Singtel Group Publishes Its Fourth Group Sustainability Report 2018
The Singtel Group Sustainability Report 2018 is the company’s fourth Group report which covers the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainability strategies, initiatives and performance of its operations in Singapore and Australia for the financial year ended 31 March 2018 (FY2018).
The report provides details of the Group’s commitment towards creating sustainable and long-term growth for its business, while leading and shaping positive change for its four sustainability pillars: Environment, People, Community and Marketplace and customers.
The report has been prepared in accordance with the international sustainability reporting GRI Standards: Core option and is independently assured to the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000. The report has also been mapped to key UN Sustainable Development Goals. Singtel has been a signatory of the UN Global Compact since 2007 and this report presents the company’s annual Communication on Progress.
The Singtel Group Sustainability Report 2018 includes the following highlights:
- Year-to-date achievements of the Group’s FY2020 sustainability targets for its top material topics;
- The Group’s scorecard on key performance indicators;
- First company in Asia (ex-Japan) to have its carbon reduction targets approved by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi);
- Among the first companies globally committed to supporting the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and shares its current alignment and adoption plans;
- 56% improvement in the Group’s carbon emission intensity of kilowatt hour per terabyte of data transported across its network in FY2018 against baseline year FY2015;
- Invested S$30.7 million in staff development, an increase from S$25.1 million in FY2017;
- Ongoing digital citizenship and cyber wellness programmes have reached over 430,000 students in Singapore and Australia since 2013 and on track to meet the target of reaching half a million students by FY2020;
- Published the Group’s Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy that complements its Code of Conduct;
- Listed in Corporate Knight’s 100 World’s Most Sustainable Corporations 2018 for the second consecutive year – highest ranking company in Singapore and second highest ranking in the global telco sector; and
- Included in the World’s Most Ethical Companies 2018 for the eighth consecutive year by Ethisphere.
Optus, Singtel Group's wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia, continues to produce a standalone Sustainability Report that gives details on its sustainability programmes in Australia.
The Optus Sustainability Report 2018 includes the following highlights:
- A redesign of product packaging saved 52 tonnes of cardboard from landfill each year, the equivalent of 1,000 fully-grown trees;
- Efforts in sustainable transport were recognised with the Sustainable Transport Award by the Australian and New Zealand Division of the Institute of Transport Engineers;
- Invested A$9.4 million in social and community programmes, with staff supporting close to 300 charities though corporate giving programmes;
- About 59,000 students were educated through Digital Citizenship programmes in FY2018, and more than 240,000 students reached since 2013, with positive results as reflected in Optus 2017 Digital Thumbprint Impact Report; and
- Optus became a member of Supply Nation, a direct business-to-business purchasing link between corporate Australia, government agencies and Indigenous-owned businesses.
About Singtel Group
Singtel is Asia's leading communications technology group, providing a portfolio of services from next-generation communication, technology services to infotainment to both consumers and businesses. For consumers, Singtel delivers a complete and integrated suite of services, including mobile, broadband and TV. For businesses, Singtel offers a complementary array of workforce mobility solutions, data hosting, cloud, network infrastructure, analytics and cyber-security capabilities. The Group has presence in Asia, Australia and Africa and reaches over 650 million mobile customers in 21 countries. Its infrastructure and technology services for businesses span 21 countries, with more than 428 direct points of presence in 362 cities.
We aim to create sustainable and long-term growth for our business, while leading and shaping positive changes for our marketplace and customers, the communities we operate in, our people and the environment. Singtel’s community focus is on the well-being of people, enabling their inclusion into society and helping them realise their potential through our core competence in digital and infocomm technologies. We believe that we can make a difference to disadvantaged communities, especially the vulnerable children and youth, through corporate and workplace giving, staff volunteering and leveraging our skills and ICT innovations.
Singtel is a founding member of the Singapore Business Network on DisAbility, which advocates equitable employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through awareness, shared expertise, network and resources.
Read more about Singtel’s sustainability strategy and programmes at https://www.singtel.com/about-us/sustainability
Contact: sustainability@singtel.com
