TELSTRA’S DISABILITY ACTION PLAN (2013 – 2016) ARTICULATES OUR CORE DISABILITY COMMITMENTS. It recognises the benefits that modern communications technologies bring to people with disability and the important leadership role that Telstra can play as one of the largest employers in Australia. The Plan reflects Telstra’s commitment as a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact and forms a key part our customer, sustainability and people strategies. The Plan is the result of ongoing consultation with key disability consumer bodies and organisations, including our Disability Forum, as well as extensive engagement with business areas and individuals with disability across the company. The objectives of our sixth Disability Action Plan are to: Improve the accessibility and affordability of Telstra’s products and services for customers with disability. Improve attraction, recruitment, engagement and retention of people with disability and their carers at Telstra. Enhance the social inclusion of people with disability through the contribution of time, funds and ICT expertise to the community. Utilise Telstra’s supply chain to promote opportunities for people with disability. Strengthen our Disability Action Plan governance, engagement and reporting. The Plan comprises 15 commitments and more than 40 specific actions. Progress and performance will be driven and monitored by a cross-company working group, overseen by the Chief Sustainability Office. We have committed to reporting on our progress annually and ensuring an independent end of term performance review, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you.
ACTION TIMELINE PERFORMANCE INDICATOR COMMITMENT 2 1. 30 June 2016 2. 30 Sept. 2014 3. 31 Dec. 2014 4. 30 June 2014 5. 30 Sept. 2014 6. 30 Dec. 2014 100% compliance 100% compliance Review undertaken to measure the availability of consumer information on telstra.com in Auslan 100% compliance Research undertaken, reviewed and actioned, and information available as required Targeted information campaigns delivered Increase the accessibility of Telstra information for customers with disability. We will do this by: Ensuring all Telstra online consumer information and interfaces meet international guidelines for accessibility (e.g. WCAG 2.0 to AA level). Ensuring all Telstra online consumer platforms are free of CAPTCHA-based customer verification requirements. Increasing the availability of consumer information in Australian Sign Language (Auslan) for the Deaf community. Ensuring printed communication we send to Telstra consumer customers is available in accessible formats upon request. Conducting research to further understand the communication preferences of key disability groups. Informing customers with disability the accessible ways they can get in touch with Telstra – e.g. 24/7 Chat. COMMITMENT 3 30 June 2014 30 June 2015 30 June 2016 Ongoing Completed review and update of Telstra Accessibility Guidelines Accessibility review of all stores undertaken 100% compliance of new and refresh store construction projects with revised guidelines All significant store accessibility concerns and issues raised with Telstra rectified Increase the accessibility of Telstra’s stores for customers with disability. We will do this by: Reviewing and updating the accessibility guidelines for Telstra stores and Telstra licensed stores. Assessing all stores against the updated guidelines. Ensuring that all new and total refresh store construction projects comply with the updated guidelines. Continuing to rectify significant store accessibility concerns and issues raised with Telstra. trial
CASE STUDY Making Telstra products available to customers with disability. When Robert Calderwood, a long time Telstra customer, contacted Telstra’s Disability Enquiry Hotline he wanted to a big button, multi-purpose phone to see whether it would make using a phone easier for him. After trialling the phone, Robert knew straight away that he wanted to keep it. He explains, “In fact, I rang Telstra’s Hotline back within a week to let them know. The phone is great – I particularly love the big buttons and the loud ringtone. And I love that there is no additional cost to my existing phone handset rental”. Team leader Jeff Mitchell has worked at Telstra’s Disability Enquiry Hotline for more than 18 years and has first hand experience of how much our customers appreciate the service. “It’s great to be able to offer specialised equipment for the same price as our standard home phone, and to offer customers a period to make sure the equipment suits their needs. Over the years we’ve received so many letters of support for this program. It makes me proud to work at Telstra, knowing what a difference the program is making to the lives of people with disability”, says Jeff. The Disability Enquiry Hotline is Telstra’s national primary point of contact for customers with disability and their carers. Each year, the Hotline takes around 30,000 calls, providing more than 7,000 products to customers with disability through our Disability Equipment Program.
CASE STUDY An employee’s perspective When Telstra’s David Kelly developed a rare syndrome, Erythromelalgia, underpinned with a rare blood disorder, his health dramatically deteriorated leaving him largely immobile. He needed to make changes to the way he worked. David is the Integrated Solutions Director in Telstra’s Network Applications & Services group. He has been with the company for more than seven years. His day-to- day role includes managing teams of people who create offers and design quality customised solutions for Telstra’s alliance partners. David explains, “In the early days, Telstra provided specialised office equipment for the various offices I need to work from, and assisted me with my business travel requirements. But as my disabilities progressed, it meant that I largely needed to work from home. My home office includes video conferencing facilities which let me work in the same way that I would from the office. In fact, most people wouldn’t even know I am working from home! Telstra has been fantastic, and my peers and many of my colleagues have provided wonderful support to me, and for that I’m really grateful”. David sees Telstra’s support as a clear reflection of the company’s value – Show you Care – and together with the innovative use of communication technologies, Telstra has all the ingredients needed to become the leading employer of choice for people with disability.
