Macquarie Group Foundation

Shared value

Social impact driven by our businesses 

We're supporting innovative Macquarie teams helping to solve social issues through existing business models and creating ways to have a deeper social impact.

We are discovering opportunities to drive more shared value at Macquarie and uncovering the many ways our businesses are already innovating in this area. We are now focusing on how the Foundation can help catalyse more of this social impact driven through our businesses.

2023 winner

Macquarie Social Impact Award

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Major Bridge P3 Initiative

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.

Reskilling for career-building jobs

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. 

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Commercial value Being developed by a Macquarie-led consortium, this project will develop major bridges throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With more navigable rivers than any other state in the US, the replacement and/or rehabilitation of theses bridges is an important project.
Social impact To maximise the benefit of the project to the community, the project team committed to subcontracting at least 65% of the work to local Pennsylvania firms, utilise minority and disadvantaged businesses, and to deploy an enduring workforce development initiative throughout the Commonwealth.
Non-profit partner  Crucial to facilitate this initiative was our introduction to Philadelphia Works, a non-profit organisation that has deep relationships and is well respected among local non-profit organisations. This partnership will allow Macquarie to engage existing workforce programming, and provide financial incentives and support needed for low-skilled workers to be able to re-train and be re-employed into growing careers.

Highly commended


After an extensive judging process, the following submissions were recognised with a highly commended award. The high calibre of the applications received from across Macquarie represents significant work being done by teams to help solve social problems through their business models.

Skilling for Net Zero

Macquarie and Generation UK developed a new training program which provides the skills and knowledge required to work in the green energy sector.

Both Macquarie and Generation UK, saw the opportunity to meet the challenges of unemployment, by providing unemployed individuals with the opportunity to participate in train-and-place program. 

A partnership between Bluebird, United Way and Macquarie Asset Management

Bluebird currently maintains a 10,000-mile fiber network across nine states in the Midwest of America. In many areas, Bluebird’s network traverses underrepresented communities that would otherwise rely on legacy copper to access the internet.

The concept for this project is to deploy free fiber internet access to charities and community organisations located along the existing Bluebird network. Together with the community, and a lead charity partner United Way, Bluebird will identify eligible recipients and provide ongoing high speed internet services to them for free. Building last mile fibre in rural towns across America enables Bluebird and Macquarie to develop a strong presence in new markets while helping bridge the digital divide in the area. 

About the award

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.