America’s Top Cannabis Employers 2022
Today’s cannabis employees have high expectations, and the best employers are delivering. Benefits that seemed delightfully surprising in 2018, when mg Magazine published the first list of the best employers in the industry, now are de rigueur. Health insurance is offered by 96 percent of the companies that submitted briefs this year, up almost 10 percent from last year. Eighty-two percent provide education benefits, including tuition assistance or reimbursement (up from 67 percent in 2021), and an equal number provide a retirement plan or 401(k) program (up from 68 percent in 2021), often with the employer matching workers’ contributions. Seventy-five percent offer stock options or equity in the business, a significant increase from the 47 percent of companies so disposed last year.
But becoming a truly inspirational workplace requires more than simply meeting expectations. Each year mg’s staff and a team of advisors pore over hundreds of company briefs, evaluating incentives, benefits, corporate culture, philanthropic initiatives, and reports from employees themselves. The results illustrate our industry is no slouch when it comes to ensuring workers are valued and protected.
The companies that made this year’s list of top employers go above and beyond in attending to employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being. The majority incorporate mental health counseling either in insurance plans or as a separate, free service. Almost 50 percent of them offer unlimited paid time off, and three quarters provide medical/family leave. Employee assistance programs that help workers through times of personal turmoil or financial hardship are becoming more common, as is paid time off to volunteer for worthy causes. And, now that gathering in person again is no longer an issue, 66 percent of honorees are hosting retreats and other special events that build camaraderie and morale (up from 53 percent in 2021).
A small but growing number of honorees provide stipends to fund technology, home-office furniture and equipment, or coworking space — which is much appreciated by the teams at the 84 percent of companies that offer a work-from-home option (up from 68 percent in 2021). Those who must work on-site can take comfort in bringing their furry family members with them, because 70 percent of the companies we reviewed this year welcome pets in the workplace (up from 40 percent last year). A handful include pet insurance in their benefits packages.
Two honorees offer an exceptionally generous perk to long-term employees: a paid sabbatical of up to seven weeks. Perhaps the most striking benefits are related to culture-war clashes: Three honorees established funds to reimburse employees who must travel to obtain reproductive health care, and another provides assistance with adoption (which can prove challenging for marginalized groups).
Employers continue to place a healthy focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with many expanding their efforts to recognize and combat racial and cultural bias within and outside their organizations. Well-defined, measurable DEI policies that include sensitivity training and community outreach have become a hallmark of the industry. A handful of companies have launched incubators to provide meaningful economic opportunities for underrepresented groups. Others operate programs to hire, train, and provide career paths for formerly incarcerated individuals and/or people from communities most impacted by the war on drugs.
In fact, the broad categories of justice reform and inclusion also encompass the majority of philanthropic efforts within the industry: 39 percent of companies that submitted briefs this year reported providing financial support for justice-reform efforts, and 26 percent reported providing support for organizations promoting diversity and inclusion. Close behind was support for environmental groups and projects (25 percent), hunger abatement (21 percent), and poverty relief (19 percent).
The best employers invest not only in their businesses but also their employees and communities. That’s what makes the companies on the following pages America’s Top Cannabis Employers.
4Front Ventures
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: Phoenix
Founded: 2011
Public/private: Public
Employees: 500–999
4Front’s list of benefits is long, including perks like leadership coaching and development, technology stipends, and an 80-percent contribution toward a comprehensive insurance package for workers and their families. A formal diversity, equity, and inclusion policy not only addresses hiring, compensation, and professional development but also requires diversity-awareness and harassment-prevention training. Employees say the company’s open-door policy and feedback sessions give them a voice in operations. The company provides financial support to groups disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.
Advanced Nutrients
Sectors: Cultivation
HQ: West Hollywood, California
Founded: 1999
Public/private: Private
Employees: 250–499
As the oldest and largest company of its kind, Advanced Nutrients’ comprehensive benefits package comes as no surprise. A flexible paid-time-off policy, company-funded disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) plan with matching contributions are among employee favorites. The company is one of the few that maintains an employee assistance program to help with unexpected challenges. Owner Michael “BigMike” Straumietis’s Humanity Heroes nonprofit is legendary for its positive impact on homeless people, and employees say they feel the same sense of warmth in the company’s overall culture.
A Therapeutic Alternative
Sectors: Retail
HQ: Sacramento, California
Founded: 2009
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–40
A Therapeutic Alternative identifies as a “social purpose company,” so perhaps it’s no surprise employees most often use the terms “compassion” and “community” when describing the business. Despite being one of the smallest honorees this year, the pet-friendly workplace provides all the basics plus a 401(k) program, retail discount, and paid parental leave. Employees said they especially appreciate uncommon benefits like adoption assistance and paid time off for volunteer work. The company participates in the Safe Routes to School initiative.
BelCosta Labs
Sectors: Bioscience & Labs
HQ: Long Beach, California
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Bel Costa provides a full slate of benefits including a 401(k) plan and stock options, but the lab takes the most pride in its educational offerings. The testing laboratory includes not only brands and budtenders in its in-house continuing education programs, but also regulators and local universities. Employees express pride in the significance of their work, partially as a result of the community outreach. The company collaborates with the city’s social-equity program to hire workers impacted by the war on drugs.
BLAZE
Sectors: Technology
HQ: Newport Beach, California
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
A primarily remote workplace, BLAZE offers an impressive list of benefits (including stock options and bonuses) while also exerting extra effort to ensure the workforce stays connected. Frequent team-building events, games, and a robust Slack environment that incorporates channels for work and play bring team members together on and off the job. An unusual “shout-out” program awards gift cards to employees for kudos from coworkers. The BLAZE Cares program supports staff-selected nonprofits. The company promotes from within.
Boveda Inc.
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Minnetonka, Minnesota
Founded: 1997
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Boveda provides all the expected benefits, but employees say they value the company’s “servant-leadership culture” most, with 86 percent rating the overall culture “amazing.” Common descriptors included “empowering,” “equitable,” and “collaborative,” and 40 percent of team members said they’d decline a job offer from somewhere else even if it promised higher pay. The Charitable Giving committee donates to nonprofits that support children and adults who are at critical crossroads in their lives.
Canna Provisions
Sectors: Cultivation, Retail
HQ: Lee, Massachusetts
Founded: 2019
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
On top of an admirable selection of benefits — including dental insurance, a pet-friendly workplace, and health-club memberships — Canna Provisions provides its team with up to forty hours of paid volunteer time annually. In addition to contributing to a beneficial work-life balance, employees say the move has strengthened the company’s relationships within the communities the dispensaries serve. More than 90 percent of the workforce participates in the employer-matched 401(k) program. The company views its diversity program as a bridge to social equity within and outside the industry.
Canna River
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Thousand Oaks, California
Founded: 2019
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
What began as a small family-run businees has grown tremendously, but employees say Canna River maintains a family atmosphere. The company provides a robust set of benefits, including one becoming increasingly important for working parents: daycare. Combined with flexible schedules, a work-from-home option, a pet-friendly environment, and paid medical/family leave, the perk is part of the company’s commitment to work-life balance. Canna River participates in the Carbonfree Shipping program as a means of reducing its environmental impact.
Cannabis Creative Group
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Newton, Massachusetts
Founded: 2019
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
A commitment to social causes is a hallmark at Cannabis Creative Group, where benefits include paid volunteer time, “early release” on Fridays during the summer, and work-from-home opportunities. Workers use terms like “progressive,” “collaborative,” and “transparent” to describe the culture and voice appreciation for the company’s devotion to diversity and inclusion. CCC supports nonprofits like Hilarity for Charity and Fallen Heroes and provides pro bono services to equity and compassionate-care businesses and organizations.
Chalice Brands Ltd.
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: Portland, Oregon
Founded: 2014
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
Chalice Brands places a premium on workplace camaraderie. Workers say the company treats them like partners, not merely employees. In addition to a healthy list of standard benefits, the company provides paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance, paid time off for volunteer work, and stock options. Chalice devotes a percentage of sales to supporting the nonprofit tree-planting group Friends of Trees, and its DEI policy tasks the board of directors with implementing programs that increase equity in-house and within society.
Cloud Cannabis Co.
