News

Cannabis companies make prestigious lists

Published on April 1, 2022 by David Wylie

It’s getting harder to ignore the march forward of cannabis into the mainstream.

Several cannabis companies have been named to prestigious media lists of leaders, including in TIME Magazine and the Globe and Mail.

TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies list which honours companies making an extraordinary impact around the world, included Curaleaf in its ‘Leaders’ category.

It was in the company of world-shaping names including Sony, TikTok, and Disney.

“Cannabis producer and distributor Curaleaf­—which over the past year raked in over $1 billion in revenue for the first time, expanded to eight European countries, nearly doubled production capacity, and launched 147 products—is now the world’s largest company by revenue in the quickly growing industry. Executive chairman Boris Jordan argues that cannabis’ appeal as a health, wellness, and recreational product could lead the market to eclipse even that of the $1.5 trillion global alcohol industry,” says TIME

TIME asked for nominations from every sector – ranging from health care and entertainment to transportation and technology – from its editors and correspondents around the world, as well as from industry experts. Editors evaluated each one on key factors including relevance, impact, innovation, leadership and success.

Breaking down stigma

“Being recognized as one of the world’s most influential companies by TIME is further confirmation that our work is breaking down the stigma of the plant, building an equitable and exciting industry, launching innovative new products for a wide consumer base and tangibly supporting the communities that we serve,” says Joe Bayern, CEO of Curaleaf US.

“We are humbled and honoured to be included alongside change-making companies that are revolutionizing their industries as well. As the only cannabis company included on this list, we hold a unique responsibility in shaping and leading our industry for continued success in the future.”

In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 23 states with 128 dispensaries, 26 cultivation sites, and employs over 5,600 people.

Women leaders in cannabis

Meanwhile, two cannabis companies have made the Globe and Mail’s list of women-led businesses.

Jushi and Organigram made the 2022 Report on Business Women Lead Here list.

“Our people are our greatest asset – they are dedicated, diverse, and operate with the highest integrity – and we could not have won this honour without them,” said Jushi Executive Vice President of Human Resources Nichole Upshaw in a statement from the company. “At Jushi, we know it takes a village to run a great company and that the best ideas and practices are born out of collaboration. As we continue to grow as an organization, we will continue to value diverse experiences and perspectives that enable us to learn from each other and build a stronger company and a brighter future for patients and our customers.”

The Globe says it set out to create a benchmark for gender diversity in Canada three years ago. They evaluated 500 of the largest companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and identified 74 with significant numbers of women in leadership positions.

“On average, women hold 46% of the executive roles within these companies—a figure that has increased by an anemic two points since 2020. And we still have a long way to go: Just over one-fifth of the companies on the list have a woman in the top job—a figure that has remained static since 2020—and all but two of those women are white. The glass ceiling might be higher than it used to be, but it’s still hard to break through.”

Strategies and ideas from the companies will be showcased at the Women Lead Here webcast on March 30. Event details and registration here: globeandmail.com/events.