Fined $18.5m for anticompetitive behavior

In 2010 the Federal Court fined Telstra $18.55 million for denying competitors access to infrastructure in contravention of its carrier licence. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]

Source: ACCC (2010)

Fined for privacy breach

In 2014 Telstra was fined $10,200 and warned about privacy after a data breach saw the information of 15,775 customers made available online. Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim found Telstra failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the security of the data it held.

Source: news article (2014)

Fined for phone line delays

In 2014 Telstra was fined $510,000 by Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for failing to connect new telephone lines within regulated time limits. Telstra also received an official warning for failing to properly follow the consultation process when removing eight public payphones.

Source: news article (2014)

48.8% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 48.8/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.

Source: Newsweek (2017)

Political donations

According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $90,764 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).

Source: Democracy For Sale (2018)

Greenfleet supporter

This company works with the not-for-profit organisation Greenfleet to calculate and offset emissions from flights and their fleet of vehicles.

Source: Greenfleet (2020)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.

Source: We Mean Business (2021)

GeSI member

This company is a member of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), a leading source of impartial information, resources and best practices for achieving integrated social and environmental sustainability through Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Source: GeSI (2016)

MobileMuster member

This company is a member of MobileMuster, Australia's only not-for-profit, Government accredited mobile recycling program, established and funded by the mobile phone industry since late 1998. The program adopts a product stewardship model based on circular economy principles where they promise to keep old mobiles and accessories out of landfill and recycle them in a safe, secure and ethical way, placing reusable commodities back into the supply stream.

Source: Mobile Muster (2023)

Tax paying in Australia

Between 2015 and 2018 this company paid $5.2 billion tax on a total income of $80 billion, earning the number 7 spot on Michael West's Top 40 Tax Payers 2020. West calculated which of Australia's largest companies have paid the most tax using three years of tax transparency data published by the Australian Tax Office.

Source: Michael West (2018)

Modern Slavery statement

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.

Source: company website (2017)

Modern Slavery disclosure quality

Modern slavery disclosure is a critical step in mitigating the risk associated with modern slavery practices in companies' operations and supply chains. The quality of the disclosure signals the level of commitments and efforts that the companies have put in managing these risks. In 2021 the Monash Centre for Financial Studies analysed and ranked the disclosure quality of the modern slavery statements submitted by the 300 largest listed companies on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX300). This company's modern slavery disclosure statement received a grade of C.

Source: Monash University (2021)

Data collection

Telstra has installed highly advanced surveillance systems to "vacuum" the telephone calls, texts, social media messages and internet metadata of millions of Australians so that information can be filtered and given to intelligence and law enforcement agencies. All Australian telecommunications and internet service providers by law must maintain interception and data-collection capabilities for government.

Source: news article (2013)

45/100 S&P Global ESG Score

This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 45/100 in the Telecommunication Services category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 16 Dec 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.

Source: S&P Global (2022)