Susan R.

Senior Manager, Toast.org

This month, we celebrated Toast’s second annual “Toast to the Earth” activation for the planet, directing the strength of our community to make the world a healthier, more sustainable place. This month-long event is designed to bring together the best of Toast – our people, our platform and our philanthropic capital. Centered around Earth Day and Earth Month in April, Toast to the Earth features a collection of activities to help our planet as “One Team.” 

Last year’s activation was hard to beat, but Toasters were up for the challenge! Throughout April, we hosted group volunteering opportunities in 50+ cities around the world with a focus on the environment. We visited food rescue organizations, community gardens, and local farms to sort, pack, deliver, dig and plant together. Hundreds of Toasters were able to get out in their local communities and do something great!

Not only are employees able to give back through these events, but volunteering with Toast.org also gives employees a unique opportunity to develop a variety of skills through local leadership roles. The Local Committee Chairs are a group of employees who work to organize and facilitate events in their communities. This widely expands the reach of Toast.org, localizes our mission, and brings together employees from all corners of the world.

“When my manager identified an opportunity to work with the social impact team, I saw this as a chance to use my skills to contribute to causes important to me,” shared Alex H., Senior Coordinator, People and Organizational Development. “I have been involved with community service since 2012 and worked in People & Places teams throughout my entire career. Now being a Toaster and having this opportunity, I believe organizing and participating in Toast.org events is a meaningful way to show our Toast values and my passions for bringing people together, doing good, and community impact.”

After logging their activity in our giving and volunteering platform, powered by Benevity, Toasters also receive a $10 Volunteer Reward for each hour they spend volunteering. They’re then able to direct this in the form of a donation to a charity or organization of their choosing. 

In addition to these volunteer opportunities, we also want to give Toasters the opportunity to learn more about caring for the environment. Throughout the month, we brought in experts in the nonprofit sector and food ecosystem to share best practices and learnings on how we can all create a cleaner, more sustainable world. Some topics included: food waste, native wildlife and our environment, how restaurants have achieved notable strides in their efforts to become green and sustainable, going GREEN with offices and workplaces, and innovative environmental efforts for Toast, restaurants, and their guests.

In Chennai, Toasters recently visited a women's empowerment unit, where program participants learn how to “upcycle” old garments into new clothes, bags, and other useful items. Following that event, garment collection bins were placed in the Chennai office, so that Toasters can donate items to be shared at local orphanages or with organizations that will upcycle the items,

“This not only makes the lives of the underprivileged better but also promotes the eco-friendly concept of recycling,” shared Loga S. “This is an effort to do our bit for the environment and at the same time supply these clothes to those who need them.”

While reflecting on the volunteer opportunities in Chennai, Amala B. F., Principal Billing Support Representative, shared the following:

“Dedicating time to help others has taught me patience, kindness, and resilience. It also infuses my life with a meaning. I’m happy and proud to be part of this great initiative.” 

The Toast.org team is also honored to have the opportunity to direct grant funding to organizations that are aligned with Toast’s valued and loved by Toast employees. Our annual Toast.org Employee Grants Challenge is a pitch competition, where employees champion an organization they’re passionate about that’s supporting the environment. Fourteen finalists will pitch their grant recommendations to a panel of Toast leaders for a chance to win a $2,500 or $5,000 grant for their chosen organization. 

Additionally, local Toast.org grants were made in communities around the world to further our goal of solving critical food issues that impact communities. For Toast to the Earth, the 50+ Local Toast.org Committees will direct $150,000 in funding to nonprofits working in the communities where we live and work that foster environmental sustainability in the food ecosystem.

We are so excited to share the great events that happened during this year’s Toast to the Earth! Thank you to our community of Toasters who are so passionate about giving back. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!