America’s Top Cannabis Industry Employers 2021

Even in a world upended by a deadly pandemic and harsh economic realities, cannabis companies proved people are the heart of their business.

Top Cannabis Employers 2021 mg Magazine
Grasslands

No one will deny 2020 was challenging. A deadly pandemic led to stay-at-home orders and business closures, which boosted some industries and decimated others. Mass layoffs, eviction moratoriums, and supply-chain disruptions strained the economy, and social and political unrest fractured communities. We applaud the top cannabis industry employers who turned pandemic lemons into infused lemonade.

Most jurisdictions declared cannabis commerce “essential” early in the crisis, saving jobs and likely preventing the collapse of individual businesses and potentially entire segments of the industry. That doesn’t mean cannabis companies suffered no disruption. Population lockdowns and fear of infection forced employers to restructure traditional workplace policies and adapt to changing circumstances on the fly.

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But according to mg Magazine’s survey of employment practices, businesses responded with alacrity and compassion. Every company on this year’s list has implemented work-from-home policies; many employers provided equipment, furniture, and/or stipends to help employees make the transition. Because coworkers seldom saw one another in the real world under the new paradigm, businesses found creative virtual ways to keep employees connected and maintain morale (including monthly or quarterly interactive “town hall” meetings). Both sides of the equation reported finding the measure liberating, so it’s become standard operating procedure, at least for some employees, at almost every company that appears on this year’s list.  

Despite a global economic downturn in 2020, the cannabis industry flourished, resulting in a 50-percent increase in total annual revenue. Businesses leveraged this strong position by increasing investment in their workforce, which resulted in creating an additional 85,000 jobs.

Employers also added benefits while the rest of corporate America decreased or even suspended employee perks. Previously uncommon benefits that now are widespread include paid family and medical leave (offered by 66 percent of companies), parental leave (up to four months for birth mothers), retirement plans, and tuition reimbursement.

In response to pandemic-related economic upheaval and emotional distress, several companies launched employee assistance programs that provide legal, counseling, and financial aid to employees in need. Also pandemic-related: 57 percent of employers reported increasing or adding mental and physical health initiatives in the form of organized fitness programs, vaccine incentives, and access to teletherapy programs like Talkspace.

This past year also provided a wakeup call about endemic racial and cultural bias at all levels of American society. Although social equity has been an increasingly important goal for the cannabis industry almost since its inception, in 2020 employers placed increasing focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). All of this year’s top employers reported well-defined, measurable DEI policies that include sensitivity training and community outreach. Some launched or expanded programs to hire, train, and provide career paths for formerly incarcerated individuals and/or people from communities most impacted by the war on drugs.

Extraordinary challenges breed extraordinary solutions — and in the cannabis industry’s case, extraordinary heart.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE LIST OF EMPLOYERS

America’s Top Employers in Cannabis 2021

3C • Coast to Coast Cannabis
4Front Ventures
Advanced Nutrients
Akerna
Anresco Laboratories
Ayr Wellness
Bloom Farms
Body and Mind
Boveda
C3 Industries
Columbia Care
Confident Cannabis
Cova Software
Curaleaf
Eaze Inc.
Enlighten
Flow Cannabis Co. (Flow Kana)
Flowhub
Grasslands Agency
GreenBroz
Greenlane Holdings Inc.
Green Thumb Industries
GrowSpan Greenhouse Structures
Grupo Flor
Jetty Extracts
Kiva Confections
LeafLink
Leafly Holdings Inc.
Legion of Bloom
Lume Cannabis
Mattio Communications
MCR Labs
Mile High Labs
Native Roots Cannabis Co.
NorCal Cannabis Company
Papa & Barkley
Parallel
PAX Labs
Phylos Bioscience
Prospiant
SC Labs
Skymint Brands (formerly Green Peak Innovations)
The Prime Leaf
Treez
Trulieve
Vangst
Vertosa
Vicente Sederberg LLP
Vireo Health Inc.
Wana Brands


