Cannabis Exec Says Industry Needs Ombuds to Shape Culture

Andy Williams, founder and CEO of Medicine Man and a thought leader in the legal cannabis space, says that his industry "has a unique opportunity to set itself apart from the many mainstream industries plagued by pervasive sexual harassment, bullying and gender disparities." Moreover, he says that it is up to executives like him to proactively create healthy workplace cultures. This includes creating Ombuds programs:

Cannabis executives must also actively seek to promote gender diversity by hiring and promoting more female employees in all aspects of the business, and to create safe workplaces by establishing comprehensive human resources departments where employees’ concerns are taken seriously and acted upon. For some companies, this may even mean hiring an organizational ombudsman to ensure independent, impartial and confidential investigation and resolution of employee misconduct complaints — a move my chain of Medicine Man dispensaries is currently contemplating. 

Medicine Man is headquartered in Denver. Read more in his opinion piece. (Cannabis Business Executive.)

Related posts: Job Posting: Oakland Cannabis Dispensary; Ombuds Offices Thrive in Colorado; IOA Video Promotes Ombuds for Surfacing & Addressing Sexual Misconduct; CU Boulder Hosts Colorado Ombuds.