TELUS plants its 1 millionth tree to help mitigate climate change

Vancouver, B.C. – TELUS recently celebrated the planting of its 1 millionth tree at TELUS Garden, achieving an incredible milestone that is equivalent to planting 20,000 acres of forest, which is twenty times the size of Vancouver’s Stanley Park. A single full-grown tree absorbs approximately 22 kilograms of CO – the equivalent to a gasoline-powered vehicle driving 76 kilometres – and produces about 100 kilograms of oxygen every year. As the world continues to face biodiversity loss, urgent action is needed to restore ecosystems and help mitigate climate change. In partnership with leading restoration companies, including Veritree and Flash Forest, TELUS is working to leverage the power of its world-leading networks and innovative technology to revolutionize nature-based solutions with the goal of replenishing forests and seaforests. To start, TELUS, Veritree and Flash Forest are focusing on reforestation and seaforestation projects in western Canada and internationally. 

“Planting trees and restoring kelp forests is critically important because trees and underwater habitats are essential nature-based climate solutions,” said Geoff Pegg, Head of Sustainability at TELUS. “With the global number of trees having decreased by roughly 48 per cent over the past two centuries and more than 40 per cent of the world’s kelp forests having declined over the past five decades, we’re helping to revolutionize reforestation and seaforestation to restore critical ecosystems faster and more efficiently. We’re also committed to helping businesses take part by offering them a suite of reforestation and seaforestation solutions. We’re all in this together, and we believe that together is how we can make a real difference for future generations to come.” 

TELUS’ mission to restore forests and seaforests is all part of its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and become a zero-waste, carbon-neutral company by 2030. This focus on building a better, more sustainable future has once again earned TELUS the title of one of Canada's Top 100 Greenest Employers. Last month, TELUS released its 2022 Sustainability Report outlining its environment, social, and governance strategy and priorities which includes the ambitious goal to use 100 per cent renewable or low-emitting energy by 2025. It highlights TELUS’ sustainable business practices, which includes: 

• Reducing company-wide GHG emissions by 45 per cent since 2010;

• Generating and purchasing 215,000 Megawatt hours of renewable energy since 2010;

• Diverting 70 per cent of TELUS’ waste from landfills, a 1.7 per cent decrease in landfilled waste from October 2021 to September 2022.

In addition to being honoured as one of Canada’s Top 100 Greenest Employers, TELUS has also been awarded the Sustainability Excellence Award at the World Sustainability Awards 2022; recognized as the only telecommunications company in Wall Street Journal’s top 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World; ranked as the top North American company in environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance in the telecommunications sector for the 21st year in a row by the Dow Jones North American Index; awarded the inaugural Terra Carta Seal for leadership on climate change energy transition; featured in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 100 Companies in Sustainability, ranking #8; recognized by Corporate Knights in its Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations, and as one of the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada in 2022.

To learn more about TELUS’ commitment to a more sustainable future, visit telus.com/sustainability.