Bigger Picture
2025 Sustainability Report Glossary
A | |
Access for Everyone | Telstra's package of products and services to help people on a low income or facing financial hardship to stay connected. This includes the low-income package and marketing plan obligations under Telstra's Carrier Licence Condition 22. |
Accessibility Maturity Score | The internal measure of accessibility for our digital assets based on the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and expressed as a percentage of identified versus fixed defects. |
Affordability (material topic definition) | How we factor in cost-of-living pressures and the global macroeconomic environment into how we price, respond and message in the public sphere. |
API (Application Programming Interface) | Set of commands, definitions and protocols that programmers use to interface with external systems. |
Artificial intelligence (AI) | Refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks usually requiring human intelligence. These tasks may include visual perception, speech recognition or decision making. Artificial intelligence enables machines to perceive their environment, learn from data and make decisions to achieve set goals. |
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) | The Australian Government agency responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, radio communications, telecommunications and online content. |
Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) | The Australian Digital Inclusion Index uses survey data to measure digital inclusion across three dimensions of access, affordability and digital ability. A detailed measure of digital inclusion for Australia allows critical barriers to inclusion to be identified. These may be related to accessing networks, the costs of devices or data, or skills and literacies. The Index can help shape initiatives to increase digital inclusion in Australia. (Source: https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au) |
Australian Sustainability Reporting Standard (ASRS) | The Australian Sustainability Reporting Standard is the new mandatory climate disclosure framework which Telstra's climate disclosures will align to in 2026. The ASRS is the Australian equivalent of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation's (IFRS) International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) S2 Climate Disclosure standard. |
B | |
Biodiversity (material topic definition) | The variability among living organisms from all sources, including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. UN Convention on Biodiversity (source: Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, 2025). |
Boost Mobile | In FY25, we acquired Boost Mobile. Boost Mobile is a sub-brand under which Telstra markets and sells pre-paid mobile services. |
C | |
Carbon credits, carbon offsets | Reduced or avoided greenhouse gas emissions from one activity to compensate for or to offset the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions made elsewhere. Carbon offsets are measured in CO2e. From FY25, Telstra no longer offsets the emissions from our operations. We did continue to offset emissions associated with Telstra and Belong mobile phone plans and mobile broadband plans until the end of August 2024. |
Carbon dioxide emissions equivalent total | The aggregated greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3) generated by Telstra's activities, expressed in the single measurement unit of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent (CO2e). We calculate our greenhouse gas emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and World Resources Institute as well as the NGER (Measurement) Determination 2008 (as amended). Scope 3 emissions are additional to our reporting obligations under the NGER Act 2007. We report the following scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, as categorised in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain (scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard: Category 1. Purchased goods and services |
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Category 2. Capital goods Category 3. Fuel- and energy-related activities (not included in scope 1 or scope 2) Category 4. Upstream transportation and distribution Category 5. Waste generated in operations Category 6. Business travel Category 7. Employee commuting Category 8. Upstream leased assets Category 9. Downstream transportation and distribution Category 11. Use of sold products Category 12. End of life treatment of sold products Category 15. Investments | |
Carbon dioxide emission factors | Our approach to greenhouse gas emissions reporting is consistent with reporting requirements set out in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act (2007) and subordinate legislation. Carbon dioxide emission factors are derived from the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (as amended) and are updated each year to reflect changes in Australia's energy mix. Where that Determination does not provide factors (e.g. scope 3 emissions), we use relevant National Greenhouse Account (NGA) Factors (2024), Exiobase or the DEFRA factors. As per accepted practice, we do not restate previous year emissions based on emission factor updates unless materially significant. |
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) | The standard unit of measurement used to compare and aggregate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions are converted to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide considering their global warming potential relative to carbon dioxide. This accounts for the varying warming impact of different gases. |