3C • Coast to Coast Cannabis

HQ: Sun Valley, California
FOUNDED: 2013
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
3CFarms.com

3C is family-owned and -operated, and employees say that shows in the workplace—especially the paid family and medical leave, flexible schedules, and work-from-home options included in the benefits package. The company promotes from within, and sexual harassment and anti-bias training are mandatory for all employees. Commitment to social equity, social justice, and inclusion also drives 3C’s philanthropic efforts: The company supports the Anti Racism Fund, Last Prisoner Project, NAACP, and the Los Angeles LGBT Center as well as environmental sustainability efforts.


4-Front-Ventures
4Front Ventures

4Front Ventures

HQ: Phoenix
FOUNDED: 2011
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
4FrontVentures.com

4Front provides unexpected benefits like service awards, leadership coaching and development, technology stipends, and an 80-percent contribution toward medical, dental, vision, life, and short-term disability insurance for workers and their families. A formal DEI 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 real voice in operations. Each store chooses its own local philanthropic projects, most of which provide financial support to disproportionately impacted groups.


Akerna-Team-Outside-3
Akerna

Akerna

HQ: Denver
FOUNDED: 2010
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
Akerna.com

In addition to health and dental coverage, Akerna also offers legal, life, disability, and pet insurance. A generous paid time off policy includes unlimited personal and sick days. Working from home is an option, and the company offers flexible schedules to support work/life balance. Quarterly bonuses and stock options are part of the package, and the company promotes from within. An explicit policy stating Akerna’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is undergoing legal review, but it formalizes the company’s goals and the steps it will take to achieve them.


Ayr Wellness

HQ: Miami
FOUNDED: 2017
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 1,001-5,000
AyrWellness.com

Ayr Wellness offers a broad insurance program, paid vacation and sick leave, a 401(k) program, and employee discounts. A formal diversity plan provides annual updates on the company’s progress toward equity and inclusion goals and incorporates in-house and community-based initiatives that create opportunities for marginalized individuals and groups. Ayr offers competitive salaries and growth opportunities, and the company financially invests in CultivatED and Operation Exit, programs that provide legal services, professional development, and work experience to individuals impacted by the war on drugs.


Body and Mind

HQ: Las Vegas
FOUNDED: 2017
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
BodyAndMind.com

Body and Mind offers a comprehensive benefits package, but the company believes camaraderie and education are equally important for employee well-being. To that end, the organization provides educational reimbursement and a professional development program; the latter assists employees in gaining knowledge and skills through coursework and community service. Body and Mind promotes from within across its multistate operation. A formal DEI policy provides guidelines for community engagement, and employees select monthly, hyper-local group volunteer projects, drives, or donations, typically benefiting the environment, children, or animals.


Advanced-Nutrients
Advanced Nutrients

Advanced Nutrients

HQ: West Hollywood, California
FOUNDED: 1999
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
AdvancedNutrients.com

Advanced Nutrients offers a comprehensive benefits package including a flexible paid time off policy, 401(k) matching, company-funded long- and short-term disability insurance and life insurance, and an employee assistance program. Committed to fair treatment of all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities, and sexual orientations, the company provides competitive salaries and professional development opportunities. Advanced Nutrients supports LGBTQ and veterans charities and women’s shelters, and its renowned Humanity Heroes nonprofit delivers life-giving essentials to homeless families and cultivators impacted by natural disasters.


Boveda

HQ: Minnetonka, Minnesota
FOUNDED: 1997
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
BovedaInc.com

Boveda’s work-from-home experiment turned into a permanent policy, allowing the company to employ a larger, more diverse talent pool and workers to seek better work/life balance. The company helps employees outfit their home offices, and weekly all-hands video conferences in addition to twice-weekly company-wide “wellness breaks” keep employees connected. Boveda employs what it calls a “servant leadership culture,” explicitly embracing DEI as one of its core values. The company supports organizations fighting poverty, hunger, and addiction.


