A History of Diversity

Incorporation of the Bank of Toronto

The Dominion Bank is established and opened for business in 1871

The earliest record of a female employee in TD's Canadian history appears in a personnel ledger, which shows a Miss Elliott employed as a clerk. At the time women represented approximately 11% of the workforce in Canada; however they were predominantly employed in fields such as domestic service and teaching. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, women at the Bank worked in roles such as stenographers and as telephone switchboard operators.

The First World War radically altered the Bank's work force. Up to this point female employees had been performing jobs which were not customer facing; however, as men left the Bank to serve in the Armed Forces, women took on some of their roles, including at the counter as tellers - serving customers directly for the first time.

The Dominion Bank recognized its clients were increasingly multicultural - demonstrated in this advertisement from 1931, featuring 16 different languages.

During the Second World War as approximately half the staff, including more than 45 women, left to serve in the Armed Forces, the Bank hired women to take on even more roles and by the end of the war more than half the total employees were female.

The Bank of Toronto and Dominion Bank merged to form TD.

For many years TD's slogan was the "Bank Where People Make the Difference". In order to provide the best in banking service, TD's work force reflected the communities it served.

Kathleen Norris and Eleanor Griffith were the first women appointed to the Bank's Inspection Department - not only a first at TD, but a first at any Canadian bank.

TD celebrated Canada's Centennial by creating an Inuit Art Collection, in the hope "that through the display of The Bank's collection all Canadians will gain a greater appreciation of the work of artists who are unmistakably and distinctively Canadian."

TD's first female branch manager was Margaret Milligan. Milligan joined the Bank in 1948 and later served as manager at several different branches throughout her career.

Mona Campbell became the first female elected to the Board of Directors at TD. She was also President of Dover Industries Ltd. and Movisa Securities Ltd.

Braille instructions were added to Green Machines.

TD formalized its policy on Employment Equity.

TD began its annual celebration of National Access Awareness Week.

TD appointed its first female Senior Vice President: Ruth Getter became TD's Chief Economist and SVP, Economic Research. Also, in 1994 TD extended employee benefits to same sex partners.

TD partnered with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, Inc. and the Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation Inc. to form the First Nations Bank of Canada

TD won the prestigious Catalyst Award for its "exemplary initiatives to advance women into leadership".

A Diversity Leadership Council made up of senior business leaders across TD was established to champion TD's diversity initiatives, which include educational components such as diversity training for people managers.

TD showed its support for the LGBTA community by sponsoring Toronto's Pride Parade. Also in 2005, TD launched an employee Pride Network to create opportunities for career development and foster community involvement. Since then, other networks have been created, including the Black Community Network and Chinese Network.

TD began featuring people from the LGBT community in its advertising.

TD launched its "Make it Better" video to reassure LGBT youth that it gets better and help prevent bullying and youth suicide. Also in 2012, Clint Davis joined TD as the Bank's Vice President of Aboriginal Affairs.