Telcos Unite to Create Wide-Reaching Support for Disadvantaged Communities

Uniting telcos to create a unique and wide reaching platform for social change by drawing on the industry’s core capabilities, strengths and access to technology will be the cornerstone of the Foundation’s vision.

The Telco Together Foundation has received strong support from industry leaders, including NBN Co Chief Executive Mike Quigley, who has been appointed Chairman of the Foundation’s Advisory Board.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this member-driven Foundation offering an exceptional opportunity to promote a culture of philanthropy across the industry,” said Quigley, commenting on the announcement.

“Fostering the development of telco-generated initiatives to advance social welfare is a very exciting prospect with endless potential. I welcome and encourage telecommunications and information technology entities across the industry to get involved,” said Quigley.

At the gala awards event, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and its founding benefactor, Vaughan Bowen, (who was named one of two Communication Ambassadors for 2012), accepted a letter of support from Senator Stephen Conroy, congratulating him for his visionary work and dedication to getting the Foundation off the ground.

“To be presented the Communications Ambassador award is a privilege that would not have been possible without the support of a number of my industry colleagues. It is an honour, that I am extremely proud to receive,” said Bowen

“The Foundation is a fully compliant, not-for-profit entity with no affiliation to any one telco.Its sole purpose is to foster positive social outcomes and coordinate the use of telecommunications technology to promote and increase giving across Australia. It is a very exciting opportunity for our industry to take a leadership position in the delivery of sustainable improvements to disadvantaged communities,” said Bowen.

The Telco Together Foundation proudly launches with ten founding members –Optus, Vodafone, NBN Co, Dodo, M2, AAPT, Community Telco, Eftel, Telcoinabox and Vocus Communications - and has received generous support from a variety of Australian organisations including Deloitte Australia, Brentnalls SA, ADMAD, Web105 and The Virtual Network.

Renee Bowker, Chief Executive Officer of Telco Together Foundation, said;

“I am so pleased to have received such a positive response from the industry, and to confirm that the Foundation has already secured a number of founding members, including industry leaders, while being in discussion with numerous others.”

“Although many telcos already have very effective CSR projects in place, the Foundation represents a unique opportunity to focus on initiatives that require industry-wide collaboration in order to be successful,” she said.

As an industry with annual revenues of $40 billion and over 25 million direct customer communications made monthly, telcos are in a unique position of collectively having a relationship with almost every business and consumer in Australia. By taking advantage of these characteristics and gaining access to the 70,000+ people employed by the industry, an exceptional opportunity for the Telco Together Foundation to become a massive vehicle for social change exists.

To view the Foundation launch video please click here: Telco Together Foundation Launch Video

For more information, please visit our website www.telcotogether.org.