Responding to the Bigger Picture: Telstra's 2020 Sustainability Report
Telstra has released its Bigger Picture 2020 Sustainability Report, detailing the company’s progress in implementing its Sustainability Strategy – aimed at helping everyone to thrive in a digital world – and in responding to the issues that matter most to its stakeholders.
Telstra’s focus for more than 160 years has been to connect Australians to each other and the world using the best technology available. In a year shaped and scarred by the 2019-20 Australian Bushfires and the COVID-19 global pandemic, this has never been more important. This period of extraordinary disruption has caused Telstra – like many organisations – to think deeply about its role and responsibilities in the community. The company has been challenged to adapt and find new ways of supporting its customers, people and country through this time of need.
The Bigger Picture 2020 Sustainability Report details the breadth and depth of Telstra’s activities during the 2020 Financial Year (FY) and the company’s efforts towards responsibly managing its environmental and social impacts. Highlights in FY20 include:
- Helping around 2.6 million customers to stay connected through COVID-19 support packages
- Being the first major Australian company to introduce a paid Epidemic and Pandemic Leave Policy, including for casuals
- Achieving an employee Sustainable Engagement score of 83, up 16 points from FY19
- Being certified as carbon neutral in its operations in July 2020
- Reducing its carbon emissions intensity (tCO2e/petabyte) by 55 per cent, from a FY17 baseline
- Being one of six Australian companies recognised on the 2019 CDP A List
- Deploying 5G within 53 major and regional cities and towns across Australia
- Announcing partnerships with five major universities to build skills for the future
- Reaching 23,000 people through digital capability training
- Providing more than $150 million of value through its social and community investment programs
Telstra’s Bigger Picture 2020 Sustainability Report was developed in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative Reporting Standards: Core Option. Limited assurance over specified data and related performance disclosures throughout Telstra’s reporting has been provided by Ernst & Young, in accordance with the ISAE 3000 assurance standards. The report also details Telstra’s progress in implementing the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact and their work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Telstra welcomes feedback on its sustainability reporting, approach and performance. Please email Jules Scarlett, Government, Regional Affairs and Sustainability Executive, at sustainability@team.telstra.com
About Telstra
Telstra Corporation (ASX:TLS) is Australia’s leading telecommunications company. Telstra facilitates over 2,000 network points of presence around the world and has one of Australia’s largest shareholder bases, with around 1.2 million shareholders.
Utilising its world leading networks, Telstra provides service to 960,000 retail fixed standalone voice customers, supplies 3.8 million retail fixed bundles and standalone data services, and 18.8 million domestic retail mobile customer services in Australia, as well as connectivity and enterprise services globally. Telstra’s mobile footprint stretches across more than 2.5 million kilometres, reaching 99.5 per cent of the Australian population.
Media contact:
Tara Glanville-Yates
Principal, Communications
+61 477329902
