Now, more than ever, it’s critical that we work together to create and maintain a more sustainable future.

To us, at nbn, sustainability is about being connected to each other and the world around us, to drive the best possible outcome for all Australians and our nation today, and in the years to come.

To this end, we are proud to release nbn’s first ever Sustainability Report.

nbn Sustainability Report 2020

The nbn Sustainability Report 2020 takes stock of our ambitions to create a more prosperous and sustainable Australia by unleashing the benefits of digital connectivity to homes, businesses and communities across the continent.

With the initial build of the nbn™ network now complete*, we have entered our next phase to connect more Australians than ever to our fast, reliable and secure broadband network.

As we continue to build this digital backbone for the nation, our objective is to ensure Australians can access the social and economic benefits of the nbn™ network – but we must do so in a way that respects and supports the communities and environments in which we operate.

Continuing our sustainability focus

While this may be our first sustainability report, it’s not our first foray into the world of sustainability.

For many years, our business and employees have been working both internally and externally to create an organisation and culture that thrives on diversity of people and thought.

The launch of the Sustainability Report follows the release of our fourth Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which was published in November 2020 and outlines nbn’s First Peoples vision and commitments to reconciliation and digital inclusion.

Together, these reports lay the foundations of our commitments to working with communities to create a stronger, more inclusive nbn and Australia.

Importantly, the Sustainability Report also formalises the key initiatives we have in place, and the new ones we’ll pursue, to support our endeavours to:

• remain transparent
• maintain a diverse employee base where difference is our advantage
• value and prioritise the wellbeing of our people
• operate a resilient and secure network
• respect and respond to the needs of the communities and environment in which we operate

Six sustainability material topics

With the release of this report, we have unveiled six sustainability material topics to help guide our organisation and people on the journey. We aim to:

1. Create social equity through digital inclusion and capability to maximise the benefits of connectivity for all Australians.
2. Empower individuals, businesses and communities to stimulate economic productivity and growth.
3. Operate a trusted, secure and reliable network to provide all Australians with access to the essential communications infrastructure they need to be productive and to stay connected.
4. Reduce emissions and address climate risks to support a more sustainable business, network and low carbon Australia.
5. Set the example of a diverse, inclusive and healthy workforce, with a strong culture, purpose-driven people and high level of engagement.
6. Demonstrate our values to create and maintain transparent, ethical and sustainable business practices to build trust with all Australians.

Our progress

We are already making good progress in many of these areas and are pleased to be shining a light on our momentum by publishing our first ever Sustainability Report.

Along with our Annual Report and Corporate Plan, this will share the story of the value we are creating for Australians in the long-term, as well as giving us the opportunity to be more transparent and a positive, corporate citizen.

As we go forward, we will continue to refine and enhance the commitments we have laid out in this report, to evolve our operations and increase our focus on issues of sustainability, and to provide access to the digital tools and services Australia will increasingly need as we move through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are proud to release this report, and look forward to continuing our work with our industry partners and customers to create the sustainable foundations that will help future generations access the many social and economic benefits that broadband connectivity promises.