Optus further grows its Living Network with Optus Eco

New climate action plan targets 100% Optus’ electricity requirements to be backed by renewable energy sources by the end of 2025

Optus has unveiled its latest Optus Living Network innovation, Optus Eco, which empowers customers to help combat climate change by exposing ways they can reduce, offset and amplify their commitment to the environment. 

Optus Eco, available in the My Optus App, invites customers who wish to up their sustainability game to take simple and easy steps to make a positive impact their environmental footprint. 

Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Optus CEO, said:

“Climate change is top of mind for Optus, like it is for many of our customers. So, Optus is leading the industry by empowering customers to help offset their carbon footprint by choosing Australian carbon offset projects.

“Optus Eco, our latest Living Network feature, also provides other ways our customers can create positive impact, such as recycling old phones or opting for eSIMs instead of plastic.

As well as the launch of Optus Eco, Optus has also announced its new climate action commitment.

“By the end of 2025, 100% of our electricity requirements will be backed by renewable energy sources,” Ms Bayer Rosmarin explained.

Lindsay Soutar, REenergise Campaign Director, Greenpeace Australia Pacific said:

"It's fantastic to see Optus say 'yes' to switching to 100% renewable electricity by 2025. Optus is one of the biggest energy users in the country, so by upping its climate ambition, the company will help speed Australia's transition to wind and solar, and cut substantial carbon emissions along the way."

The news follows last month’s announcement that Optus has inked a $1.4 billion sustainability-linked credit facility. This follows the launch of Optus’ sustainability-linked $300 million bond last November, which was the first by an Asia Pacific telco and was oversubscribed.

Rosmarin added “We know ensuring our planet remains habitable for future generations takes an ‘all of us approach’, and we are excited to empower our customers to make their own positive impact on the environment alongside our own strong commitments to a brighter, greener future.”

For more information about Optus Eco, visit https://www.optus.com.au/living-network/eco.

Media enquiries:
Optus Corporate Affairs
02 9037 8179
media@optus.com.au

Optus Sustainability Fact Sheet

Climate change commitment:

“By the end of 2025, 100% of our electricity requirements will be backed by renewable energy sources, and we will reduce and recycle over 90% of our electronic waste.”

- Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Optus CEO

Optus environmental highlights

Improved energy efficiency 

As demand for Optus’ services grow, so does Optus’ energy needs. Optus is continually upgrading and converting its base stations to become more energy efficient. Through these upgrades, Optus has reduced energy used during low data traffic times with the activation of energy-saving functions, resulting in annual electricity savings of 10,952 MWh (megawatt hour). 

Legacy infrastructure has also been shut down and decommissioned, achieving savings of more than 50,000 MWh per year. Optus has saved a further 1,577 MWh per year by rolling out energy-efficient LED lighting and motion detecting sensors in our facilities. Such energy savings equal the annual power consumption of 12,000 Australian homes. 

Circular Economy 

Within its business units, Optus has embraced ‘circular economy’ principles assessing a product’s environmental impact over its entire life cycle, beginning from before it reaches the stores, during operations and after its useful life.  

This approach allows Optus to prioritise the reduction of resources consumed to eliminate landfill waste by reusing or recycling resources where possible and increase the use of regenerative resources. 

Optus Eco

Optus Eco, an Optus Living Network innovation, empowers customers to help combat climate change by increasing awareness of ways they can reduce, offset and amplify their commitment to the environment. Optus Eco, available in My Optus App, invites customers to up their sustainability game through simple and easy steps to decrease their environmental impact such as: 

Reducing

• Connecting with an eSIM, 
• Choosing paperless billing with Optus, and 
• Donating or recycling your device.

Offsetting

• Choosing to help offset their phone’s manufacture and use by supporting local Australian projects such as Boonora Downs in NSW and Tallering Station in WA which mitigate climate impact and tackle biodiversity.

Amplifying

• In the coming months, once customers have ticked off everything off their Optus Eco checklist, Optus will provide an extra carbon-offset bonus.

Olives, Singtel’s sustainability finance program

A$1.4 billion sustainability-linked revolving credit facility

In April 2022, Optus inked a A$1.4 billion sustainability-linked revolving credit facility. Launched under Olives.

The interest rate discounts are linked to Optus’ achievement of reducing its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25% (Scope 1 and 2 in tCO2e) by 2025, compared to a 2015 baseline. The loan is guaranteed by Optus Finance Pty Limited’s parent company, Singtel Optus Pty Limited, and certain of its subsidiaries, and will be used to refinance its existing credit facilities, as well as other general corporate purposes.

The three-year revolving credit facility matures on 24 April 2025 and is entered with 12 banks. The banks are Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Bank of China Limited (Sydney Branch), BNP Paribas (Australia Branch), Citibank, N.A. (Sydney Branch), Commonwealth Bank of Australia, DBS Bank Ltd. (Australia Branch), Mizuho Bank, Ltd., MUFG Bank, Ltd, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Sydney Branch), The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (Sydney Branch), Westpac Banking Corporation.

A$300 million, seven-year Sustainability-Linked Bond

In November 2021, Optus priced an A$300 million seven-year fixed-rate Sustainability-Linked Bond (SLB). The SLB is guaranteed by Optus and certain subsidiaries and is launched under Olives. The SLB will carry a coupon of 2.60% per annum and will mature on 24 November 2028.

Optus is committing to a stated target of reducing its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25% (Scope 1 and 2 in tCO2e) by 2025, compared to a 2015 baseline. The coupon rate of the SLB will be subject to a step-up margin of 0.25% per annum from the interest period commencing 24 November 2025 if the stated target is not met. The SLB is issued under Optus Finance A$ Debt Issuance Programme. Optus will utilise the funds for general corporate purposes.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac Banking Corporation acted as Joint Sustainability Co-ordinators, Lead Managers and Bookrunners.

Other initiatives:

Modem recycling: Optus customers can recycle any used Optus-branded modems through their local retail Optus store, where 95% of materials are recovered and reused.  

Donate Your Device: Building on the impact of Optus’ Donate Your Data™ program, Donate Your Device allows customers to donate their select spare phone to Aussies in need through Good360 Australia.

SIM card recycling: Optus recycled 68,456 SIM cards as part of its 2021 SIM expiry recall initiative.    

Postal drop off service: has allowed customers to return more than 63,500 leased set top devices directly to Australia Post, consolidating transport and reducing emissions.  

Mobile Muster program: Optus supports this national industry-wide collaboration and stewardship scheme that allows customers to recycle their old mobile phones at any Optus retail store.  

Printer waste: In collaboration with Lexmark, Optus is updating its printers to reduce the amount of toner that is being used. 

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