Finder research has revealed that Australians are concerned about their carbon footprint, with 66% saying they're either somewhat or extremely concerned. The research also revealed that 44% of Australians actively look for greener products or services.
We know that taking action can be difficult, especially in a cost of living crisis. This is why we've done the research to help you find the green internet providers in Australia that will do good for the environment.
2023 Finder Green Award winner for Green Broadband Provider of the Year
Goodtel was awarded our Green Broadband Provider of the Year for 2023. It performed well across various categories such as low emissions intensity, renewable energy use, high recycling rates and a range of maintenance targets.
Companies are certified by Climate Active by meeting a set standard for emissions reduction that's agreed upon for their specific type of certification. This means that the relevant emissions associated with business operations or producing a particular product have no net negative impact on the climate.
Climate Active states its carbon neutral certification is one of the most rigorous in the world.
There are also some internet providers who can still be considered green, despite not being certified carbon neutral by Climate Active. More has a carbon neutral workforce, while Optus and TPG/Vodafone, for example, have committed to using 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
Good to know: A provider that isn't carbon neutral can still be green by adopting sustainable business practices.
A carbon neutral internet plan is one where carbon emissions related to the production and running of the business supplying that plan are offset by projects that aim to remove the same amount of carbon from the atmosphere.
This involves:
Calculating a business's emissions
Creating a reduction strategy
Purchasing offsets
Having your data audited
Maintaining a public summary of the claim and keeping it up to date each year
Let's take Goodtel as an example and why it won the 2023 Finder Green Award. To maintain its green status, Goodtel goes a step further by not only striving for low emissions within its own processes, but by working with their third-party suppliers to determine their carbon emission status and become carbon neutral.
What's considered a green internet provider?
To be considered a green internet provider, there are various checkpoints to examine such as being powered by renewable energy and reducing waste and recycling.
In bestowing the Finder Green Awards (and being acknowledged as a green internet provider), we consider a variety of factors such as general environmental criteria including:
Emissions (including offsets)
How much of the business is powered by renewable sources
Avoiding landfill waste
Targets for emissions, renewable energy use and waste
Public climate change plan
External accreditation and benchmarks
As well as sector-specific criteria such as the following:
Recycling or refurbishing electrical waste
Using energy-efficient equipment
Discounts or incentives for sustainable purchases or behaviour
Carbon neutral products
Goodtel NBN Plans
Finder's Green Broadband Provider of the Year 2023, Goodtel, achieved its first Climate Active certification in 2021. It supports a savanna-burning project in the Tiwi Islands to help reduce carbon emissions.
50% of Goodtel's profits go back to charitable causes.
Belong was the first Climate Active certified telco in Australia in 2019. It invests in Australian renewable energy projects as well as international projects.
Belong was a finalist In the 2023 Finder Green Awards.
Telstra was first Climate Active certified in 2020. It is currently only certified carbon neutral for its mobile broadband plans. It also invests in renewable energy projects in India.
Telstra was also a finalist in the 2023 Finder Green Awards.
AGL's telco products were first Climate Active certified in 2021. AGL's carbon-offset projects help protect native trees in Western Australia, provide ceramic water purifiers in Cambodia and provide clean cookstoves in Kenya.
Keep in mind: While AGL is carbon neutral, it is also Australia's largest carbon emitter.
For the most green broadband provider in Australia, Goodtel topped the list based on our research in the 2023 Finder Green Awards.
But broadly speaking, the greenest broadband in Australia could refer to a provider being certified carbon neutral by Climate Active or choosing to adopt sustainable business practices such as waste reduction and using renewable energy. Broadband providers in Australia already doing this include Goodtel, Belong, Telstra and Southern Phone.
To get the best internet for the environment, your best option is to sign up with a provider that is certified as carbon neutral by Climate Active.
This means that the relevant emissions associated with a business's operations doesn't have a negative impact on the environment.
Internet providers that have achieved this certification are Goodtel, Belong, Telstra, AGL and Southern Phone.
The NBN Co is not certified carbon neutral by Climate Active, but it has committed to purchasing 100% renewable electricity across its entire operations by 2026 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.
You may, however, be able to get carbon neutral NBN plans from certain providers even if the NBN as a whole is not certified.
Mark Neilsen is a writer at Finder, specialising in streaming, broadband and mobile. He looks for deals on all those services and keeps you abreast of any changes to see what's worth it for you. He has over 20 years' experience in print and digital media and while at Finder, Mark’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, Ad News, Tech Guide and news.com.au. In his time at Finder he has done over 300 articles on streaming, mobile and broadband. In his time away from Finder he is trying to get through the watchlists of the 11 streaming services he is currently subscribed to.
The Finder Green Report found environmental concern has decreased slightly over the past year, largely due to greenwashing and the cost of living crisis.
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