The IT Nerd

Today, TELUS Health announced a collaboration with Nova Scotia Health (NSH) to enable residents of Nova Scotia to access their primary care information through the 

YourHealthNS app. This health data interoperability initiative marks the first large-scale effort in Canada to standardize and connect primary care data and empowers people in Nova Scotia to better manage their health and improve health outcomes.

TELUS Health is a leader in digital health data and currently supports most of Nova Scotia’s clinicians with electronic medical records (EMRs) to enhance their practice and patient care. Through this collaboration, TELUS Health is using its integrated data platform to extract relevant patient summary data from these EMRs.

Providing patients with seamless and secure access to their health information benefits not only the patients themselves but also clinicians and care providers. This access leads to greater efficiencies, supports effective communication and ultimately enhances the overall patient experience, as demonstrated by a pilot project launched in early 2024. Among the 13,000 participants, 68 per cent who accessed their health records reported their patient experience as good or excellent.

As the first company in the world to achieve the ISO 31700-1 Privacy by Design certification, TELUS Health is committed to safeguarding privacy and advancing the principles of trustworthy data practices across Canada and beyond. TELUS Health aligns with the Government of Nova Scotia’s dedication to using healthcare data solely for the advancement of healthcare, ensuring that individuals can lead healthier lives. 

TELUS Health looks forward to collaborating with other provinces across the country to replicate this success.

TELUS has announced that it has been recognized by TIME Magazine and Statista in their inaugural list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies, ranking 21st out of 500 global companies overall. Notably, TELUS was ranked the 2nd most sustainable Canadian company and took first place as the most sustainable  telecommunications company in Canada.  These accolades reflect TELUS’ global leadership in corporate citizenship and philanthropy, innovation management and environmental and social reporting for more than two decades.

TIME Magazines’ World’s Most Sustainable Companies were selected through a rigorous four step process and data analysis that considered over 20 key performance indicators including emissions and energy intensity, disclosure of its sustainability to investors assessed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Score – reflecting TELUS’ exceptional “A- leadership” ranking of its operations. Of the more than 5,000 eligible companies globally, only 500 companies were recognized as delivering the most impactful sustainability outcomes and building a more sustainable world.

Driven by its leadership in social capitalism, TELUS has committed to ambitious science-based greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and is on track to become a carbon neutral company by 2030 or sooner. TELUS is continuing to implement sustainable practices across its business including:

●      Enabling reforestation and nature restoration by planting 12.7 million trees since 2000.

●      Diverting 15 million devices from landfills and upcycling and recycling four million mobile devices since 2010.

●      Executing four virtual Power Purchase Agreements in Alberta for wind and solar generated electricity, keeping TELUS on track to source 100% of its electricity requirements from renewable or low-emitting sources by 2025.

●      Investing in socially-responsible tech start-ups including Flash Forest, a drone reforestation company that is rapidly restoring areas impacted by wildfires and veritree, a nature-based solutions company that provides verified restoration of kelp forests and mangroves to mitigate climate change and enhance biodiversity.

●      Becoming the first company in Canada to issue a Sustainability-Linked Bond (SLB) tying our cost of borrowing directly to our success in achieving sustainability targets. To date, TELUS has issued $3.7 billion CAD and $900 million USD under this framework with a target of reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 46 per cent from 2019 levels by 2030.

●      Launching TELUS Environmental Solutions, offering a range of tech-enabled nature-based solutions designed to deliver positive social and environmental impacts for customers in the areas that need it most.

●      Advancing the agriculture and consumer goods sector by leveraging our technology and digital analytics to reduce waste and optimize resource consumption.

●      Enhancing healthcare sustainability through digital health technologies, reducing paper use, energy consumption and carbon emissions while promoting equitable access to care.

To learn more about TELUS’ commitment to social capitalism and sustainability, visit telus.com/sustainability.

TELUS is proud to uphold its commitment to reconciliation by declaring that it will not use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create or replicate the art or imagery of Indigenous Peoples. TELUS released its Reconciliation Commitment in 2021, which states TELUS is committed to progressing the path of Reconciliation in a deeply meaningful way, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and is dedicated to fulfilling its role and responsibilities in this regard. This commitment has underscored TELUS’ ongoing reconciliation efforts and the update to include technology and the use of AI further cements the evolution of this work.  