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: Troy, Michigan
Founded: 2020
Public/private: Private
Employees: 250–499
Eighty percent of employees at Cloud Cannabis Co. call the company’s culture “amazing.” The three most common descriptors workers mention — “flexible,” “generous,” and “inclusive” — reflect the company’s dedication to improving quality of life for the workforce and the community at large. Cloud Cannabis financially supports animal-, environment-, veterans-, and disability-related charities and adopts local families who require assistance with basic needs. In addition, it has committed to a long-term plan for increasing equity in the communities it serves.
Cova Software
Sectors: Technology
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
To meet a tenet of ensuring “health, happiness, and peace of mind,” Cova provides a benefits package that is among the most comprehensive we reviewed this year. In addition to standard benefits, the company offers a boatload of uncommon perks like free beer and wine on tap, a “Zen room,” copious paid volunteer time, and an employee assistance program. After every seven years of service, full-timers are eligible for a seven-week paid sabbatical. The company’s formal DEI policy is thorough and well-defined. Employees call the environment “a dream culture” and “visionary.”
eBottles
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Jupiter, Florida
Founded: 2002
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
eBottles invests in both the physical well-being and mental health of its workers. Counseling is an essential part of the company’s insurance benefits, and employees are encouraged to take advantage of paid “mental health days” as needed. Flex time, work-from-home options, annual bonuses, and birthday celebrations are popular perks. Workers say their opinions are valued by a management team that sees them as a collection of diverse individuals with unique talents and needs.
Extraction Tek Sales LLC
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Founded: 2011
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
“Fun,” “family,” and “inclusive” are recurring themes at ExtractionTek, where 60 percent of employees rate the workplace culture “amazing.” Although the company’s list of benefits isn’t extensive, it provides all the basics and adds a long list of extras that build camaraderie and morale. In fact, ExtractionTek has a formally designated morale administrator, which we haven’t encountered before. A corporate philanthropic program encourages volunteerism and provides financial support for community nonprofits.
Fyllo
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Chicago
Founded: 2019
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
Fyllo offers one of the most flexible and robust benefits packages on this year’s list. Even though employees admit the startup pace can be challenging, they appreciate having autonomy and agency over their careers. Generous paid leave and unlimited paid-time-off policies give workers the freedom to attend to personal issues of all kinds, and the company reimburses up to $4,000 in expenses when employees or their dependents must travel out of state to receive critical health care. The DEI program includes a culture council and company-wide unconscious-bias training.
Glass House Brands
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: Long Beach, California
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Public
Employees: 250–499
Employees’ artwork decorates the walls at Glass House facilities, hinting at the investment the company makes in its people. Education and well-being are priorities, served by formal and informal training programs, frequent team-building events, and a robust rewards system. Employees say they especially appreciate the sampling-and-review program that allows them a voice in the products Glass House retail outlets stock. The company takes corporate social responsibility (CSR) seriously, financially supporting equity and justice-reform organizations and consciously limiting its environmental impact.
Greenlane Holdings Inc.
Sectors: Distribution, Retail
HQ: Boca Raton, Florida
Founded: 2005
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
With a values motto of “never settle, never follow, never disrespect,” employees say Greenlane empowers its team to thrive. In addition to medical and dental benefits and paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave, the company provides family leave, a 401(k) program, stock options, flexible schedules, paid volunteer time, and pet insurance. Workers also receive product discounts. An employee-led culture committee spearheads efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable community. Philanthropic initiatives favor justice reform.
Halo Infusions & Extractions
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Tucson, Arizona
Founded: 2012
Public/private: Public
Employees: 30–49
In addition to common benefits, Halo Infusions provides a 401(k) program and a pet-friendly working environment. Employees describe the company as “supportive” and “compassionate” and say they appreciate the variety of educational opportunities, including quarterly staff training for personal and professional development and online courses from LinkedIn Learning and Pryor Learning. Halo financially supports a wide range of charitable organizations, primarily focusing on veterans’ welfare, healthcare, and food insecurity.
Headset
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Seattle
Founded: 2015
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Headset employees praise their employer for respecting and encouraging work-life balance. In addition to a comprehensive slate of benefits, “flexible Fridays” allow workers to tend to company or personal business, at their option. Employees say the program “has been a game-changer for company culture.” Headset also provides each employee with a professional-growth stipend they are free to invest as they choose. A social-equity committee meets once a month to discuss evolving issues and plan and execute initiatives to address identified needs.
