CAN (ON): Canopy Growth appoints VP of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Sumayyah Emeh-Edu will be joining Canopy Growth in the newly created role of Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this role, Emeh-Edu will be responsible for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion awareness and programs across Canopy’s business and regions.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Sumayyah to Canopy Growth,” said David Klein, CEO, Canopy Growth Corporation. “We sought a true collaborator and leader to further actualize Canopy’s commitment to inclusion within the cannabis industry and equitable access to the benefits of legalization. Achieving progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives will be a journey that requires the contributions of all Canopy employees and hiring Sumayyah is a critical step in that journey.”

Bringing robust experience in both employee development and diversity and inclusion, Emeh-Edu most recently served as the Director of Diversity & Inclusion Strategy at Charles Schwab. In this role, she was charged with developing company-wide accessibility resources, workshop content and curriculum, and supporting executive-owned diversity and inclusion plans. Prior to Charles Schwab, Emeh-Edu was the Principal D&I Strategist of Embedded Consulting, where she partnered with clients such as Oracle, One Medical, NPR station KQED, and Blue Shield of California.

“Sumayyah brings a wealth of experience in both internal and external diversity and inclusion initiatives, and Canopy Growth will benefit greatly from her counsel as we continue to evolve into a workforce that mirrors the markets and communities we serve,” said Holly Lukavsky, Chief Human Resources Officer. “As we strive to advance our mission of improving lives through cannabis, which includes ending cannabis prohibition, we are excited to bring on a talented leader like Sumayyah whose experience will be essential to supporting our business and social justice priorities.”

While cannabis and CBD industries have flourished, the history of racial inequities surrounding cannabis prohibition and the resulting disproportionate social justice consequences create a responsibility and necessity for Canopy to lead in diversity, equity, and inclusion for the global industry. This commitment will be further realized through Emeh-Edu’s role, as she will be focused on ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities are reflected and measured throughout Canopy, with a priority on implementing talent-driven practices fundamental to an open and inclusive environment. Emeh-Edu is charged with providing consultative strategy and guidance for Canopy with the goal of further empowering the company to address complex business and social realities related to cannabis through a truly inclusive workforce.

“I am inspired and excited to be leading Canopy’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion and embrace this as an opportunity to enable people from traditionally marginalized groups to not only participate but benefit from an industry where criminalization has historically negatively impacted them,” noted Emeh-Edu. “I see the power of cannabis in improving people’s quality of life and am eager to work with the leadership and workforce of Canopy to co-create an environment capable of addressing complex issues while cultivating spaces and tools that instill diversity and inclusion into every facet of our industry.”