Sumayyah Emeh-Edu Joins Canopy Growth as Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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Mar 31, 2021, 07:00 ET

SMITHS FALLS, ON, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy Growth" or the "Company") (TSX: WEED) (NASDAQ: CGC) is pleased to announce that Sumayyah Emeh-Edu will be joining the company 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."

About Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED, NASDAQ:CGC) is a world-leading diversified cannabis and cannabinoid-based consumer product company, driven by a passion to improve lives, end prohibition, and strengthen communities by unleashing the full potential of cannabis. Leveraging consumer insights and innovation, we offer product varieties in high quality dried flower, oil, softgel capsule, infused beverage, edible, and topical formats, as well as vaporizer devices by Canopy Growth and industry-leader Storz & Bickel. Our global medical brand, Spectrum Therapeutics, sells a range of full-spectrum products using its colour-coded classification system and is a market leader in both Canada and Germany. Through our award-winning Tweed and Tokyo Smoke banners, we reach our adult-use consumers and have built a loyal following by focusing on top quality products and meaningful customer relationships. Canopy Growth has entered into the health and wellness consumer space in key markets including Canada, the United States, and Europe through BioSteel sports nutrition, and This Works skin and sleep solutions; and has introduced additional federally-permissible CBD products to the United States through our First & Free and Martha Stewart CBD brands. Canopy Growth has an established partnership with Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable U.S. and Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which involve certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements predict or describe our future operations, business plans, business and investment strategies and the performance of our investments. These forward-looking statements are generally identified by their use of such terms and phrases as "intend," "goal," "strategy," "estimate," "expect," "project," "projections," "forecasts," "plans," "seeks," "anticipates," "potential," "proposed," "will," "should," "could," "would," "may," "likely," "designed to," "foreseeable future," "believe," "scheduled" and other similar expressions. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. Forward–looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, financial results, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward–looking statements and the forward–looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. A discussion of some of the material factors applicable to Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy") can be found under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Canopy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with applicable Canadian securities regulators, as such factors may be further updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with applicable Canadian securities regulators, which can be accessed at www.sec.gov/edgar and www.sedar.com, respectively. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this press release and in the filings. Any forward–looking statement included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by law, Canopy disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward– looking statement. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on any forward–looking statement. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation