mg Magazine’s second annual Top Employers report celebrates exceptional workplaces and the people behind them. Each year, during a long, exacting process, hundreds of nominations are painstakingly reviewed to single out the best and brightest the cannabis industry has to offer. To be eligible, companies must have participated in the industry for more than one year, be headquartered in the United States or have a U.S. divisional headquarters, and employ a minimum of ten full-time staff members. Finalists are chosen based on a number of factors including employee satisfaction, benefits and perks, company culture, social responsibility, and charitable giving. 

This year’s competition was a close race with finalists boasting a plethora of exceptional characteristics. The honorees span every facet of the industry, with 32 percent whose primary business lies in cultivation and horticulture, 30 percent in product manufacturing, 14 percent in technology, 8 percent in science and labs, 6 percent in media, 2 percent in retailing, and the remaining 8 percent in ancillary services and other categories. The range of finalists’ longevity increased dramatically over 2018 numbers with the emergence of seasoned mainstream businesses entering the market; one company was founded in 1943. Also noteworthy and indicative of the industry’s maturation: 24 percent of honorees are publicly traded, with many offering stock options within their benefits packages. 

The cannabis industry has seen a great number of successes and a fair amount of strife since its inception, but perhaps the most challenging obstacle it has faced to date is the e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury (EVALI) epidemic that began spreading in summer 2019. An immediate—and uncharacteristically rash—response from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned the public vaping could be dangerous and to avoid all vaping devices, regardless their origin. The action has had a devastating financial impact on the entire industry, resulting in large-scale layoffs. Several companies initially qualified for this year’s list, but the unforeseen consequences of the EVALI outbreak resulted in their disqualification. We sympathize with these businesses and are optimistic they will recover soon and be back in the rankings again next year. 

The following fifty companies represent the best of cannabis employers. They understand our industry must rise to meet the demands of mainstream corporate culture while maintaining the spirit, goodwill, and compassion sewn into the heritage of American cannabis. 

To them, we tip our hats.

4Front Ventures

HQ: Phoenix
Founded: 2011
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

Attracting and retaining talent is a top priority at this publicly traded company and “doing so starts with paying [its] employees living wages.” Regular checkups are conducted to ensure salaries remain on par with “similarly situated positions in other industries.” On top of fair pay, the company covers 100 percent of its staff’s health and life insurance premiums, provides paid training, offers a 50-percent product discount in its retail stores, and encourages career growth.

Advanced Nutrients

HQ: Los Angeles
Founded: 1999
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

In addition to medical and dental insurance and a 401(k) retirement plan, Advanced Nutrients provides catered meals, unlimited daily coffee and snack service, ergonomic workstations, subsidized gym memberships, team outings, special reward programs, and complimentary products. The company is developing a program to teach team members how to grow and nurture their own cannabis. Its Humanity Heroes initiative annually provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in assistance to the homeless in and around Los Angeles.

Akerna (formerly MJ Freeway)

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2010
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: No

Publicly traded Akerna pays 100 percent of employees’ medical, dental, and vision insurance in addition to offering more than fifteen vacation days per year and flex-time schedules to encourage work/life balance. A collaborative corporate culture is heavily influenced by an initiative aimed at empowering women in the workplace. The One Woman Challenge, launched inside and outside the industry, encourages mentoring women, and the company’s C-suite team devotes significant time to the endeavor.

Anresco Laboratories

HQ: San Francisco
Founded: 1943
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Family owned and operated since its founding in 1943, Anresco extended its services to cannabis in 2017. With tenured benefits like a one-year retention bonus, semi-annual performance reviews and bonuses, and increasing paid time off based on years of service, loyalty is key—especially since the company “promotes almost exclusively from within.” Employees enjoy 100-percent covered Kaiser health plans, dental and vision reimbursement, daily breakfast and snacks, monthly lunches, and nine paid holidays yearly.

Apeks Supercritical

HQ: Johnstown, Ohio
Founded: 2001
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

An atmosphere of transparency “helps foster a sense of commitment and camaraderie” throughout this company, where monthly employee meetings keep everyone abreast of pertinent information like financials, the state of the company, future plans, and product innovations. The company hosts an annual gift drive for the American Legion and supports local charities and animal rescue organizations. Rewards are given to peer-nominated employees for going “above and beyond their job description.”

Baked Bros

HQ: Phoenix
Founded: 2014
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

Employees tout the company’s culture of personal betterment and professional development, “founders [who] have a true passion for the community,” and a company-wide drive to “change the negative stigma surrounding cannabis.” Each month the team makes sandwiches and personal hygiene packs for Change Society’s #LunchBag program and delivers them to those in need. Perks like team meals, group activities, concert tickets, and product discounts combined with benefits like paid training and self-help workshops add to employee satisfaction.

BDS Analytics Inc.

HQ: Boulder, Colo.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

Despite mainstream benefits like 100-percent paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; company-matched 401(k) with immediate vesting; stock options; and fifteen days paid time off annually, employees say they feel empowered by an atmosphere they consider more startup than corporate. Onsite classes including yoga and dispensary discounts are plusses. Volunteerism and community outreach include feeding the hungry and other organized acitivites in the greater Boulder/Denver area along with mentoring local students and graduates.

Bloom Farms

HQ: Oakland, Calif.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Nationally recognized for social and environmental responsibility, Bloom Farms is driven by two core values: “give something amazing back” and “be good to everyone, including yourself.” Among its many charitable programs, BF provides a healthy meal to a needy individual for each of its products sold. The company boasts a diverse, inclusive culture and offers a standard health benefits package as well as unlimited paid time off, performance bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and stock options.

Boveda Inc.

HQ: Minnetonka, Minn.
Founded: 1997
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

A commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty, hunger, and addiction heavily informs the company’s culture and financial generosity. Boveda offers flexible work schedules, bonus paid time off during holiday weeks, 401(k) matching after six months, a $75 monthly phone allowance, and contributions toward health insurance premiums. Afternoon happy hours are frequent, as are onsite barbeques, potluck lunches, and educational “lunch-and-learns.” The company’s family-like environment is reflected in showers for new “Boveda babies.”

Caliva

HQ: San Jose, Calif.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

Founded on the tenet “happy plants make happy people,” Caliva’s team comprises passionate, happy employees who strive to bring the power of plants to customers and community. As part of its commitment to social equity, the company supports the Clear My Record program and local initiatives that empower communities and champion the rights of children and families. Staff enjoys product discounts, quarterly swag giveaways, an employee referral program, dog-friendly corporate offices, and stock options.

Canndescent

HQ: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

In a “fun-oriented culture” with opportunities for learning and growth—45 percent of employees earn promotions within their first six months—Canndescent says its people make the company special. Staff receives a comprehensive perks and benefits package that includes a monthly stipend toward medical costs; 100-percent covered premiums for dental, vision, and life insurance; equity in the company; product and gym membership discounts; and a 401(k) plan.

Cova Software

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2016
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Among the most expansive benefits and charitable giving programs on this list: Each employee is provided one paid-time-off day per quarter to volunteer, company retreats include “giveback days” in exotic locations, and fund drives receive matching donations. An innovative “buy your own birthday” time-off program costs participating employees $50, which is donated to Free the Children. In addition to benefits including flex time and stock options are bereavement leave and six months of new-parent leave at 70-percent salary.

Cresco Labs

HQ: Chicago
Founded: 2013
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: No

Competitive pay, a comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), stock options, and more than fifteen days PTO yearly paired with perks like casual dress code, flexible schedules, daily lunch stipends, and ergonomic workstations attract top-notch leadership from Fortune 500 companies to publicly traded Cresco Labs. Staff is compensated six days yearly for time spent doing volunteer work, and Cresco’s new Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) program aids those negatively impacted by the war on drugs.

Curaleaf

HQ: Wakefield, Mass.
Founded: 2010
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

Curaleaf is the largest pure-play cannabis company in the United States with more than twenty locations nationwide, employing more than 200 full- and part-time employees. Benefits and perks vary by location. Committed to the betterment of the communities in which its entities are located, the company leads local food drives and blood drives, supports schools by paying off students’ lunch bills and installing vape detectors, and donates to local veterans’ organizations.

Flowhub

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2015
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: No

Core values—honesty, transparency, and inclusivity—drive the culture at Flowhub. From the C-suite down, “all voices matter.” The company encourages sharing ideas and considers collaboration essential. To ensure its open environment endures, a “culture committee” is tasked with maintaining the cultural core as the company grows. Perks include an equity program, new-hire happy hours, dog-friendly offices, flexible schedules, and free coffee, beer, and kombucha on tap.

ForceBrands

HQ: New York
Founded: 2007
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

A long-established job placement company with divisions in several industries, ForceBrands’s HerbForce is its newest branch. While the company takes pride in its employee retreats and unique team events, corporate emphasis falls on the “overall employee experience and how everything from career growth and management training to succession plans and flexible working hours come together to create a positive and productive environment.” Health and dental insurance are provided.

Future State Brands

HQ: Culver City, Calif.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Work-life balance is a top priority at Future State Brands, where employees are afforded unlimited paid time off. Management expects staff to take a least two weeks off annually, one at Christmas when the office closes down completely. Elevan paid holidays plus several half days make a total of at least thirty days PTO annually. Additional perks include company-paid continuing education, equity in the company, and a performance incentive plan that provides additional annual grants.

Green Bits

HQ: San Jose, Calif.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Green Bits offers a range of benefits and perks including telecommuting, unlimited paid time off, dog-friendly offices, and free beer and snacks. The company sponsors community-wide volunteer days and fundraisers at both its office locations, encourages employee growth inside and outside the office, and offers “programs and events aimed at employee and community elevation, and fun offsite [activities] as a way to say ‘thank you.’”

Green Peak Innovations

HQ: Dimondale, Mich.
Founded: 2016
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

An impressive list of benefits and perks illustrates a culture “where employees are engaged, celebrated, and taken care of.” In addition to the basics, the company provides short-term disability and life insurance, a 401(k) program, bonus incentives, and all required uniforms and shoes. Monthly staff lunches; regular outings, harvest celebrations, and holiday parties; and two paid days per year to volunteer or provide community service round out the package.

Green Thumb Industries

HQ: Chicago
Founded: 2014
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

Publicly traded GTI stands out because of a large commitment to social causes. Monthly Inspire Impact days see the entire staff volunteering for causes including Special Olympics, suicide prevention, Walk for Hunger, My Block My Hood My City, blood drives, cleanup projects, veterans organizations, animal shelters, breast cancer awareness, and LGBT organizations. Perks including twice-monthly happy hours, offsite events, and generous time-off policies are among employee favorites.

Greenlane

HQ: Boca Raton, Fla.
Founded: 2005
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

Employees enjoy health insurance, dental insurance, 401(k) with match, and a promote-from-within policy. Healthy meals and snacks are made daily on the premises, and two company-wide events per year feature food, giveaways, and concert-style live entertainment. Multiple charitable projects and a mandatory recycling program demonstrate commitment to the community and planetary health. Tuition assistance, quarterly company-wide meetings, team-building exercises, and weekly coaching sessions are part of the company’s training and development program.

Honest Paws

HQ: League City, Texas
Founded: 2017
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

For a company headquartered in a cannabis-averse state, Honest Paws impresses with a work-at-home policy, unlimited paid time off, promotions from within, and opportunities to transfer to divisions in U.S. territories and on other continents. Everyone from the CEO down wears multiple hats, providing ample opportunity for personal and professional development. The company is committed to environmental protection, along with diversity and workplace equality, and in 2020 will launch a foundation devoted to animal welfare.

Indus Holdings Inc.

HQ: Salinas, Calif.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

The publicly traded company provides its 300 employees with health and dental insurance, paid educational opportunities, and a 50-percent discount on its brands. “Indus is committed to supporting the communities in which its employees live and work”; consequently, the company invests in, and encourages employee volunteerism at, charities and causes including Boys & Girls Club, Mixed Roots Foundation, Rancho Cielo, AIM for Mental Health, and the Workforce Investment Board for Monterey County.

Island Cannabis Co.

HQ: Redondo Beach, Calif.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

Island describes itself as a “for-benefit” instead of “for-profit” company because it “wants to leave this world a better place.” It actively supports organizations focused on positive social change with charitable giving, team engagement, and organized volunteerism. In addition to providing health, dental, and vision insurance; paid education; a fully loaded kitchen; and indoor and outdoor workspaces, the company encourages work/life balance with frequent staff get-togethers and unlimited paid time off.

Jupiter Research

HQ: Phoenix
Founded: 2015
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

In addition to standard benefits, publicly traded Jupiter provides financial bonuses plus career education, training, and advancement opportunities to encourage long-term employment. The company hosts holiday parties, team outings to sporting events, competitive fantasy football, a stocked kitchen, and monthly happy hours. Hydraulic desks in an open workspace with abundant natural light serve employee health. The company contributes to annual water and toy drives to benefit underprivileged area residents.

KCSA Strategic Communications

HQ: New York
Founded: 1969
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

In addition to health and dental insurance, KCSA offers birthdays off, a flexible work-from-home policy, and paid days off to perform community service. Other perks include discounted gym memberships, a metro transit commuter benefit program, and team outings like cocktail hours, movie nights in the park, boat cruises, and baseball games. This year, the firm kicked off its social responsibility efforts with a company-wide day of service at a New York City food kitchen.

Kikoko

HQ: Emeryville, Calif.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Kikoko provides four-plus weeks of paid time off annually, life insurance, a stipend for acupuncture and chiropractic care, onsite yoga classes, and gym memberships. The company employs fair-trade ingredients and 100-percent recyclable or compostable packaging, in addition to donating 20 percent of net profits to criminal justice reform. Fair pay and quarterly “town hall” meetings, along with bi-annual, mandatory diversity and sexual-harassment-prevention training, contribute to an equitable, safe, and respectful workplace.

Kiva Confections

HQ: Oakland, Calif.
Founded: 2010
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

Kiva’s family-oriented culture is supported by generous paid-time-off and educational policies, a fully stocked kitchen, free products and company-hosted meals monthly, family picnics and holiday parties, fully paid maternity and paternity leave, and a nursing mothers perk program. The company supports diversity and empowerment with inclusive hiring practices, donations to LGBTQ+ charities, and funding for local equity programs. A “talent infusion strategist” and safety-and-training manager contribute to career development.

Koi CBD

HQ: Norwalk, Calif.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Koi’s Create Better Days program provides insurance and a generous paid-time-off policy in addition to a 401(k) program; quarterly company outings; birthday celebrations; use of a company recreational vehicle and vacation home; free meals; vehicles, phones, laptops, and gas cards; rewards for sales performance; and weekly professional-training and personal-development classes. A portion of pet products sales goes to animal rescue organizations, and the company sponsors benefit programs for military families.

Leafly

HQ: Seattle
Founded: 2010
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

“A career at Leafly combines the excitement of a startup, the social purpose of a non-profit, and the growth opportunities of a major corporation,” according to one employee. Benefits include unlimited paid time off, 3.5-percent 401(k) match, biweekly free lunches, maternity and paternity leave, cellphone allowance, two-to-one commuter transit benefit, and company-paid life insurance. The corporate headquarters’ commitment to environmental sustainability includes elimination of plastic bottles, energy-efficient appliances, and a composting program.

Lowell Herb Co.

HQ: Los Angeles
Founded: 2017
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: No

A dog-friendly workplace, a kitchen stocked with healthy snacks, company parties, and unlimited vacation time top the list of perks at Lowell. The company’s social equity and reparative justice programs stand out because they give special employment consideration to recently pardoned, non-violent cannabis offenders and offer a wide spectrum of resources to individuals hoping to enter the cannabis space. Lowell pays farmers a living wage and maintains a family-like culture in the corporate office.

MATTIO Communications

HQ: New York
Founded: 2004
Employees: 11-25
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

The Mattio staff, 73 percent of whom are women, describe the company as a tight-knit family with values based on trust and integrity. Perks include paid educational opportunities, gym membership, lunch-and-learn events, staff retreats, flexible schedules, a work-from-home policy, unlimited paid time off, and an employee equity program. Health and dental insurance are provided. The company is a founding donor to the Last Prisoner Project and supports Athletes for CARE.

Medically Correct

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2010
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Low turnover rates and dedication to internal promotions and career advancement foster employee loyalty at Medically Correct. With both national and international expansions ongoing, team members have opportunities to relocate and help build the company’s newest divisions. Employees cite positive incentives such as a “welcoming and open work environment,” monthly staff meals, a 401(k) program, and discounted product pricing among favorite perks.

Medicine Man

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2009
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Publicly traded Medicine Man contributes to life insurance and identity-protection programs. Employees earn paid time off for up to sixteen hours of volunteer work plus as many as 160 hours of vacation annually and receive a $1,000 bonus on their five-year anniversary. A corporate foundation donates to domestic violence prevention programs, housing for the homeless, groceries and home improvements for seniors, and food drives, and provides museum tickets and school supplies for underprivileged children.

Mile High Labs

HQ: Broomfield, Colo.
Founded: 2016
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: No

Mile High team members say their co-workers are “fun to be around,” attesting to the company’s laid-back-but-professional culture. A collaborative environment encourages innovation and empowerment, and the company promotes from within. Employees enjoy easy access to leadership, thanks to an open-door policy and an office design that houses executives among the rest of the team. Favorite perks include transportation reimbursement, a casual dress code, flexible schedules, and multiple annual parties.