The declaration states: Progressing the path of reconciliation in a meaningful way includes the ethical use of technology and AI. Indigenous data sovereignty is crucial in this endeavor, with Indigenous Peoples controlling and protecting their cultural heritage and artistic expressions. TELUS is proud to support the artistic practices of Indigenous Peoples, while being mindful of the historic role organizations have played in the misappropriation of Indigenous art and culture. In upholding TELUS’ Commitment to Artistic Integrity, we declare that we will not use AI technology to create or replicate the art of, or imagery of, Indigenous Peoples.

TELUS is a global leader in the responsible and ethical use of AI, and recently made history with its generative AI (GenAI) customer support tool becoming the first in the world to be internationally certified in Privacy by Design (ISO 31700-1). TELUS also recently won an international Outstanding Organization 2023 prize from the Responsible AI Institute in recognition of its commitment to fostering trust and benefitting society. It’s also the first telecom company in Canada to sign the Government of Canada’s voluntary code of conduct for generative AI, which aims to ensure the transparent, equitable and responsible development and deployment of GenAI technology. Earlier this year, the company published its inaugural TELUS AI report: The power of perspectives in Canada, sharing the perceptions, insights and opinions of AI from nearly 5,000 Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, older Canadians, new Canadians, youth, people with physical disabilities, and the LGBTQ2S+ community.

To commemorate this declaration, TELUS commissioned a work of art by Kenneth Letander, an Ojibway artist originally from Manitoba and now living in Alberta’s Treaty 6 region. The artwork, titled “Honour by Design”, conveys Letander’s vision: 

• “In this concept, a human hand is in control of pressing a small green circle, symbolizing the individual’s choice in when and how to use AI. Behind the hand is a turtle, representing Indigenous stories, while below flows a blue river of water where the green circle meets in the middle, signifying the collision of humanity and technology and how humans can use it for good, such as using AI to protect waterways and Mother Earth. Adjacent to this scene is a globe with communication lines leading to a tablet screen, where the turtle is looking and taking in information. Notably, the information representing AI is intentionally separate from the turtle and the hand, as it is respecting Indigenous stories, culture, and determination.”

To learn more about TELUS’ AI art declaration and future opportunities to have your voice heard on responsible AI, visit telus.com/responsibleAI/declaration. To learn more about TELUS’ commitment to reconciliation and to read the 2023 Indigenous Reconciliation and Connectivity Report, visit telus.com/reconciliation.

TELUS is announcing the return of its #StandWithOwners contest for its fifth consecutive year with over $1 million in prizing, the largest prize pool in the program’s history. With Small Businesses accounting for 98% of all employers in Canada, TELUS is continuing its commitment to support and recognize the outsized impact business owners have on our communities and our economy.

Starting today through September 4, 2024, businesses are invited to apply at telus.com/StandWithOwners for their chance to win one of five grand prize packages. Each package is valued at over $200,000, including $50,000 in cash, $115,000 in advertising and national recognition, $25,000 in TELUS technology and a $10,000 TELUS Health well-being package. Additionally, 15 finalists will each receive $20,000 in funding and technology.

TELUS is seeking applicants that will demonstrate what makes their business unique, their use of technology to drive innovation, and a proven track record of growth. Additionally, applicants will be asked to show how the success of their business has made a meaningful impact on their local economies and communities.

The 2024 #StandWithOwners contest highlights TELUS’ continued dedication to championing Canadian businesses. Since 2020, TELUS has committed $5 million to #StandWithOwners, providing funding, advertising and technology to help businesses thrive in a digital world. As part of TELUS’ greater commitment to the growth of Canadian business, over $300 million has been invested to support owners, start-ups and leaders of tomorrow through the TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good and TELUS Ventures.

For more information and to apply for this year’s contest, visit telus.com/StandWithOwners.

Nine in 10 Canadians who have children 18 and under have reported that their costs of living have significantly increased over the past year, with 61 per cent of families having to adjust their day-to-day expenses (source: Abacus Data). 

To help families stay connected to each other and to services and information that matter most, today, TELUS is launching its Mobility for Good for Low Income Families program, expanding its program to support families across the country receiving the maximum Canada Child Benefit. The program enables families to receive discounted access to TELUS’ Mobility for Good plans, bringing them critical access to connectivity.

Mobility for Good as a whole is already open to 500,000 Canadians, including youth aging out of foster care, low-income seniors, Indigenous women at risk of violence, government-assisted refugees and other marginalized individuals. With today’s expansion, 800,000 families eligible to receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit from the federal government are now able to benefit from TELUS’ Mobility for Good program and can immediately apply through the TELUS’ website. 

