Dispensary Leaders

Cannabis Dispensary, along with sister publication Cannabis Business Times, has introduced the “Best Cannabis Companies to Work For” awards in cultivation and retail, in partnership with Best Companies Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work.

The winning companies scored high in several categories that are commonly recognized as key to creating a positive work environment and culture. The winners for CD are all involved in retail operations, including some vertically integrated companies that also have cultivation facilities.

The top-ranking company on this year’s cultivation list is Greenhouse Wellness based in Ellicott City, Md. The company’s story is also this month’s cover profile.

Runners-up, in order, are Jushi Holdings Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla.; ONE Cannabis in Denver; Hashtag Cannabis in Seattle; and The Grove in Las Vegas. The companies also are featured in the following pages.

Winners were selected by survey, which was distributed by the Best Companies Group between Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, 2019, to applicants. Employees at cannabis dispensaries, as well as vertically integrated businesses, were asked to complete online or paper surveys.

To be eligible, companies had to meet the following criteria:

• Must be a dispensary operation or vertically integrated;
Have 50% or more of the business coming from dispensary operations;
• Be publicly or privately held;
• Qualify as a for-profit or not-for-profit business;
• Be based in the U.S. or Canada;
• Be legally licensed to sell cannabis for medical and/or adult-use under a state regulatory framework (or federal program if in Canada);
• Have a minimum of 15 full-time or part-time employees working in the U.S. or Canada.

The survey included questions about several key areas related to employee satisfaction, including leadership and planning, corporate culture and communication, role satisfaction, relationships with supervisors, training and development, pay and benefits and overall engagement. On average, 87% of employees at “Best Companies” responded positively to survey questions, compared with 74% of those at companies that did not make the list.

You can meet and learn from leaders from the two top companies in the cultivation and dispensary categories, as they will present a session on how to “Create a ‘Best Cannabis Company to Work For’ to Attract and Retain Top Talent” during the 2020 Cannabis Conference in Las Vegas, April 21-23.

- Jonathan Katz, Managing Editor, CD