Gender bias in the tech industry is a persistent and pervasive problem that affects not only the representation and advancement of women, but also the quality and innovation of products and services. According to a 2023 report from MIT, women occupy only 28% of jobs in STEM fields, and face a gender pay gap of $20,000 per year in Canada. Moreover, many tech products and services have been found to exhibit gender and racial biases, such as facial recognition technologies that misidentify women of color, or hiring algorithms that screen out female candidates.
To address this challenge, two Canadian women have founded Toast, a talent partner company that specializes in placing women in tech roles. Toast is backed by the federal government to help organizations that have tagged gender diversity to their ESG reporting for 2024. Toast uses a unique AI-driven recruitment tool that eliminates gender and socioeconomic biases from the candidate selection process. Toast also provides mentorship, coaching, and networking opportunities for women in tech, and advocates for more inclusive and equitable workplaces.
How Toast Works
Toast was founded in 2022 by April Hicke and Marissa McNeelands, who have both worked in the tech industry and experienced gender discrimination firsthand. Hicke, who has a background in marketing and sales, noticed that many tech companies struggled to attract and retain female talent, and that many women felt isolated and unsupported in their careers. McNeelands, who has a master’s degree in AI, realized that many tech products and services were biased against women and other marginalized groups, and that there was a need for more diverse perspectives and voices in the tech sector.
Together, they decided to create Toast, a company that connects women with tech opportunities, and helps tech companies diversify their teams and cultures. Toast has a database of over 6,000 women and 70 partner organizations in Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto, and plans to expand to the U.S. in 2024. Toast works with both candidates and employers to ensure a smooth and successful hiring process.
For candidates, Toast offers a free and confidential platform to showcase their skills and interests, and to access curated job opportunities that match their preferences and goals. Toast also provides career guidance, resume review, interview preparation, salary negotiation, and feedback. Additionally, Toast organizes events, workshops, webinars, and mentorship programs to help women grow their network, learn new skills, and advance their careers.
For employers, Toast offers a customized and data-driven solution to source, screen, and hire qualified and diverse female talent. Toast uses an AI algorithm that removes the names, education, and work history of the candidates, and instead focuses on their skills, achievements, and potential. This way, Toast eliminates the biases that often affect the hiring decisions, such as gender, race, age, or socioeconomic status. Toast also helps employers improve their employer brand, culture, and policies to attract and retain more women in tech roles.
Why Toast Matters
Toast is more than just a recruitment company. It is a social enterprise that aims to create a more inclusive and innovative tech industry, and to empower women to pursue their passions and potentials in STEM fields. Toast believes that gender diversity is not only a moral imperative, but also a business advantage, as it leads to better products, services, and solutions that reflect the needs and preferences of a wider range of customers and users.
Toast also hopes to inspire and support the next generation of female tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators, who can shape the future of technology and society. Toast wants to create a community of women who can share their experiences, challenges, and successes, and who can mentor, collaborate, and learn from each other. Toast wants to make a positive impact on the world, one woman at a time.
