Papa & Barkley Announces Partnership with Green Flower and GF Institute to Promote Equity and Credibility in Cannabis

VENTURA, Calf. and PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Green Flower announces an exciting new chapter in the history of cannabis education, with leading California cannabis employer Papa & Barkley, as well as its Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Guy Rocourt, set to join GF Institute (GFI), to promote the revolutionary new approach for how cannabis brands approach workforce development.

"A leading California cannabis wellness company, Papa & Barkley's consumer wellness and lifestyle products make them an ideal choice and unique fit as a Green Flower Institute Founding Member," said Max Simon, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Flower. "GFI will address many of the issues in the cannabis workforce and help employers like Papa & Barkley train and develop their employees in the necessary skills, knowledge, and credibility they need to succeed."

The GF Institute is overseen by an independent Steering Committee, composed of 30+ leading cannabis employers who approve the curricula for each job role, champion education and professional development, support social equity and community initiatives, and are committed to raising the overall knowledge and quality of professionals in our industry.

"GF Institute provides the cannabis industry with an educational framework that promotes professionalism, credibility, and equity through standardized credentials. GFI's efforts champion education as well as professional career development and support a community of individuals focused on creating a sustainable cannabis industry with equitable growth opportunities for the future," said Rocourt.

GFI is launching with 3 credentials: Dispensary Associate Certificate, Cultivation Technician Certificate, and Manufacturing Agent Certificate, to focus on the largest sectors of people growth in the industry. Each credential is 15 hours long, 100% online, and consisting of 2 units with exams at the end of each unit.

"Standardized processes are an important component of quality assurance and delivering the optimal product. As the cannabis industry continues to expand and evolve, Papa & Barkley will continue to refine and optimize our processes to deliver the best possible employee experience. GF Institute's standardized certificate program ensures consistent delivery of crucial cannabis knowledge and will be a welcome complement to our current training environment," Rocourt continued.

On successful completion of a credential, an individual is automatically granted membership to GFI. The post-graduate GF Institute community will offer its members exclusive access to continuing education content, networking and career development opportunities, and more. Additional credentials and benefits will be released in 2022 and beyond.

"The 3 pillars of GFI are: Professionalism. Credibility. Equity. As we see in other industries that have successfully incorporated this model for branding education as a positive, equalizing force that promotes career development and prioritizes employee engagement from day one of their journey, well-trained people bring professionalism, industry-adopted credentials bring credibility, and equity in cannabis as an industry is all about making sure this education reaches and impacts the people who need it most," said Gil Christie, GF Institute Chairman.

To encourage industry-wide adoption, GF Institute invites every Licensed Cannabis Operator across the United States to join this historic push to bring credibility, equity, and professionalism to our industry and become Founding Members of GFI.

For more information on GF Institute or the GFI Cannabis Credential program, please visit the GF Institute website, where visitors can download the complete program documentation, review course syllabi and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

About Green Flower:
Founded in 2014, Green Flower is the industry leader in cannabis education, empowering thousands of consumers, regulators, and professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed in the emerging cannabis industry today.

Green Flower's content and technology platform powers the cannabis programs of top universities and colleges across the country, provides customized learning and compliance solutions for cannabis businesses of all sizes, and equips individuals with the skills and credentials necessary to make an impact in the modern cannabis industry.

Contact:
Adam Summers
e: [email protected]
p: 708.223.2336

SOURCE Green Flower