C3 Industries

HQ: Ann Arbor, Michigan
FOUNDED: 2017
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
C3Industries.com

C3 offers a robust suite of benefits including company-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, an employee assistance program, and discounts on C3 products. “Free Weed Fridays” allow employees to sample the company’s newest strain. Compensation is competitive, and opportunity for advancement is a core value. During the pandemic, the company replaced parties with frequent gift boxes containing cannabis and other merchandise. C3 supports the Last Prisoner Project, and each retail location adopts a local food bank.


Columbia-Care
Columbia Care

Columbia Care

HQ: New York City
FOUNDED: 2012
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 1,001-5,000
Col-Care.com

Columbia Care’s benefits package includes all the essentials. An incentive and rewards initiative offers advancement opportunities, specialized training, and bonuses. The employee-led Diversity & Inclusion Committee works to create a sensitive, unbiased atmosphere not only inside the company but also among vendors. Stores partner with local organizations to bolster equity, entrepreneurship, education, and access, and the Share Well/Care Well program provides financial subsidies to patients in need.


Confident Cannabis

HQ: San Francisco
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 26-50
ConfidentCannabis.com

For a small company, Confident Cannabis boasts a surprisingly comprehensive suite of benefits. In addition, the organization provides a stipend for home office equipment and furniture. Businesses owned by women, minorities, and veterans receive prominent placement on the company’s online portal, and a detailed DEI policy specifically outlines steps Confident Cannabis takes to support all groups, including those who are religiously devout. Employees say they especially appreciate the responsive management and opportunities for professional education and career advancement.


Enlighten
Enlighten

Enlighten

HQ: Bowling Green, Kentucky
FOUNDED: 2017
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 26-50
GetEnlightened.io

Enlighten includes flexible schedules and work-from-home options in its benefits mix, which also includes activities to encourage work/life balance: team retreats, passes to cultural events, and unlimited paid time off. The company’s See Beyond program supports social equity efforts and disaster relief in addition to partnering with nonprofits to engage communities inside and outside the cannabis space. Among employees’ favorite perks are what they call a “family-oriented culture” and a dog-friendly headquarters stocked with snacks and beer. The opportunity to “wear multiple hats” encourages personal and professional development.


Cova Software

HQ: Denver
FOUNDED: 2016
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
CovaSoftware.com

During the pandemic, Cova buttressed its employee assistance program and added a work-from-home policy, along with fitness and mental health programs, to an already substantial benefits list. Other perks include a home-office stipend, paid volunteer time, long weekends in the summer, and “cultural days” that allow employees to celebrate their heritage. The company’s DEI policy outlines a four-pronged strategy for supporting marginalized groups and making sure all employees feel safe, supported, and empowered. Cova donates to True North Aid and the World Wildlife Fund.


Flowhub

HQ: Denver
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
Flowhub.com

Flowhub adds a home-office stipend to a collection of more common benefits. Most employees work from home, and workers consistently call the company a “fun” place to work, appreciate an atmosphere that encourages work/life balance, and applaud the friendly, caring corporate culture. Annual summits and weekly “company sync” events keep employees abreast of finances, direction, and other corporate news. A formal DEI policy includes a Culture Committee tasked with “making every voice matter.” The company provides free software to equity retailers.


Grasslands-
Grasslands staffers enjoy an afternoon mezcal toast at the agency’s new headquarters in Denver, where a thirty-bottle mezcal collection is available to colleagues, clients and partners.

Grasslands

HQ: Denver
FOUNDED: 2016
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 26-50
MyGrasslands.com

Employees receive a surprisingly robust suite of benefits for a company of this size. In addition to the standards, Grasslands provides 100-percent employer-funded short- and long-term disability insurance, matching contributions to retirement plans, and paid volunteer days. The DEI policy includes a diversity-in-marketing paid internship that comes with a housing stipend. The agency funds monthly donations to nonprofits chosen by employees and provides pro bono services to environmental and social organizations.