OUR COMMUNITIES OBJECTIVE: ENHANCE THE SOCIAL INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY THROUGH THE CONTRIBUTION OF TIME, FUNDS AND ICT EXPERTISE TO THE COMMUNITY. ACTION TIMELINE PERFORMANCE INDICATOR COMMITMENT 9 Invest in community partnerships that benefit Australians with disability, including: The Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) Foundation. Independent Living Centre NSW. Able Australia. Annual to 30 June 2016 All: Annual review of funds and resources provided Results published in Telstra’s annual sustainability report COMMITMENT 10 Increase the availability of digital literacy resources to Australians with disability. We will do this by distributing digital literacy resources to key disability organisations and online via telstra.com. Ongoing Key organisations identified and resources distributed Website updated COMMITMENT 11 Increase opportunities for Telstra employees to get involved with organisations that support Australians with disability. We will do this by: Providing Telstra employee volunteering opportunities with disability service organisations. Promoting employee payroll giving to disability services organisations. Annual to 30 June 2016 Volunteering increased by 10% each year Two major payroll giving campaigns per year
CASE STUDY Transforming the of people living with deafblindness. Gina has been profoundly deaf her entire life and now she is losing her vision. Staying connected to her family and friends is a significant challenge. For Gina, her disabilities presented a major obstacle in learning to use a computer – she didn’t feel confident writing emails and found it difficult to make sense of the internet. But with the help of Able Australia’s Ablelink internet access centre, Gina is now confidently communicating with family and friends. She can even use a translation app to read and reply to letters from her aunt in Italy. Ablelink provides one-on-one coaching and support for people with deafblindness to learn how to access the internet, using smartphones and tablets with specialised devices that output braille and large print. Communication difficulties associated with deafblindness can lead to social isolation, unemployment and the frustration of relying on support workers. Telstra’s partnership with Able Australia is delivering digital literacy training and providing access to communications equipment, and helping people with deafblindness to connect to the people and things that matter most to them.
CASE STUDY Creating employment opportunities for people with disability. With only 54 per cent of working- age people with disability in the Australian labour Telstra’s Supported Workforce Program is helping to make a difference. The idea for the program was sparked when Telstra’s Michael Marrett saw the positive impact of a job for people with disability through his son’s employment at Minda, a non-profit organisation supporting South Australians with intellectual and physical disabilities. Michael’s team was looking for suppliers for network site maintenance and conducted a with Minda at two of Telstra’s exchanges. The was so successful they expanded it to other non-profit organisations and the Supported Workforce Program was born. It has grown, now employing (via contract arrangements) more than 300 people from 14 non-profit organisations, servicing more than 700 exchanges and 4,000 Telstra network sites nationwide. One example is WISE Employment, which provides jobs for 50 people across Australia. General Manager Matthew Lambelle says “A lot of our employees are struggling with their illnesses and disabilities and find it really tough to get work. It’s an enormous chance for them if a company like Telstra provides opportunities for employment. The impact is huge - the sense of pride and purpose, establishing a routine, talking and meeting with other people and being able to buy Christmas presents for loved ones is incredible. It’s amazing that ‘just a job’ - whether it’s mowing lawns or cleaning - can create so much benefit in someone’s life and in the lives of the people around them. The impact on an individual’s wellbeing and their livelihood can be turned around by programs like these.”
OUR APPROACH OBJECTIVE: STRENGTHEN OUR DISABILITY ACTION PLAN GOVERNANCE, ENGAGEMENT AND REPORTING. ACTION TIMELINE PERFORMANCE INDICATOR COMMITMENT 14 Enhance governance of Telstra’s Disability Action Plan. We will do this by: Establishing a working responsible for implementation. Reporting on progress annually. Publishing the results of an independent end-of-term performance review. 1. 31 Dec. 2013 2. Annual 2014 and 2015 3. 31 Aug. 2016 Working meets quarterly and provides six-monthly reports to Telstra’s CEO Leadership Team Progress reported in Telstra’s annual sustainability report Satisfactory independent review report COMMITMENT 15 Strengthen Telstra’s approach to disability stakeholder engagement. We will do this by: Establishing and maintaining an online employee forum for accessibility and inclusion issues. Reviewing the structure and effectiveness of our engagement programs, including the Telstra Disability Forum. 1. 30 Sept. 2013 and ongoing 2. 31 July 2014 Forum established and ongoing Review conducted and findings implemented