HERBL
Sectors: Distribution
HQ: Goleta, California
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 250–499
Nearly everyone at HERBL is impressed with the company’s benefits package, which has included stock options from day one. Employee-appreciation events, a pet-friendly working environment, and compensated volunteer hours are popular perks, and employees say they feel valued and heard. A DEI committee and a designated social impact specialist support the company’s formal social-equity policy. The distributor actively promotes products marketed by individuals from underrepresented populations.
Ispire
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Venice, California
Founded: 2020
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
For a relatively small company, Ispire boasts an impressive collection of benefits — notably paid family and medical leave, flexible schedules, and a 401(k) plan. “Family” dinners and team-bonding outings are especially popular with the staff, making the workplace culture “unlike any other and filled with a wonderful work-life balance,” according to one employee. The company’s CSR efforts focus on the environment with projects like the Ispire Cares vaporizer recycling program and beach cleanups, and the company financially supports the Pollinator Partnership project.
Jetty Extracts
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Oakland, California
Founded: 2013
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Jetty offers a robust benefits package including paid medical and family leave, equity options, and unlimited paid time off for full-timers. Employees most commonly refer to the company’s culture as “fun,” “inclusive,” and “chill.” Quarterly team-building activities keep everyone connected. Jetty maintains two major CSR initiatives: the Shelter Project, through which the company has donated more than $1 million worth of products to cancer patients since 2014, and Community Impact Strains, which provide financial support for environmental and social causes.
KCSA Strategic Communications
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: New York City
Founded: 1969
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Work-life balance is a priority for KCSA, which offers one of the most comprehensive benefits lists we encountered this year. Included are uncommon perks like flexible spending accounts for healthcare and childcare, paid volunteer and jury-duty days, quarterly mental health days, a 401(k) matching program, and reimbursement of up to $5,000 annually for higher education. Eighty percent of employees praise the company for its open and honest communication; their most common descriptors were “collaborative,” “communicative,” and “transparent.”
Lantern
Sectors: Technology
HQ: Boston
Founded: 2020
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
A fully remote workplace, Lantern offers a hefty slate of benefits plus perks like a home office allowance and stipends to cover internet costs, coworking space, and wellness programs. Weekly all-hands meetings, monthly “vibe checks,” and virtual game nights keep everyone connected. More than two-thirds of employees say they would not accept a competing job offer, even for more money. The company demonstrates its devotion to social equity by funding incubators and partnering with local cannabis community hubs.
Mattio Communications
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: New York City
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
In addition to all the usual benefits, Mattio Communications provides health club memberships; complimentary, anonymous mental health coaching; profit-sharing; and unlimited paid time off. Employees give the culture props for inclusivity, collaboration, and energy and say they feel “at home” and protected from vagaries of the economy. The company’s primary DEI initiative, Mattio Voices, offers pro bono services and fundraising assistance to marginalized individuals and groups and financially supports a rotating group of social justice, environmental, refugee, and disaster-relief organizations.
Nabis
Sectors: Distribution, Technology
HQ: San Francisco
Founded: 2018
Public/private: Private
Employees: 250–499
Nabis prioritizes employee development and promotes from within. Employees say they enjoy the energetic, fast-paced atmosphere where innovation is prized. In addition to standard benefits and recently added paid parental leave, the company provides home-office and internet reimbursement for remote workers and catered meals, snacks, and monthly barbecues for those who work in the office. The distributor supports Oakland Citizens for Equity and Prosperity and offers special resources to brands owned by people in marginalized groups.
Native Roots Cannabis Co.
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2010
Public/private: Private
Employees: 500–999
Even part-time employees at Native Roots are eligible for benefits, including a few unusual ones like paid volunteer time, rideshare platform MyWayToGo, the Let’s Grow! Leadership Development Program, and self-serve learning resources from Grow with Purpose. A DEI committee assists the human resources department with inclusive hiring and vendor audits, and a partnership with Diversity Window helps maintain a continuing emphasis on inclusivity. The company financially supports organizations that serve equity entrepreneurs and businesses or support vulnerable populations.