GreenBroz Inc.

HQ: Las Vegas
FOUNDED: 2012
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
GreenBroz.com

GreenBroz offers a comprehensive benefits package with some unusual perks: bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and a paid holiday from December 24 through January 1. The company’s DEI plan is reflected in its people, who from the top down are international and diverse in gender identity, ethnicity, and culture. Employees are particularly fond of the creative freedom the company offers and a “no idea is a waste of time” philosophy. GreenBroz sponsors the Hero Grown Foundation and provides disaster relief to impacted cannabis communities.


GrowSpan Greenhouse Structures

HQ: South Windsor, Connecticut
FOUNDED: 1979
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
GrowSpan.com

Employees say GrowSpan’s corporate culture encourages them to stick around, some for decades. In addition to traditional benefits including 401(k)s; health, dental, vision, and life insurance; and paid medical and family leave, the company offers an educational assistance program that helps team members grow professionally. Workers also enjoy wholesale club memberships, employee discounts, and work-from-home options, as well as numerous on-site and off-site gatherings. The company supports the American Red Cross and Food Share.


Grupo-Flor
Grupo Flor

Grupo Flor

HQ: Salinas, California
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
GrupoFlor.com

Grupo Flor employees receive an impressive list of benefits, including flexible schedules, paid medical and family leave, company-funded life insurance, an employee assistance program, and a 25-percent product discount. The company promotes from within, and its “High Flyer” quarterly awards program rewards employees who excel in four key areas. A formal DEI policy focuses on fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of dignity and respect at work and in the community. The company supports a long list of nonprofits serving at-risk and marginalized communities.


Greenlane
Greenlane Holdings Inc.

Greenlane Holdings Inc.

HQ: Boca Raton, Florida
FOUNDED: 2005
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
GNLN.com

With a values motto of “never settle, never follow, never disrespect,” Greenlane believes in empowering its team to thrive. In addition to medical and dental benefits and paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave, the company offers family leave, stock options, flexible schedules, a work-from-home option, and free access to the Headspace app. Employee resource groups address DEI initiatives and other workplace programs. The company’s corporate social responsibility efforts favor education, including book drives and donating back-to-school supplies to students in need.


Green Thumb Industries

HQ: Chicago
FOUNDED: 2014
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 1,001-5,000
GTIGrows.com

GTI offers not only benefits common among large, publicly traded corporations but also a “promote from within” policy and a work-from-home program. Employees say the fast pace keeps them engaged with the company, their jobs, and each other. DEI is one of the pillars of the company’s “Growing for Good” social impact program and is reflected not only in staffing practices but also in the long list of nonprofits the company supports, including the Last Prisoner Project, Cannabis for Black Lives, and the National Hispanic Cannabis Council.


LUME
Lume Cannabis Co.

Lume Cannabis Co.

HQ: Troy, Michigan
FOUNDED: 2019
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 1,001-5,000
Lume.com

Lume employees say they appreciate the company’s policy of promoting from within and “substantial bonuses,” which are part of a benefits package that also includes 401(k) matching and pet, whole life, term life, and travel insurance. The company also offers paid volunteer time, an employee assistance program, and discounts on Lume products as well as auto insurance, tires, entertainment, Fitbit, and Weight Watchers. A formal DEI policy addresses hiring, compensation, and on-the-job behavior. The company supports Forgotten Harvest Food Bank and local environmental cleanup efforts.


Jetty Extracts 

HQ: Oakland, California
FOUNDED: 2013
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
JettyExtracts.com

Jetty offers a robust benefits package, but the big perk here, according to employees, is the annual Kern River rafting trip, during which the entire company is invited to camp, cook, and consume before braving the rapids in teams. Jetty’s DEI program invests not only in its own employees, but also in startup brands owned by people of color. The major corporate social responsibility initiative is the Shelter Project, through which Jetty has donated more than $1 million worth of products to cancer patients since 2014.