Carbon emissions intensity (tCO2e/PB) | The average rate of carbon emissions relative to the intensity of a specific activity. At Telstra, this is expressed as a ratio of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per petabyte (tCO2e/PB) of data traffic. This is calculated using our Australian scope 1 and 2 emissions and domestic network volume traffic measured as bytes uploaded or downloaded at Access Network Points or Points of Interconnect aggregated from monthly totals. |
Career Connect | Telstra's AI-enabled talent marketplace, enabling deeper development conversations and integrated performance planning. This marketplace aims to drive a new era of skills-based development to help our teams find meaningful work, learn, experiment and grow. |
Carrier | The holder of a Carrier Licence under the Telecommunications Act 1997. |
Cash (social and community investment) | Monetary amount paid in support of a community organisation or project. |
CDP | CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) is a not-for-profit organisation that runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. Telstra discloses our own climate data to CDP. You can find Telstra's CDP response here. We've partnered with CDP through their Supply Chain Program to engage our suppliers to better account for and address their climate change impacts and use this data to calculate supplier specific emissions intensity factors for scope 3, category 1, 2 and 4. |
Cell on Wheels | Cell on Wheels are portable, trailer-mounted mobile base stations used to provide temporary cellular network coverage, particularly during emergencies or at high-traffic events. |
Circular economy and waste (material topic definition) | Efforts to move to a system where waste and its associated pollutants are eliminated and materials are kept in use as products, components or raw materials. |
Climate impact and adaptation (material topic definition) | Managing and disclosing relevant climate-related physical and transition risks and associated mitigation and adaptation measures. |
Climate-related physical risks | Risks resulting from climate change that can be event-driven (acute physical risk) or from longer-term shifts in climatic patterns (chronic physical risk). Acute physical risks arise from weather-related events such as storms, floods, drought or heatwaves, which are increasing in severity and frequency. Chronic physical risks arise from longer-term shifts in climatic patterns including changes in precipitation and temperature which could lead to sea level rise, reduced water availability, biodiversity loss and changes in soil productivity. |
Climate-related transition risks | Risks that arise from efforts to transition to a lower-carbon economy. Transition risks include policy, legal, technological, market and reputational risks. These risks could carry financial implications, such as increased operating costs or asset impairment due to new or amended climate-related regulations. Financial performance could also be affected by shifting consumer demands and the development and deployment of new technology. |
Community investment (material topic definition) | Making a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate by using our technology, time, funds and expertise, including responding to community needs during disaster relief and recovery. |
Connected Future 30 | Telstra's new five-year strategy to FY30. Sustainability is a key enabler in this strategy. |
Consumer health, safety and welfare (material topic definition) | Health, safety and wellbeing of our products and services in relation to consumers and adhering to customer health and safety codes. |
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Critical infrastructure and disaster response (material topic definition) | Minimising impacts and responding appropriately to disruptions caused by global challenges, public health crises and natural disasters so we can continue to provide the critical infrastructure that we all depend on. |
Customer experience (material topic definition) | Providing leading products and services and delivering brilliant customer experiences through streamlining systems and processes and keeping the diverse needs of all our customers front of mind. |
Customer experience (CX) Design Framework | Comprised of 16 principles, guiding product development based on good, better and brilliant customer experiences. |
Customers in vulnerable circumstances | A customer in vulnerable circumstances refers to a customer whose circumstances places them at an increased risk of harm or disadvantage, if an organisation does not act with appropriate levels of care. We look at vulnerable circumstances through four dimensions: Economic, Disability, Digitally Excluded, and Safety and Security. |
Customers in vulnerable circumstances (T25 target) | Helping one million customers in vulnerable circumstances stay connected through our affordability, accessibility and digital ability programs each year from FY22-25. This metric comprises several different programs, services and activities that are aggregated. The total is calculated based on the number of unique customers who have benefited from a program or service intended to support them to stay connected in the relevant financial year (unique customers per program). |
Cyber security, privacy and data protection (material topic definition) | Assuring cybersecurity, data protection and privacy across services and operations. |
D | |
Decarbonise | Reduce the carbon emissions generated as a result of a process or activity. To achieve Telstra's climate change and energy use goals we are reliant upon the continued decarbonisation of the electricity grid and undertaking key decarbonisation activities including:
technology that helps to address our most significant environmental challenges. |
Decommissioning initiatives | Energy and/or emissions savings as a result of decommissioning and depowering of network equipment in our network infrastructure, at our network facilities or at our commercial buildings. Savings are summed to a total energy and emissions (scope 2) savings as a result of the initiatives over 12 months. These activities are separate to our energy efficiency projects. |
Digital inclusion | The premise of digital inclusion is that everyone should be able to make full use of digital technologies and the benefits they bring, while avoiding their potential negative consequences. (Source: What is digital inclusion? -Australian Digital Inclusion Index). |
Digital inclusion (material topic definition) | Enabling all Australians can access and use digital technologies effectively by maintaining our leadership in public policy advocacy, collaborating for impact and championing affordable products and services. |
Digital ethics, rights and responsibilities (material topic definition) | Ensuring good governance and ethical standards for emerging technologies (e.g. Ethical AI). |
Digital literacy programs | Our digital literacy programs aim to build digital skills and confidence online and include face-to-face and online training or mentoring as well as online resources. Face-to-face and online training Our training and mentoring programs include:
Online resources We provide instructional digital literacy and cyber safety resources online and track the number of downloads or views. |
Digital transformation enablement (material topic definition) | Adapting to and leveraging innovative and emerging technologies (e.g. AI). |
Disaster relief (social and community investment) | Covers customer and community measures, including disaster relief credits, disaster-related support and grants and free calls to disaster zones. |
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Diversity | At Telstra, diversity means difference in all its forms, both visible and not visible. This includes differences that relate to gender, age, cultural background, disability, religion and sexual orientation, as well as differences in background and life experience, and interpersonal and problem-solving skills. |
Diversity, equity and inclusion (material topic definition) | Preventing discrimination and valuing and measuring workforce diversity, equity and inclusion (including workplace flexibility). May be abbreviated as DEI. |
Double materiality | We apply a double materiality approach, considering materiality from both an impact materiality perspective (the outward-facing impact that Telstra can create on people and the environment), as well as a financial materiality perspective (the inward-facing risks and opportunities which may impact Telstra's value). Our impact materiality assessment informs the content of the Sustainability Report and is a key consideration in how we continue to evolve our sustainability ambitions. We assess financial materiality through our finance and risk management process. We use a combination of key external and internal stakeholder assessments (including surveys and desktop reviews of external assessments such as peer company reports and industry reports) to determine priority topics. |
E | |
e-waste | Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term used to describe specific items of electrical and electronic equipment, and their parts, that have been disposed by the owner as waste without the intention of reuse. For our industry, e-waste includes end-of-life consumer devices, batteries, electronic accessories as well as network equipment including routers, servers and cables. Telstra's own e-waste also includes information technology (IT) and lighting equipment. Electronics stewardship seeks to reduce the impacts of technology - from equipment design through to end-of-life disposal. Electronics stewardship involves taking responsibility beyond the point of manufacture or sale, and influencing across the total life cycle of products to decouple product growth from the reliance on raw materials to manufacture. |
Electricity consumption | Electricity used in Telstra's buildings and network facilities. Electricity consumption is based on invoiced (billing) data where available. Where metering data is not available on invoices, estimates are calculated based upon prior invoiced consumption, taking into account seasonal variations. For unmetered assets where consumption is not recorded on the invoice, estimates are calculated using the asset load profiles where distributors have provided them, and if not using an average location-based cost per kWh profile. |
Electromagnetic energy (EME) | The energy stored in an electromagnetic field. Most radio communication systems use EME, including mobile phones, base stations, and emergency services communications systems. |
Emissions (material topic definition) | Gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect (see greenhouse gas emissions definition below). |
Employee health, safety and wellbeing | The occupational health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and supply chain workers. |
Employee volunteering and giving (social and community investment) | Value of employee volunteering, charitable donations and donations from the Telstra reward and recognition program. |
Energy (material topic definition) | Our approach to managing our demand for, and supply of, energy. This includes energy procurement, supply reliability, energy efficiency, reduction and resilience initiatives, backup power and demand management. It also encompasses our energy investment strategies, including in power purchase agreements (PPAs). |