With 97 per cent of Mobility for Good participants reporting the program makes it easier to stay connected to friends, family and support workers and 86 per cent reporting the program helped them find resources in a crisis, this offering couldn’t be more important than it is now.

TELUS has announced that its generative AI (GenAI) customer support tool has made history by becoming the first in the world to be internationally certified in Privacy by Design (ISO 31700-1). This milestone underscores TELUS’ commitment to ensuring the highest standards of privacy and data protection, while continuously innovating to deliver a best-in-class customer experience. It is the second such MSECB certification for TELUS, which became the first company in the world to secure the ISO 31700-1 Privacy by Design certification for its Data for Good program in October 2023.

The TELUS.com GenAI support tool, powered by Fuel iX, an enterprise-grade AI engine provided by TELUS International, is one of the first customer-accessible GenAI solutions developed by a Canadian organization. The support tool gives TELUS customers the ability to access fast and intuitive responses to their queries, providing them with a more convenient and seamless digital experience. Privacy by Design is a framework that proactively embeds privacy into the design and operation of systems, ensuring that privacy is the default setting. By achieving this certification, TELUS has continued to demonstrate its dedication to safeguarding user data and upholding the highest ethical standards in technology, including the use of AI. 

To address concerns around and limitations of generative AI, TELUS has a comprehensive Responsible AI program in place and conducted a robust risk management assessment that included alignment with the ISED Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems. TELUS also applies a collaborative and rigorous approach to testing its AI tools to reduce risks and improve accuracy, called Purple Teaming. This approach combines both adversarial testing, commonly known as red-teaming, with blue-teaming, that consists of innovative defensive techniques to effectively enable the company to identify weaknesses and confirm validity and robustness of an AI application. TELUS provides clear information on how the tool works, and how it doesn’t work while also following a data ethics framework and continued monitoring of the system with human oversight. 

The GenAI tool’s evaluation was conducted by KPMG, an international auditing and advisory firm, which reported its alignment with international privacy criteria and the requirements laid out in the ISO 31700-1 Privacy by Design Standard. 

TELUS is a global leader in the responsible and ethical use of AI, and recently won an international Outstanding Organization 2023 prize from the Responsible AI Institute in recognition of its commitment to fostering trust and benefitting society. It’s also the first telecom company in Canada to sign the Government of Canada’s voluntary code of conduct for generative AI, which aims to ensure the transparent, equitable and responsible development and deployment of GenAI technology. Earlier this year, the company published its inaugural TELUS AI report: The power of perspectives in Canada, sharing the perceptions, insights and opinions of AI from nearly 5,000 Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, older Canadians, new Canadians, youth, people with physical disabilities, and the LGBTQ2S+ community.

For more information about TELUS’ commitment to responsible AI, visit telus.com/responsibleAI.

TELUS has announced its 19th annual TELUS Days of Giving, a month-long initiative rallying TELUS team members, retirees, and partners around the world to volunteer and give back in their local communities. At a time when charities are seeing an increased need for services, and companies are facing increased levels of disengagement, giving back helps foster meaningful connections, driving short and long-term benefits for individuals, teams and the broader community. According to the most recent Canada Helps Giving Report, 55.2 per cent of charities have fewer volunteers than before the pandemic and an alarming 57 per cent of charities are already unable to meet their current demand. Meanwhile, Gallup’s latest research finds that 64 per cent of US employees are either actively disengaged or not engaged. Championed by TELUS team members for almost two decades, TELUS Days of Giving has since become its signature, global volunteer movement, supporting thousands of team members and charities alike. Last year alone, more than 80,000 volunteers gave back in 32 countries through thousands of volunteer opportunities, contributing to 1.5 million volunteer hours in 2023, more than any other company in the world. TELUS’ goal is to match these record-breaking results in 2024.

Companies with a strong social purpose experience a 52-per- cent lower turnover rate among new employees and have a more engaged workforce than ones that don’t. Driven by its philosophy, “Give where we live”, TELUS’ unwavering commitment to giving back has served to fuel its incredible strategic growth from regional telecom provider to global technology powerhouse, with over 132,000 team members and retirees around the world. From cleaning local shorelines and parks, donating blood, planting trees, recycling old mobile devices, or volunteering at neighbourhood food banks, TELUS Days of Giving enables team members, their families, customers and retirees to foster deeper connections with each other while helping make a meaningful difference in their own backyard. 