LeafLink

HQ: New York City
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
LeafLink.com

LeafLink’s benefits package includes all the standards with a side of unlimited paid time off, life insurance, commuter passes, access to online mental health resource Talkspace, a work-from-home stipend, and paid volunteer time. Most employees now work from home, but the company hosts monthly virtual all-hands meetings to keep everyone connected and up to date. A DEI council and employee resource groups help define LeafLink’s goals and keep all initiatives, including hiring from underrepresented communities, on track. Primary social causes include We Build Black.


Leafly Holdings Inc.

HQ: Seattle
FOUNDED: 2010
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
Leafly.com

Leafly pays 100 percent of medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance for employees and 75 percent of the premiums for their dependents. Other popular benefits include unlimited paid time off, parental leave, a monthly cell phone allowance, and a $1,200 annual home-office stipend. The company’s DEI roadmap focuses not only on hiring, training, compensation, and corporate culture, but also on designing products “through an equity lens.” Leafly invests in The Social Justice + Engineering Initiative and the Last Prisoner Project.


Legion of Bloom

HQ: Santa Rosa, California
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
TheLegionOfBloom.com

Significant paid time off, a pet-friendly environment, a work-from-home program, and flexible schedules top the list of employee-favorite benefits at family-owned Legion of Bloom, but the real standout is a quarterly grant program that funds one employee’s community, ecological, or personal growth goals. The company promotes from within and “hires humans based on their qualifications, not their identities.” The Legion Cares Environmental Giveback Program is working to save the monarch butterfly and helping One Tree Planted reforest areas decimated by wildfires.


Mattio Communications

HQ: New York City
FOUNDED: 2004
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 26-50
Mattio.com

Mattio Communications’ benefits package includes health club memberships and unlimited paid time off. During the pandemic, the company initiated a work-from-home option, free mental health services, and Zoom activities including cocktail-making classes and sound baths. Mattio hosts an annual triathlon benefiting Last Prisoner Project and also makes monthly donations to a rotating group of social justice, environmental, and disaster-relief organizations. The company’s primary DEI initiative, Mattio Voices, offers pro bono services and fundraising assistance to BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disability advocates.


MCR Labs

HQ: Framingham, Massachusetts
FOUNDED: 2013
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
MCRLabs.com

MCR Labs includes health club memberships, monthly lunch events, branded merchandise, and quarterly bonuses in a long list of benefits. In addition to directing hiring and vendor selection, the company’s DEI policy establishes a diversity committee that guides charitable contributions and internal policies.Employees applaud management’s “willingness to choose the right actions over profitable actions,” especially with regard to workplace safety and ethical business practices. MCR Labs donates $3,000 per quarter to social equity and empowerment groups.


Native Roots Cannabis Co.

HQ: Denver
FOUNDED: 2010
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
NativeRootsCannabis.com

In addition to the usual benefits, Native Roots offers bonuses and a “mountain lifestyle stipend.” Even part-timers receive paid time off. Employees appreciate the family-oriented corporate events, dog-friendly workplace, substantial merchandise discounts, and potential for upward mobility. (More than 80 percent of jobs are filled from within.) A formal DEI policy is updated annually and incorporates both an employee-led DEI committee and a mandate for training all employees about unconscious bias. The company financially supports organizations that address hunger, vulnerable populations, and environmental issues.


papa barkley
Papa & Barkley

Papa & Barkley

HQ: Eureka, California
FOUNDED: 2015
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
PapaAndBarkley.com

Papa & Barkley provides a robust suite of benefits, but the staff favorite is Papa Unplugged Weekends: quarterly five-day company-wide closures during which employees are paid not to work or check email. Monthly all-hands meetings keep corporate operations transparent, and DEI initiatives include sensitivity training and educational support for workers who lacked opportunities prior to joining the company. P&B invests in environmental, healthcare, and educational organizations in addition to the Human Rights Campaign, Stop AAPI Hate, and BEAM.