Native Roots Colorado

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2009
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 20+
Paid Education: Yes

In addition to health, dental, and vision insurance, the company provides long-term disability and $10,000 life insurance and a confidential employee assistance program. Family-oriented, company-wide events, quarterly team-building activities, flexible working hours, discounts on retail merchandise, and a dog-friendly workplace are popular perks. Since 2017, the team has performed more than 1,300 hours of hands-on volunteer work and contributed more than $100,000 to local organizations devoted to medical, youth abuse prevention, and hunger causes.

Nectar Cannabis

HQ: Portland, Ore.
Founded: 2013
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

As part of its mission “to create a new kind of industry culture,” Nectar embraces diversity and promotes from within in addition to offering standard benefits plus a confidential employee assistance program, employee discounts, paid birthday time off, merit-based raises, financial support for continuing education and professional certifications, and flexible scheduling. The company encourages work/life balance with weekly team events including bowling and laser tag, in addition to holiday parties.

NorCal Cannabis Company

HQ: San Francisco
Founded: 2014
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

NorCal offers standard benefits and extensive social-impact and corporate-responsibility programs. Cannabis for Good and Pass It Forward support homelessness reduction, environmental efforts, and job training programs. The company also provides grants to communities and individuals harmed by the war on drugs and offers a mentorship program for underrepresented groups. NorCal annually awards $500 stipends to ten employees who may apply the funds to college or post-secondary education expenses.

Papa & Barkley

HQ: Eureka, Calif.
Founded: 2016
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

In addition to health, dental, and vision care, P&B provides accidental death and dismemberment coverage and life insurance, a 401(k) program, corporate retreats, team-building outings, complimentary meals, gym membership, and tickets to conferences, tradeshows, and Cannabis Cups. One in six employees is on a management track thanks to mentorship and training programs. Teams engage in monthly volunteerism with food banks, museums, and programs that benefit farmers; the company sponsors more than 100 community events nationwide per month.

Platinum

HQ: San Diego
Founded: 2014
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Father-and-son team George and Cody Sadler founded Platinum with the goal of supporting people on its team and in its communities. Staff receive equitable pay and standard benefits plus meals, retreats, and swag. The REACT social-equity program donates a portion of sales to employee-endorsed charities focused on issues including suicide prevention, veteran support, world hunger, animal rescue, breast cancer awareness, and pediatric medical care. The program highlights a different charity each month.

Puffco

HQ: Los Angeles
Founded: 2013
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Puffco provides a 401(k), a free holistic wellness program including dietary guidance and personal strength training, an onsite café, company retreats, and special events, all in a dog-friendly workplace. The collaborative environment encourages diversity in thought and belief and fosters shared responsibility, excitement, experimentation, and camaraderie. The company regularly donates a percentage of profits to community causes and hosts events that “bring communities together in a safe space.”

SC Labs

HQ: Santa Cruz, Calif.
Founded: 2010
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: No

Competitive pay and a collaborative environment that rewards employees’ views and ideas are top-of-the-list for many at this company. Competitive salaries, 401(k) matching, paid health benefits and retirement plan, free snacks and drinks, company dinners and entertainment outings, ergonomic office furniture, top-of-the-line computer equipment, flexible scheduling, monthly birthday celebrations, and company swag are among the perks and benefits employees tout. The company’s primary cause is beach clean-up.

springbig

HQ: Boca Raton, Fla.
Founded: 2014
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Among the extras here are unlimited paid time off; maternity, paternity, and family leave; 401(k) matching; weekly group activities like yoga, meditation, office Olympics, and trivia nights; rec-league sports; weekly group lunches; holiday parties with corporate gifts; work-from-home policy; very casual dress code; and an outdoor work area. Fifty percent of management is female, and the company promotes from within. The office is mostly paperless, and employees are encouraged to use public transportation.

Treez

HQ: Oakland, Calif.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 26-50
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

With core principles of knowledge, education, innovation, and pragmatism, “Treez has a fun, open, and infectious company culture” offering competitive compensation packages plus unlimited vacation, equity, work-from-home hours, and team events like happy hours, company outings, and professional sporting events. Employees value the opportunity for upward mobility, and the company helps create opportunities for non-violent victims of the war on drugs by contributing to clemency projects.