Papa & Barkley
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Los Angeles
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
Noteworthy “extras” at Papa & Barkley include a pet-friendly working environment, pet insurance, flexible spending accounts, and life insurance. The company’s DEI initiatives include support for Black Lives Matter, the Anti-Defamation League, the Human Rights Campaign, and Voto Latino. Papa & Barkley financially supports organizations including Food for People, Weed for Warriors, NELA United for Students, and the Roybal Foundation. Teams also provide volunteer assistance for local environmental, hunger-abatement, and animal welfare efforts.
PAX Labs
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: San Francisco
Founded: 2017
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
PAX offers a comprehensive benefits package with a long list of extras including an employee assistance program that provides legal aid and other services, a generous cell phone/internet stipend, and travel reimbursement for reproductive healthcare. Employees praise the company’s “open and honest” communication, as well as its dedication to diversity and inclusion. As part of a commitment to using its brand for good, the company provides financial resources to organizations driving equity, justice, and inclusion or putting products in the hands of low-income patients.
Petalfast
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Irvine, California
Founded: 2020
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Petalfast employees describe the corporate culture using words like “authenticity,” “passion,” and “inclusion.” Their impressions are reflected in an unusual Founders Day celebration that brings everyone in the two-year-old enterprise together to acknowledge shared wins, set goals, participate in professional development and team-building, and collaboratively set plans for the future. Benefits include dental insurance, a pet-friendly workplace, and unlimited paid time off. Monthly mentorship meetings and feedback surveys inspire the team, and “no-meeting Fridays” along with flexible scheduling discourage burnout.
Prospiant
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Cincinnati
Founded: 2001
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
Prospiant provides a generous benefits package designed to meet the needs of a hybrid workforce. On top of health and dental insurance, paid holidays, and vacation time, the company offers a 401(k) plan, medical and family leave, and professional development opportunities. An engagement committee develops periodic team-building activities so remote workers don’t feel isolated, and employees say they feel their jobs are secure even during economic downturns. The company is active in charitable giving, supporting local nonprofits that promote education and fight food and housing insecurity.
Puffco
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Los Angeles
Founded: 2013
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
On top of a lengthy list of core benefits, Puffco adds pet insurance, a cell-phone stipend, and flexible spending accounts. The company has taken the ParityPLEDGE to increase diversity in corporate leadership. A written “employee commitment” promises to work with every team member to honor connections, strive for better, bring joy, and help them be unapologetically themselves. Partially as a result, two-thirds of the workforce rates the corporate culture “amazing.” The company financially supports environmental and health-related charities.
Ripple
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Commerce City, Colorado
Founded: 2015
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
In addition to offering what employees call “competitive compensation and excellent benefits,” Ripple strives to help its team maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. Workers describe the environment as “fun and relaxed” and enjoy flexible paid time off, medical and family leave, and a 401(k) plan. The company pays 100 percent of health insurance premiums and financially supports nonprofits including Food Bank of the Rockies and restorative justice organization The Color of Cannabis.
SōRSE Technology
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Seattle
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
Good pay, generous benefits, and opportunities for advancement are among workers’ favorite perks at SōRSE Technology. The company provides free lunches and happy hours once a week, hosts team-building exercises like hiking excursions for employees and their companions, and offers unlimited paid time off with no vacation blackout dates. A strong, formalized DEI policy and support for Seattle Pride and the research institute and blood bank Bloodworks Northwest demonstrate a commitment to equity and CSR within and outside the company.
springbig
Sectors: Ancillary Services, Technology
HQ: Boca Raton, Florida
Founded: 2012
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
springbig provides a loaded benefits package that includes a long list of extras: gym memberships, stock options, pre-tax savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, dependent-care programs, pet insurance, employer-matched 401(k)s, and an employee assistance program, among other things. A formal culture committee looks after the company’s DEI initiatives, making sure everyone feels valued and respected. In fact, “inclusive” is the most common descriptor employees apply to the workplace environment. The company hosts toy drives and back-to-school drives in addition to supporting the Last Prisoner Project.
StateHouse Holdings Inc.