Prime-Leaf
The Prime Leaf

The Prime Leaf 

HQ: Tucson, Arizona
FOUNDED: 2012
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
ThePrimeLeaf.com

In addition to the usual offerings, The Prime Leaf provides paid bereavement leave, bonuses, education reimbursement, and paid volunteer hours. 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 an LGBTQ safe space. A particularly interesting twist: Annual performance reviews ask workers to rate their employer, not the other way around.


Parallel

HQ: Atlanta
FOUNDED: 2014
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 1,001-5,000
LiveParallel.com

Seventy percent of vacancies are filled internally at Parallel, which offers a long list of benefits including a suite of life assistance and mental health programs and an employee relief fund that provides grants to ease financial hardship. The company’s DEI program is among the most comprehensive in the industry: Employee resource groups like Black Empowerment Network and Pride@Parallel help shape internal and external policy, and a diversity council meets quarterly to review progress and identify additional opportunities. Parallel Cares matches donations to each employee’s charity of choice.


pax
PAX Labs

PAX Labs

HQ: San Francisco
FOUNDED: 2017
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 101-250
PAX.com

PAX offers a loaded benefits package with extras including an employee assistance program that provides legal services (among other things), a generous cell phone/internet stipend, and once-a-month lunch reimbursement. Employee resource groups form the core of the “Diversity & Inclusion at PAX” program, which supports diverse constituencies and keeps the company’s inclusiveness policies on track. The company provides financial resources to organizations driving equity, justice, and inclusion inside the cannabis industry and within consumer communities.


Prospiant

HQ: Cincinnati
FOUNDED: 2001
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
Prospiant.com

Prospiant offers a generous benefits package to begin with, but during 2020 the company added a truly spectacular perk: Hourly workers received 160 hours of paid leave to take care of loved ones affected by COVID-19. Anyone who did not use the benefit received a lump-sum payment at the end of the year. A primary DEI goal is a 50-percent diverse workforce by the end of 2021. Prospiant supports local food banks, Ronald McDonald House, St. Jude Hospital, Make a Wish, and Habitat for Humanity International.


SC Labs

HQ: Santa Cruz, California
FOUNDED: 2010
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
SCLabs.com

In addition to a loaded benefits package, SC Labs provides perks like ergonomic desks, branded swag, accelerated promotions, and an enviable training program. A shared sense of identity, collaboration, unity of will, and personal investment in each other’s well-being drive the company’s DEI program. Supporting social equity initiatives and community is a core value demonstrated by ongoing relationships with organizations including Minority Cannabis Business Association, Santa Cruz Homeless Garden Project, This is Our Dream, Operation EVAC, Native Americans in Science, and Save Our Shores.


Treez

HQ: San Francisco
FOUNDED: 2016
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
Treez.io

Treez offers a full slate of traditional benefits plus flexible time off, quarterly outside-the-office team-building activities, and an annual stipend for professional education and training. The company’s workforce is 40-percent female and/or non-White, partially because the organization is committed to recruiting from underrepresented populations. The DEI policy mandates frequent evaluation of the corporate culture, hiring practices, and training so adjustments can be made to increase representation and morale. Treez financially supports The Weldon Project, a nonprofit selected by “an overwhelming majority” of the company’s team.


Vertosa 

HQ: Walnut Creek, California
FOUNDED: 2018
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 26-50
Vertosa.com

For a relatively small, private company, Vertosa offers a long list of perks and benefits, including unlimited paid time off, paid parental leave, employer contribution to health savings accounts, financial planning assistance, gym membership reimbursement, and cell phone reimbursement. Vertosa’s Culture Club, an employee-led initiative, supports a well-defined DEI policy, individual and team volunteerism, mentorship, team outings, a buddy system, and monthly coffee chats. Among the company’s designated causes are Last Prisoner Project, Momentum, Cannabis for Black Lives, and This is Our Dream.