Vangst

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2016
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

“At Vangst, we know we need to get sh*t done, build upon our internal relationships, foster an inclusive environment, and always think bigger.” The company puts that mantra into action with an onsite gym and sauna, monthly lunch-and-learns, unlimited paid time off, a dog-friendly office, offsite team-building activities, and a casual dress code. Vangst partners with advocates, community-based organizations, and municipalities to address injustices of the war on drugs, support equal access, and create economic empowerment.

Vicente Sederberg LLP

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2010
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 6-10
Paid Education: Yes

Competitive salaries and a benefits package including 100-percent employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents, plus life, short-term and long-term disability for employees; a 401(k) plan with matching; generous paid time off; paid parental leave; fitness membership reimbursement; lunches and retreats; and a dog-friendly workplace are a few of the perks here. The firm contributes both time and money to social justice causes including drug policy reform and the rights of marginalized groups.

Vireo Health Inc.

HQ: Minneapolis
Founded: 2014
Employees: 100+
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

Publicly traded Vireo gives new employees three to four weeks paid time off immediately upon hiring. A flexible work-from-home policy; quarterly “all-hands meetings” comprising two days of strategic meetings, team-building, and events; a 401(k) program; and monthly innovation meetings during which employees pitch leadership their ideas for new products, services, and processes are favorite perks here. The company prioritizes gender and ethnic diversity, employs solar power at its cultivation facilities, composts all leftover plant matter, and enforces in-office recycling.

Wana Brands

HQ: Boulder, Colo.
Founded: 2010
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Wana Brands’ mission to “enhance life” guides its corporate culture, which places a premium on respect and camaraderie. The company provides tuition and continuing education reimbursement, up to sixteen hours of paid volunteer time annually, monthly social events, discounted YMCA memberships, and complimentary bus passes. Promotions from within and a robust bonus plan are favorite perks. A corporate social responsibility program in 2019 completed 500 volunteer hours working with organizations that address issues like food insecurity and domestic violence.

Würk

HQ: Denver
Founded: 2015
Employees: 51-100
Job Openings: 11-20
Paid Education: Yes

“Würk looks for people who share ideas, collaborate, and present unique solutions.” Health, dental, and vision insurance; parental leave; equity; sabbaticals; unlimited paid time off; cellphone reimbursement; and a dog-friendly workplace are top benefits cited by employees. The company’s open environment fosters growth and creativity and makes it easy to connect with team members to collaborate on projects, support one another, celebrate successes, and share failures, they say.

Yerba Buena

HQ: Hillsboro, Ore.
Founded: 2015
Employees: 11-25
Job Openings: 1-5
Paid Education: Yes

Yerba Buena pays 100 percent of employees’ health, vision, and dental insurance premiums, plus provides bereavement and maternity/paternity leave as well as bimonthly “wellness days.” A robust training program, including outside educational opportunities, is available to all team members. The company takes an aggressive approach to sustainability, employing LEDs and drip systems throughout its facilities, collecting runoff, composting green and food waste, and recycling and upcycling. Volunteerism includes planting trees, adopting parks and highways, and Habitat for Humanity.

Honorable Mentions
A handful of companies barely missed the list but earned our respect and deserve an honorable mention.

Anthea
HQ: Fort Collins, Colo. | Founded: 2017 | Employees: 26-50

CannaCraft, Inc.
HQ: Santa Rosa, Calif. | Founded: 2014 | Employees: 100+

Eaze, Inc.
HQ: San Francisco | Founded: 2014 | Employees: 100+

Flow Kana
HQ: Oakland, Calif. | Founded: 2014 | Employees: 100+

General Cannabis Corp.
HQ: Denver | Founded: 2013 | Employees: 100+

Harvest Health & Recreation, Inc.
HQ: Tempe, Ariz. | Founded: 2011 | Employees: 100+

Hypur
HQ: Scottsdale, Ariz. | Founded: 2014 | Employees: 26-50

IAnthus Capital Holdings
HQ: New York | Founded: 2013 | Employees: 100+

LivWell Enlightened Health
HQ: Denver | Founded: 2009 | Employees: 100+

PAX Labs
HQ: San Francisco | Founded: 2017 | Employees: 100+

Phylos Bioscience
HQ: Portland, Ore. | Founded: 2014 | Employees: 50-100

Sweet Grass Kitchen
HQ: Denver | Founded: 2009 | Employees: 26-50