CSR Changemakers - Tim O’Leary

Tim O’Leary is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Telstra. This is a new role at Telstra with executive responsibility for strategic community and reputational initiatives, corporate responsibility, Telstra’s environment strategy and employee sustainability.

Prior to joining Telstra, Tim spent twenty years in senior corporate affairs, HR and sustainability roles at the National Australia Bank (NAB) and Mobil Oil Australia. He has six kids, barracks for the Collingwood Football Club and has a longstanding interest in Irish literature and society.

What are you currently working on in the organisation?
Building momentum and creating value from our three Sustainability priorities: i) ensuring all Australians can share in the benefits of the new communication technologies ii) involving our people in Sustainability programs and activities, and iii) becoming an environmental leader.

What drew you to the CSR sector?
A book by Richard John Neuhaus called “Doing well and Doing good” published just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In some ways, Neuhaus was one of the original thinkers around the shared value concept.

What was your first job in the CSR sector?

Working in community relations at an oil refinery in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

What do you like best about working in your current organisation?

The sheer dynamism of being part of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry. It’s hard to think of another industry with as much potential to drive social and environmental value. 

I consider my greatest achievement to be…

Being a father of six.

If you could have dinner with 2 people from history, who would they be?

Seamus Heaney and Pope John Paul II.