The Toast Champions Program
Pairing high-potential women in tech with senior leaders trained to open doors, not just give advice.
90% of leadership roles are held by men in Canada's tech sector
Traditional mentorship programs, while well-intentioned, rarely shift this imbalance because they focus on advice, not advocacy.
Sponsorship goes further: it's about using influence to create tangible opportunities. The Champions Program is a 12-month initiative pairing high-potential women with senior leaders trained to actively advocate for their advancement.
(rarely changes who gets promoted)
Focuses on personal growth and skill development
(advocates, nominates, acts)
Uses influence to open real opportunities
Ready to do more than mentor?
A living experiment in changing workplace dynamics
The Champions Program is part of an ongoing research study in partnership with Harvard researchers. This program could generate evidence that changes how companies approach sponsorship globally.
Inform global talent strategies, influencing succession planning and equity initiatives
Generate first-of-its-kind data on sponsorship's impact vs. mentorship
Establish a replicable corporate model to increase representation of women in leadership
If proven at scale, this approach could transform corporate mentorship programs into sponsorship models, materially shifting promotion rates, pay equity, and retention for women.
How it works
Champions use their influence to open doors, recommend promotions, and create visibility for underrepresented talent.
1
Champions: Commit to sponsorship and allyship training
Women: Become a Toast member and apply through the Toast Portal
2
Champions: Complete async training, then meet your match
Women: Be paired with a senior leader trained to sponsor, not just advise
3
Champions: Open doors, introductions and nominations
Women: Get advocated for in rooms you're not in yet
The case for male allyship
Our founder April Hicke wrote about why men need to be part of the solution and what that looks like in practice.
Proof of impact
92%
felt confident, taking measurable advocacy actions
8.4/10
knowledge of women's challenges, up from 6/10
8.2/10
strategies for advancement, up from 5.8
74%
talking about gender equity more with teams
90%
measurable progress toward career goals
87%
meaningful impact on their career
30%
promoted or moved into a new role within 9 months
59%
significant network expansion
41%
new opportunities via Champion advocacy
100%
of Champions took intentional advocacy actions
Stay tuned for key dates
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
Arooj, Software Developer
After 6 months of searching I got a new role within 3 weeks of joining Toast! Thank you for making this safe space for us and helping people like me land their first role even in the midst of the current horrible job market.
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MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
Silvia, Geospacial Scientist
Without Toast, I would never have had access to attend the incredible events that I have, and made meaningful connections with such brilliant women.
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
Principal Software Engineer
I realized today that I am 100% capable of my new role and so are other women. I have SO much more experience compared to these guys! Yet we don't believe in ourselves and never ask to be promoted or recognized... You've opened up a world of confidence for me by elevating me to vouch for my worth.
What we’re looking for in Champions
Ready to join the program?
Apply as a mentee
Get paired 1:1 with a Director+ sponsor who will advocate for your advancement, open doors, and unlock opportunities you've been excluded from.
Become a Champion
Use your influence to actively sponsor a woman in tech. You'll receive allyship training and be matched with a high-potential mentee.