We’re excited to share our 2025 Bigger Picture Sustainability Report, marking the successful completion of our T25 strategy - and the launch of our new five-year strategy, Connected Future 30.
It will help us meet the goals of Connected Future 30 as we continue to engage with our customers and communities to deliver reliable, resilient, secure and environmentally responsible connectivity in ways that work best for them.
We’re proud to have met and exceeded many of the ambitions of our T25 strategy. Our achievements reflect a collective effort across Telstra to support communities, protect the environment and operate responsibly.
This last financial year, we helped more than 1.9 million customers in vulnerable circumstances to stay connected, with an average of 1.3 million supported annually over the past four years. Our support included concession offers for people on a low income, bill payment assistance and expanded access to our Top Up program, which provides up to six months free pre-paid mobile credit.
Our Enhanced Care team provided specialised support to victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence and we distributed more than 6,900 smartphones through our Safe Connections program in partnership with The Women’s Services Network (WESNET).
We also continued to support customers experiencing natural disasters with relief to 213 postcodes, delivering additional data to over one million services. We upgraded more than 1,000 payphones in disaster-prone areas with free Wi-Fi and battery backup, ensuring service continuity when it matters most.
In total, Telstra's social and community initiatives had a value of over $126 million.
Digital inclusion remains a focus. Over the past four years, we’ve supported over 677,000 Australians to build digital skills, many through the Tech Savvy Seniors program, delivered in partnership with the NSW Government.
Our collaboration with Microsoft and Good Things Australia equipped women from migrant and refugee backgrounds with AI literacy, while our partnership with Justice Connect helped thousands of people prepare and store essential documents for emergencies.
Through Telstra Foundation, we launched the inaugural Australian Youth Digital Index, giving voice to young Australians on their digital experiences and needs. This work helps us better understand how to support the next generation as they navigate the digital world safely and confidently.
How we're doing better by communities
Through our Indigenous Workforce Program, we created over 480 employment opportunities for First Nations people. We also supported cultural learning for over 1,700 employees. Our First Nations Connect service continued to provide culturally appropriate support to customers in remote communities, with call centres operated by local community members in Palm Island and Jumbun.
We made strong progress against our climate targets. By the end of the 2025 financial year, we reduced our scope 1+2 emissions by 44% and scope 3 emissions by 43% from our 2019 financial year baseline (excluding Digicel Pacific). We enabled renewable energy generation equivalent to 76% of our consumption and have supported renewable energy projects worth more than $1.6 billion since 2017.
We continued to invest in network resilience, upgrading battery capacity at over 1,400 sites and deploying additional portable generators to support communities during outages. Our disaster response included support during major events such as Tropical Cyclone Alfred, where we restored over 400 mobile sites and provided more than 70 million GB of additional data to affected customers.
Circular economy principles are embedded into our operations. In the 2025 financial year, we reused or recycled 769,000 devices and achieved a 94% network waste recycling rate. We eliminated over 1.7 million plastic bags from Telstra-branded handsets and accessories and our modem refurbishment program saved over 2,268 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
How we're doing better by the environment
One of our greatest ambitions for our Connected Future 30 strategy is to support the digital inclusion of 1M people (with at least 200,000 in NT, SA or TAS) by donating, reusing, repairing or recycling one connected device for every two sold by the 2030 financial year.
As we move into our new strategy, Connected Future 30, our purpose remains clear: to build a connected future so everyone can thrive.
These achievements reflect our commitment to operating responsibly and sustainably, creating long-term value for our customers, communities and the environment. We’re excited to see our commitments continue as part of our new Connected Future 30 strategy.
How we're harnessing tech to work towards a healthier planet and more inclusive world.
Visit our sustainability site