Vireo Health Inc. 

HQ: Minneapolis
FOUNDED: 2014
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Public
EMPLOYEES: 251-500
VireoHealth.com

Vireo is a union shop, so benefits are well-defined and comprehensive; the company added “paid time off with a purpose” to the list to encourage volunteerism. More than 41 percent of workers identify as a minority, and the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council actively promotes social justice and equality not only at work but also in local communities. Employees receive performance reviews and salary increases every six months. The organization invests in expungement clinics, the Last Prisoner Project, and Minorities for Medical Marijuana.


wana-brands-1
Wana Brands

Wana Brands 

HQ: Boulder, Colorado
FOUNDED: 2010
PUBLIC/PRIVATE: Private
EMPLOYEES: 51-100
WanaBrands.com

Wana Brands offers a robust benefits suite, but the standout is the Wana Help Fund. Funded by employee donations matched dollar for dollar by the company, the program provides financial assistance to employees during personal or family crises. Employees also receive bus passes, pet insurance, financial coaching, bonuses, and educational reimbursement. A formal DEI policy addresses not only Wana’s workplace but also how the company can influence the industry. Wana invests in causes including food insecurity, homelessness, domestic violence, and social justice.



Small But Mighty Businesses

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 scrappy “little guys” that offer their staff robust (if not comprehensive) packages, some with unique options like pet parent leave, an uncommon devotion to mental and physical health, and special accommodations for new moms.


baked-bros
Baked Bros

Baked Bros 

HQ: Phoenix
FOUNDED: 2014
BakedBros.com

Mental and physical health benefits top the list of favorites at Baked Bros. All workers receive mobility training and are encouraged to participate in weekly whole-team sessions. The company also provides mindfulness meditation training and allows time for employees to meditate daily. Baked Bros supports a variety of local causes, including veterans groups and breast cancer patients.


Bhang
Bhang

Bhang 

HQ: Las Vegas
FOUNDED: 2010
BhangNation.com

Bhang outfits home offices for its employees, all of whom work from home. Employees say they enjoy the collaborative environment the company nurtures with frequent team-building and “bonding” events. They also appreciate accessible management and corporate transparency. The company is proactive about sustainable packaging and supports the Last Prisoner Project.


Binske
Binske

binske

HQ: Los Angeles
FOUNDED: 2016
binske.com

binske provides a respectable list of benefits and is generous with merchandise and product samples. What really excites employees, though, is the culture: The company is composed of a widely diverse group, all of whom the company embraces and empowers, according to workers. Binske financially supports co-ops formed by indigenous cacao farmers in Latin America.


Dr. Dabber

HQ: Las Vegas
FOUNDED: 2013
DrDabber.com

In addition to an impressive list of traditional benefits, Dr. Dabber provides a catered lunch every Friday and donuts and bagels for breakfast. A team-building game each morning puts “everyone in a good mood and exercises our minds,” employees say. The company also gifts the employee of the month a $150 Visa gift card.


Lavinia 

HQ: Beverly Hills, California
FOUNDED: 2019
OhLavinia.com

Founded by a woman, Lavinia takes female workers’ needs and desires seriously. In addition to some traditional benefits, the pet- and family-friendly company offers daycare and provides a comfortable space for new mothers to breastfeed. The company focuses philanthropic efforts on clothing and food drives for at-risk populations, and employees volunteer at domestic violence shelters.


NisonCo

HQ: East Brunswick, New Jersey
FOUNDED: 2013
NisonCo.com

Among the favorite benefits at NisonCo are “pawternity” leave; a completely funded, comprehensive insurance program; and a four-day work week during the summer. The company collaborates with the Last Prisoner Project on a re-entry hiring program for formerly incarcerated people and supports other nonprofits that advocate for equity and social justice.

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