Throughout the month of May, TELUS is also encouraging customers to join them in raising funds for local animal charities by entering for a chance to win a special critter date experience and all expenses paid trip to Pegasus Animal Sanctuary, located in Ontario. For every entry TELUS will donate $1 to a local animal charity. Additionally, for less than $1/month customers can also join TELUS Change for Good, rounding up their monthly bill to support local youth charities through the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation. 

To learn more about how TELUS is helping create a friendlier future for all, visit telus.com/purpose.

TELUS has announced their Buy One, Plant One,  in support of Earth Month. 

From April 18 to May 16, for every new, or certified pre-owned, Android device purchased by a new or returning customer, including business customers, TELUS will plant a tree, up to 50,000 trees. Additionally, when trading in any preloved device, TELUS will plant a bonus tree. This promotion is eligible in TELUS and Koodo stores, online or via customer service representatives. 

This latest offer further highlights TELUS as a leader in sustainability and another step towards becoming carbon neutral in our operations across the organization by 2030. To date, TELUS has planted over 11 million trees and more than 500k kelp plants, which is the the size of 7,200 hectares of land in total, and equivalent to 18 Stanley Parks or 60% of the City of Vancouver. 

With the support of customers, partners and sustainability initiatives like these, TELUS has also diverted 15 million devices from landfills and upcycled and recycled 4 million mobile devices since 2010.

For more information, visit the TELUS website. 

My only question is, why Android only and not iPhone users? Seems a odd to me.

Today, TELUS announced a new partnership with Vevo to become its direct ad sales representative nationally, enabling Vevo to bring its extensive music video content and enhanced advertising opportunities to the Canadian market. Leveraging TELUS’ extensive reach, this collaboration enables Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, to offer advertisers a vast library of premium music video content on major Connected TV (CTV) platforms and streaming services, including YouTube, Apple TV, Samsung TV Plus, Vizio, Google TV, and Roku.

This partnership offers opportunities for advertisers to elevate their strategies and connect with their audiences through influential music videos on multiple platforms across Connected TV, mobile and desktop. Brands and agencies will reach their target audience more effectively by leveraging first-look opportunities, including premieres, programming sponsorships, and linear channel takeovers. Through Vevo’s monthly reach of more than 10 million Canadians, advertisers can now engage with consumers watching culturally relevant content, featuring stars like Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, and Drake.  

For more information about TELUS, visit www.telus.com and Vevo at www.vevo.com. 

Today, as the world marks Data Privacy Week, TELUS is proud to highlight its leadership in driving dialogue and collaboration around the responsible development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) by sharing the inaugural TELUS AI report: The power of perspectives in Canada. In this research report, available to the public at telus.com/ResponsibleAI, TELUS shares the perceptions, insights and opinions of AI from nearly 5,000 Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, Black women, older Canadians, new Canadians, youth, people with physical disabilities, and the LGBTQ2S+ community.

TELUS’ report highlights the hopes, fears, and experiences of everyday Canadians regarding AI, showcasing both the potential benefits and concerns associated with this powerful and nascent technology. Its findings reveal that Canadians are resolute in their desire for AI to be built responsibly, with more than 90% of respondents strongly agreeing that the development of AI must be guided by ethical principles. The research emphasizes Canadians’ support for AI regulation, the importance of including diverse voices in the development of AI and the priority that should be placed on removing bias to ensure that the technology reflects the needs and values of all Canadians.

Key findings from the research include:

• Over 90% agree that AI development should be guided by ethical principles
• 78% of respondents believe that the use of AI should be regulated in Canada
• 42% of respondents who self-identified as part of a racialized group feel that AI is biased against themselves and their peers
• 80% of respondents aged 12-17 expect their generation will have to fix problems left behind by the current usage of AI (engaged with parental consent)

TELUS recognizes the importance of prioritizing human values and trust in the development and usage of AI, and remains dedicated to promoting transparency, privacy, and responsible AI practices. As part of this commitment, TELUS was the first telecom company in Canada to sign ISED’s new voluntary code of conduct for generative AI, which seeks to ensure the transparent, equitable and responsible development of GenAI technology. In 2023, TELUS Wise launched its TELUS Wise Responsible AI online workshop – a free-of-charge online workshop created in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) – that helps teens to better understand the AI landscape, including what it is, what it’s capable of and, importantly, what it’s not. Additionally, TELUS was the first organization in the world to earn the ISO Privacy by Design certification for its Data for Good program.

To learn more about the AI research report and future opportunities to have your voice heard, visit telus.com/ResponsibleAI.