Sectors: Cultivation, Product Manufacturing, Retail
HQ: San Diego
Founded: 2006
Public/private: Public
Employees: 500–999
Despite some growing pains, the rapidly expanding company created by the merger of Harborside Inc., Urbn Leaf, and Loudpack offers employees a respectable lineup of benefits. The standouts here are the employee discounts: 40 percent on a plethora of house brands, 30 percent off all others, and a 20-percent price reduction for friends and family. Monthly town-hall meetings with the chief executive officer keep everyone informed. DEI policies are undergoing consolidation, but the company posts all job openings internally before advertising them to the general public.
STM Canna
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Spokane, Washington
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Private
Employees: 30–49
Positivity, work-life balance, autonomy, and “leadership that listens” are prized by the employees at STM Canna, 69 percent of whom call their workplace culture “amazing.” The company not only offers health and dental insurance, but also throws in life insurance for good measure. Generous paid time off and an employer-matched 401(k)plan are especially popular perks. The company has a thorough and well-defined DEI policy and offers a plethora of professional-development opportunities.
Sunderstorm
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Panorama City, California
Founded: 2015
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
Sunderstorm employees describe their pet-friendly workplace as a meritocracy in which hard work is rewarded. A whopping 90 percent of them express satisfaction with the culture, applying descriptors like “inspiring” and “engaging” — due, at least in part, to morale-boosting activities like luncheons with games and prizes. A formal DEI policy incorporates sections about work-life balance, bullying, mental health, and trans inclusion. The company financially supports organizations tackling environmental challenges, gender- and ethnic-identity bias, justice reform, and compassionate care for veterans.
Surfside
Sectors: Technology
HQ: New York
Founded: 2018
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Three quarters of Surfside’s employees rate the company culture “amazing.” Despite a hybrid workplace policy, most employees admit they decamp to the office daily so they can interact with each other. “Most businesses work hard and play hard. We like to say we work hard and laugh hard,” one said. Easy access to top management, plentiful professional-development opportunities, a bevy of team-building activities, and quarterly peer-based recognition are among the more unusual perks on a long list. The company provides mentorship and discounts to social-equity entities.
The Prime Leaf
Sectors: Retail
HQ: Tucson, Arizona
Founded: 2012
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
In addition to the usual offerings, The Prime Leaf provides a company-wide annual bonus, education reimbursement, paid volunteer hours, and a 50-percent employee discount. The company also hosts monthly lunches and quarterly special events and provides tickets to local concerts and other goings-on. A community investment fund supports employee-driven initiatives and nonprofit partnerships. DEI policies include support for social justice programs and designation as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
True Terpenes
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Hillsboro, Oregon
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
True Terpenes puts culture at the heart of its strategic plan and regularly measures workplace engagement. Employees describe the company as “inclusive,” “transparent,” and “empowering.” In addition to standard benefits, the company provides company-wide bonuses and pays for parental and bereavement leave as well as volunteer time. A DEI committee oversees policy initiatives, which are informed by NeuroLeadership Institute principles for managing implicit bias. True Terpenes supports the Prison Policy Initiative and environmental sustainability programs.
urban-gro
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Lafayette, Colorado
Founded: 2014
Public/private: Public
Employees: 100–249
urban-gro aims to foster autonomy and independent decision-making. Ninety-five percent of employees say they feel heard by management, and “honest” and “supportive” are among the descriptors they most often use to describe the culture. The benefits package is one of the most comprehensive on this list. Uncommon extras include one-on-one professional coaching programs, certified financial coaching, and an annual incentive plan. The company promotes from within and supports the Denver Rescue Mission.
Vangst
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
As a hiring platform, Vangst understands the importance of employee satisfaction; consequently, the company seeks to cultivate belonging among its staff. Part of the effort is providing a robust benefits package that includes company-funded vision as well as short- and long-term disability insurance, health savings accounts, and a home-office stipend. A social engagement committee plans company-wide retreats and regional meetups to keep people connected, and queer-community and DEI committees oversee inclusion initiatives. Team members praise the environment using terms like “honest,” “encouraging,” and “fair.”
Vicente Sederberg LLP
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2010
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Vicente Sederberg defines itself as a mission-driven firm staffed by hard-working, ambitious team-players. The firm rewards its team with a comprehensive suite of traditional benefits and a lengthy list of extras including company-paid insurance across the spectrum (including for pets) and matching employees’ contributions to 401(k)s and charities. Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, and One Colorado Education Fund are among the organizations the firm financially supports. Vicente Sederberg also performs pro bono work that advances racial and social justice.
