Developed by TD Lab, new Equity,
Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) Resource
Hub further cements inclusive innovation in product and
service development at TD
TORONTO, Jan. 26, 2022 /CNW/ - Today TD Bank Group
(TD) announced a new platform to support the inclusion of the
unique perspectives and experiences of different community groups
into the development, design, and build of TD products and
services. Created by TD Lab, an innovation group at TD that
collaborates with businesses across the Bank, the Equity, Diversity
& Inclusion (ED&I) Resource Hub is a new platform with a
repeatable process to support consideration of customers' diverse
needs and perspectives in innovations, products and services
developed by TD.
"At TD, we are focused on supporting diversity and
inclusion across the Bank and serving the diverse needs of our
customers," said Rizwan Khalfan,
Chief Digital and Payments Officer, TD Bank Group. "In the digital
age, it is critical that we design for inclusion and apply an
equity lens to create innovations that support sustainable and
positive experiences for people who rely on digital properties to
help manage their finances."
The ED&I Resource Hub includes a five-step process that
guides teams throughout the development process to not limit
potential target audiences because of their own personal and
professional experiences. This includes the consideration of
aspects of diversity, such as race, gender identity, sexual
orientation, and ability in the creation of personas, which are
commonly used in design and development. This process helps create
more diverse, inclusive, and equitable personas for product and
service design and development – from early ideation to later stage
production.
"The intersection of innovation and inclusion within the design
process will aim to result in experiences that better reflect the
needs of diverse groups," said Samantha
Estoesta, Manager, Equity in Innovation and Programs, whose
role at TD is to apply the concepts of equity and inclusion at the
start of every development phase of TD Lab's customer experience
research and projects. "At TD, our goal is to support all the
communities which we serve and offer our customers banking
experiences that are relevant to their needs. The ED&I Resource
Hub will help us to consider what those needs are in the early
design phase."
The ED&I Resource Hub has been piloted with success in
projects across TD. One project focused on development of an online
student resource leveraged the ED&I Resource Hub to create
seven inclusive customer personas to better reflect the diversity
of both undergraduate students and the nearly 500,000 international
students studying at Canadian institutions (e.g., racialized,
persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+). This deeper understanding of
potential site users is reflected in visual site design and
functionality to support user needs.
As an active member of the Coalition of Innovation Leaders
Against Racism (CILAR), TD is running a second phase of the pilot
offering CILAR member organizations, including large technology,
financial services, and consulting firms, the opportunity to use
the platform on their own projects and provide feedback.
Ultimately, TD intends to make the platform widely accessible to
additional groups externally, recognizing the shared value
created for everyone when businesses are more equitable and
inclusive in their thinking, planning, and outputs.
"CILAR's strength is in its community and membership. By
thoughtfully and intentionally bringing our members and resources
together, we can effect greater change and elevate inclusion across
the innovation economy," said Serena
Nguyen, Executive Director, CILAR. "We're proud to
have our members take part in piloting the ED&I Resource Hub.
By increasing access to important ED&I resources, we can help
accelerate the path for businesses to become more equitable and
inclusive in all that they do."
About TD Bank Group
The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively
known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the fifth
largest bank in North America by
assets and serves more than 26 million customers in three key
businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres
around the globe: Canadian Retail, including TD Canada Trust, TD
Auto Finance Canada, TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD
Insurance; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most
Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an
investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; and Wholesale
Banking, including TD Securities. TD also ranks among the world's
leading online financial services firms, with more than 15 million
active online and mobile customers. TD had CDN$1.7 trillion in assets on October 31, 2021. The Toronto-Dominion Bank
trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.
SOURCE TD Bank Group