Macquarie Group Foundation
Shared value is a framework designed to create business solutions to social problems. Taking a shared value approach means being intentional about addressing an area of unmet community need alongside commercial returns.
Empowering people to innovate and invest for a better future is Macquarie’s purpose and this shared value work enables our businesses to have a greater social impact.
Leveraging its social impact network and expertise, the Foundation partners with Macquarie businesses to help identify upcoming projects that can deliver both social and commercial returns.
To catalyse this work, the Foundation created the Macquarie Shared Value Award, in memory of former Chairman of Macquarie Group and founder of the Macquarie Group Foundation, David Clarke AO (1942–2011).
In this video, hear from Michael Silverton, Global Head of Macquarie Capital, on how taking a shared value approach can fulfil Macquarie’s purpose of empowering people to innovate and invest for a better future.
The Macquarie Shared Value Award recognises Macquarie teams or assets supporting and driving significant social impact through an existing business-led shared value project.
Project location: Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark
Awarded a $A150,000 grant for Specialisterne
Social need: Danish telecommunications company TDC NET1 is partnering with Specialisterne, an organisation that specialises in helping people on the autism spectrum and neurodivergent people overcome the barriers they often face to gaining employment.
Commercial value: many of these individuals have unique capabilities which enable them to work with technology and perform complex tasks. TDC NET will employ individuals into tech-related roles within the company, harnessing the business value of employing people who think and communicate differently, while maintaining a robust and capable workforce.
Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) submitted this initiative, led by TDC NET and Specialisterne, for consideration in the 2024 Macquarie Shared Value Award to seek funding that could deepen the scope and scale of potential social impact. MAM will further support the initiative to ensure the $A150,000 Award grant seeks to achieve the project’s outcomes.
Project location: Silloth, Cumbria, England
Awarded a $A150,000 grant for the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA).
$A13,300 donation from Voneus to DPA in recognition of the Award.
Social need: Voneus Broadband (Voneus)2 is partnering with The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) to help narrow the digital divide in Silloth, United Kingdom. Voneus will provide Gigabit capable devices such as laptops, notebooks, tablets and smartphones to eligible low-income families and, in addition, DPA will use the grant funding to provide resource packs and run face to face skills workshops on digital and media literacy.
Commercial value: Voneus provides rural community broadband and is a leading provider of superfast and ultrafast broadband for homes and businesses located in poorly connected or difficult to reach communities. This project provides an opportunity to attract new customers to Voneus.
The Macquarie Shared Value Seed Grants are awarded to Macquarie teams or assets developing business concepts which demonstrate a compelling idea to drive significant social impact through a commercial lens.
Project location: Brazil
$A75,000 awarded to Imaflora
Social need: Macquarie is working with non-profit partner Imaflora to implement a soy production project called Soja Na Linha in Para state. This project aims to support education among regional soybean farming communities with a focus on farmer education and upskilling, with a plan to expand into the Maranhão, Piai and Tocantints states.
Commercial value: this project seeks to enable farmers to tap into new markets for their products which is expected to increase the supply of soybeans through grain’s terminal at the port of ItaquiMA, a Macquarie-owned asset.
Operating in Manila, Philippines
$A18,000 awarded to A Better Chance Foundation and $A7,000 awarded to Ayala Foundation Inc.
Social need: Macquarie is working with non-profit A Better Chance Foundation and Ayala Foundation Inc on the Manila Community Internship Program. This program onboards aspiring scholars from low-income communities to recurring internship opportunities in Macquarie.
The interns gain a holistic corporate learning experience, and receive technical and soft skills training to support their transition from university into corporate environments. In addtion, Macquarie employees also volunteer to provide the interns with mentoring sessions and career guidance.
Commerical value: For Macquarie, the program provides a steady supply of talent to our organisation and responds to increasing demand in the local job sector.
In this video hear from representatives from Macquarie Capital, the Macquarie Group Foundation, and non-profit partner Philadelphia Works about their unique shared value project.
The inaugural winner of the Macquarie Social Impact Award is the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Major Bridge P3 Initiative managed by Macquarie Capital.
Being developed by a Macquarie-led consortium, this project will develop major bridges throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania while also deploying an enduring workforce development initiative. The judges selected this project as an excellent example of shared value – demonstrating how innovative Macquarie teams can intentionally help to solve social issues through existing business models.
Philadelphia Works, the non-profit involved in the project, will be awarded a $A100,000 grant to help increase the scope or scale of social impact.
The Macquarie Social Impact Award, in memory of David Clarke AO (1942-2011), former Chairman of Macquarie Group and founder of the Macquarie Group Foundation, was created to recognise a Macquarie team driving significant social impact through a shared value project.
David Clarke is remembered for his efforts in fostering innovation to meet pressing social needs, alleviate disadvantage and encourage social inclusion. This new award honours David’s legacy by recognising a Macquarie team driving significant social impact through a shared value project that aligns social impact and commercial value, consistent with Macquarie’s purpose of empowering people to innovate and invest for a better future.
1. TDC NET is a privately held company, ultimately owned by three Danish pension funds, ATP, PKA and PFA comprising 50% of the ownership, with international infrastructure investment funds managed by Macquarie Group comprising the other 50% of the ownership.
2. Voneus is owned by Macquarie Capital (which initially invested in Voneus in 2019), Tiger Infrastructure Partners and Israel Infrastructure Fund, which first invested in Voneus in 2021.