Wana Brands
Sectors: Product Manufacturing
HQ: Boulder, Colorado
Founded: 2010
Public/private: Private
Employees: 100–249
Wana Brands offers all the benefit basics, but the standout in the company’s suite is the Wana Help Fund, which provides financial assistance to employees during personal or family emergencies. In addition, employees receive mental-health stipends and tuition reimbursement. The company’s CSR program invests in more than fifty local initiatives fighting food insecurity, homelessness, domestic violence, and social injustice in communities where the company operates. All employees attend annual diversity-awareness training, and a comprehensive DEI policy addresses conduct inside and outside the workplace.
Würk
Sectors: Ancillary Services
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2016
Public/private: Private
Employees: 50–99
Würk offers an astonishing number of perks outside the norm, with standouts like health-club memberships, unlimited paid time off, a paid sabbatical after four years of service, and reimbursement for internet, tuition, professional development, and home-office expenses. The primarily remote company views its employees as partners and invests in them, workers say, by supporting their personal goals and providing work-life balance. Würk does not discuss its DEI policies, but employees call them “strong and genuine.” The company supports the Last Prisoner Project.
Small Companies, Big Hearts
There are many positive things about working for a small business, but employee benefits often aren’t among them.
We were pleased to find a group of small but growing companies that offer their staff robust packages, some with unique options like pet parent leave, an uncommon devotion to mental and physical health, and special accommodations for new parents.
Beaker & Wrench
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Commerce, California
Founded: 2016
A bevy of traditional benefits plus paid personal time off, promotion from within, and work-from-home opportunities are impressive, but Beaker & Wrench stands out for its devotion to professional development. The company funds outside courses and trains all employees in how to use and maintain the equipment it manufactures. One-third of employees say they wouldn’t leave even for more pay.
Fortis Law Partners
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Denver
Founded: 2002
Name a benefit, and female-founded Fortis probably provides it, including up to twelve weeks of paid leave for primary and secondary caretakers who add a child to their family. The firm also offers a no-strings business-development and marketing stipend and supports nonprofits focused on literacy, legal aid, and cannabis. Flex hours and collaborative compensation and management systems are popular with the staff.
Galenas
Sectors: Cultivation
HQ: Akron, Ohio
Founded: 2017
A loaded benefits package including stock options and a retirement plan stands out at Galenas, but employees’ favorite perk is the “family-like” environment they describe as “compassionate,” “open-minded,” and “conscientious.” The company founded a veterans outreach nonprofit, hosts food and clothing drives, and is heavily involved in local environmental sustainability efforts like community gardens and water reclamation.
Grasslands Agency
Sectors: Ancillary Services
Headquarters: Denver
Founded: 2016
In addition to a long list of traditional benefits, Grasslands covers 50 percent of health insurance premiums and 100 percent of short- and long-term disability insurance. The brand relations agency also provides professional development opportunities, quarterly team-building events, year-round “flexible Fridays,” and stipends for cell phones and cannabis wellness. Other standouts include a Diversity in Marketing internship program and monthly philanthropy driven by employees.
Kip Morrison and Associates
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: Beverly Hills, California
Founded: 1977
Hybrid work schedules, consistent three-day weekends, and generous bonuses are among the favorites on the comprehensive list of benefits at Kip Morrison and Associates. The company considers diversity a strength: More than half the staff is female, 20 percent identify as queer, and 20 percent are people of color. KMA provides pro bono services and other support to organizations serving veterans, cannabis causes, and refugees through earned media and other endeavors.
NisonCo
Sectors: Ancillary
HQ: East Brunswick, New Jersey
Founded: 2013
“Pawternity” leave, a four-day work week during the summer, an annual technology stipend, and travel assistance for reproductive healthcare are some of employees’ favorite benefits on NisonCo’s robust list. The company collaborates with the Last Prisoner Project on a reentry hiring program for formerly incarcerated people and hasn’t laid off a single employee in its ten years of existence.
Originally published at https://mgmagazine.com/business/human-resources/americas-top-cannabis-employers-2022/ on December 1st, 2022.
