increasingly demanding environment, facing rising costs, staffing challenges, growing competition from online and larger chains, and increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of premium products and premium eye care in a price-conscious market.
But he stressed that ELevate has been developed with those realities firmly in mind – creating an opportunity for EssilorLuxottica to go beyond the traditional supplier relationship and become a stronger commercial partner to independent practices.
Practitioners have made it clear that they “don’t just want suppliers,” Davies shared. They want partners who can help them “grow” and “differentiate.”
Riccetti also noted that the more eye care practitioners engage with the partnership programme, the more they are likely to get out of it.
The ELevate partnership includes a large selection of solutions and products, he told attendees.
Davies emphasised that the programme is designed to add value for EssilorLuxottica’s best customers.
A focus on community
ELevate brings together four pillars: Clinical excellence, Connect, Accelerate and Differentiate, attendees were told.
‘Clinical excellence’ is “about staying at the forefront of modern eye care, giving you access to expert training in clinical insights and the latest innovation from EssilorLuxottica, helping you deliver exceptional patient outcomes,” Davies shared.
‘Connect’ has an emphasis on community, including networking events for partners to exchange perspectives and engage in ongoing dialogue with EssilorLuxottica.
Ewelina Kawnik, marketing director for northern Europe at EssilorLuxottica, said.
Kawnik noted that: “The sense of community in the optical world is vital.”
Jason Williams, head of trade marketing for UK and Ireland independents at EssilorLuxottica, told attendees that the partnership programme will focus on both online and face-to-face events.
One key event in the ELevate programme will be the partnership’s business forum, which will be held at Goodwood on 4 November, whilst another will be an invitation-only gala dinner with a stay at the Langham, Williams said.
The ‘Accelerate’ pillar focuses on marketing and business support tools and growth resources to strengthen patient engagement and drive more patients into independent practices, whilst ‘Differentiate’ aims to set businesses apart through accreditations from EssilorLuxottica’s top brands, including Ray-Ban Legends and Oakley Pro, Kawnik said.
Other benefits include social media, HR, and legal support, as well as access to the Insights platform so that practitioners can see how well their website is performing.
There will also be changes to EssilorLuxottica’s Leonardo education platform, which will make content easier to digest.
Williams noted that the highest spending partners will receive the highest level of support from the programme.
Tracy Burden, EssilorLuxottica partnership programme manager , told attendees that EssilorLuxottica has “never given so much support to independent opticians.”
“ELevate is for all partners to engage with,” Burden added.
How the ELevate programme works
Attendees heard that the three-tiered loyalty programme previously enjoyed by EssilorLuxottica’s partner eye care practitioners remains, with adaptations.
Practitioners earn points per every pound or euro spent, Sammy Bickle, trade marketing manager for lenses and frames at EssilorLuxottica, and Lindsey Clark, marketing insights, North Europe, at the company, explained.
The ‘Aspire’ tier is for practices spending up to £12,000 or €12,000 per year, with practices earning one point per pound or euro whilst on this tier.
The second tier, ‘Ascend,’ is for practices spending up to £48,000 or €48,000 per year. Practitioners at this level will receive two points per pound or euro spent.
The highest tier, ‘Advanced,’ is for practitioners spending more than £96,000 or €96,000 per year, with practitioners receiving three points per pound or euro spent.
Existing reward points from the previous loyalty schemes have been transferred to ELevate.
There is also a new portal, which will act as the main hub for the partnership and has been designed “with a super easy user experience, designed with you in mind,” Bickle said.
She noted that practitioners can set up additional logins for their team members where needed.
Looking to the future
Riccetti called the ELevate partnership a “global first” for EssilorLuxottica, noting that the UK is the first place in the world that the programme has been rolled out.
He noted that modern patients need answers on what comes next and what can be prevented in terms of their eye health, and that they visit optometry practices for care rather than simply for a product.
Riccetti pointed to glaucoma detection and the adoption of optical coherence tomography scans in practice as examples of potential in independent practice that is already being realised.
Growth for independent practices comes from seeing patients more often, he noted.
For eye care practitioners, “correction is the foundation. It is not the limit,” Riccetti said.
He noted: “The industry is like an ecosystem: everyone has a role to play. But these roles are changing fast, with innovation and with the technology. Differentiation will remain the key factor here.”
The scope of EssilorLuxottica is going beyond vision correction, and the company wants to take practices with them, Riccetti said.
The ELevate platform is now live for EssilorLuxottica’s eye care practitioner partners. To get started contact an EssilorLuxottica representative.
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