Energy consumption / use | Energy, measured in gigajoules (GJ), is used to run all aspects of our operations. Key energy sources include electricity, gas and liquid fuels used in our buildings and vehicle fleet. Electricity and gas consumption is compiled from metering and billing data. Fleet fuel use is derived from fuel card data. We also consume small amounts of other fuels, such as diesel for standby generators and mobile plant. Our energy consumption data for these activities is based on fuel delivery data. |
Energy consumption (total) | Total consumption of electricity, natural gas and fuels for Telstra's buildings, network and fleet, measured in gigajoules. |
Energy efficiency projects | Energy and/or emissions savings from energy efficiency projects at our network facilities and commercial buildings. Savings are summed to a total energy and emissions (scope 2) savings as a result of the initiatives over 12 months. |
Engaging, developing and enabling people (material topic definition) | Attracting and retaining talent and building the capability of our people and enabling them to succeed. |
ESG | Environmental, social and governance. |
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ESG regulation and compliance (material topic definition) | Managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and impacts and ensuring compliance of our operations and supply chain. |
Ethical business practices (material topic definition) | Complying with ethical and responsible business practices such as anti-bribery and corruption, fair competition, compliance, tax practices and transparency. |
Everyone Connected (social and community investment) | Our customer and digital inclusion programs that include digital access and digital innovation. |
F | |
First Nations | The terms Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations are used interchangeably to reference Australia's First Peoples. The term Indigenous is used where it relates to a program name or is a preferred term. |
First Nations rights, reconciliation and inclusion (material topic definition) | Backing the aspirations of First Nations peoples, communities and leaders for a better future by actioning, supporting and advocating for rights, reconciliation and inclusion. |
Foregone revenue (social and community investment) | Social contribution in the form of missed earnings to assist community organisations or customers in time of need. |
G | |
Gender pay equity (compa-ratio) | Compa-ratio compares an employee's fixed remuneration to the median of the market remuneration range that they are mapped against. Compa-ratio analysis includes full time and part time staff in Telstra Group Limited and its controlled entities, excluding casuals, contractors and agency staff. It does not include staff in any other controlled entities within the Telstra Group. Compa-ratio is based on Fixed Remuneration (base salary plus superannuation). |
Gigabyte (GB) | A gigabyte is a unit of data is commonly used to measure electronic storage space. Typically, a gigabyte refers to about a billion bytes of information. |
Gigajoules (GJ) | A joule is the standard unit of energy in the metric system. A gigajoule (GJ) is one billion joules. |
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) | A multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that produces the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards, a comprehensive sustainability reporting framework widely used around the world. |
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions | Gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect, resulting in global warming. The six key greenhouse gases recognised by the Kyoto Protocol and included in Australia's National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act (2007) are:
Greenhouse gas emissions are primarily measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), which provides a common unit to allow for the comparison and aggregation of emissions, considering their global warming potential. |
GSM Association (GSMA) | The GSM (Global System for Mobile) Association is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of mobile network operators globally. |
I | |
In-kind (social and community investment) | Contribution of products or services, valued at retail cost to Telstra, to assist community organisations. |
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation | A not-for-profit organisation responsible for developing global accounting and sustainability standards, known as the IFRS Standards. The IFRS established the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in November 2021. |
International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) | The sub-group of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation which holds global accountability for the implementation of the recommendations of the former Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The ISSB has published sustainability (S1) and climate (S2) reporting standards. |
Internet of Things (IoT) | IoT is about connecting everyday objects and enabling them to send and receive data. Its applications range from simply gathering data to applying smart, connected and intelligent ways to solve the most pressing issues facing our country. |
Innovative tech solutions for good (material topic definition) | Using technology for good by creating or enabling innovative programs, products, services and solutions. |
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