Macquarie Group director Jillian Broadbent urged more companies to introduce ‘matching’ programs to boost the impact of donations staff members make to the not-for-profit sector, while Qantas director Belinda Hutchinson suggested such moves would help to retain Millennial workers keen for companies to support their causes.

At a lunch hosted by the Salvation Army to support its Red Shield Appeal, Ms Broadbent said she was pleased Macquarie had matched the personal donations she makes to charities. Macquarie staff donations of $11.8 million over the year to March 31 had been matched by the Macquarie Foundation dollar for dollar, part of the $64 million the foundation spent over the year on a range of causes. Other companies matching donations to the Salvation Army include the Deloitte Foundation and Westpac.