Overview

Marc Ross is the Head of Impact & ESG and co-chair of the Environmental, Health and Safety Practice Group at Vicente Sederberg LLP. He provides counseling and consulting to the cannabis, hemp, and entheogen industries on all things ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance), CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), community engagement, employee engagement, strategic philanthropy, sustainability, and other associated areas.

With a mission to drive the inclusion, measurement, benchmarking, reporting, and continuous improvement of all of these important elements, Marc draws on nearly 30 years of legal practice in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to help build more sustainable, profitable, and responsible businesses, as well as reducing potential liability from a variety of stakeholders. 

Prior to joining VS, Marc served as the director of community outreach for Harvest Health & Recreation. In this role, he oversaw a team of four in strategizing and scaling the company’s national Corporate Social Responsibility efforts while assisting with public and governmental affairs, licensing, and employee engagement. Before his work at Harvest, Marc founded and served as the executive director and general counsel to Rock the Earth, a national environmental advocacy organization that works with the music industry. He also served as in-house environmental Counsel to Alcoa Inc. and as an environmental litigator for Reed Smith and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. 

Marc holds a Juris Doctorate from The Dickinson School of Law, a Bachelors degree from The Pennsylvania State University, and Executive Certificates in Sustainability Leadership & Implementation from the Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, as well as in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado, Boulder. 

Since 2016, Marc has been a member of the City of Denver’s Cannabis Sustainability Working Group. He also serves as the corporate social responsibility mentor to Canopy Boulder, a venture fund and business accelerator in the cannabis and hemp space since 2018, in addition to serving on the advisory board to Headcount’s Cannabis Voter Project. Through his lifelong commitment to advocacy, sustainability, and social change, Marc brings a wealth of experience and passion to his work in helping cannabis businesses be the most thoughtful, responsible, and profitable in the industry.

Experience

Leadership & Community Involvement

• Advisory Board, Headcount’s Cannabis Voter Project
• Corporate Social Responsibility Mentor, Canopy Boulder
• Member, City of Denver, Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency’s (CASR) Cannabis Sustainability Working Group

Recognition

• Planet Defender Lifetime Achievement Award, Rock the Earth, 2016  

• eTown E-Chievement Award, 2011

• Featured in Denver Business Journal's "Making Their Mark" series of young entrepreneurs making an impact on their industries, 2009 

• Mimi Fishman Foundation Community Service Jammy Award, 2008  

• Richard Reeve Baxter Award, Dickinson School of Law Journal of International Law

Publications

VS Insights

• Author, "The Cannabis Industry's Environmental Compliance Conundrum," September 14, 2021

• Author, "Environmental, Social, & Governance: The Perfect Storm for the Cannabis Industry," June 30, 2021

External Publications

• Author, "ESG in Cannabis: Five Questions to Get You Started," MJ Venture Magazine, October 2021 issue

• Author, "Engagement Trends in the Cannabis Industry," National Cannabis Industry Association, July 30, 2018

• Co-author, "Forget Star Wars; Get Ready for Water Wars," The Huffington Post, January 19, 2016 

• Co-author, "Bees, Foxes & Hens: EPA’s Failure to Protect our Food Supply," The Huffington Post, October 8, 2015

• Co-author, "Give Us the Whole Truth About Fracking," The Huffington Post, August 24, 2015

• Co-author, "Tipping the Scales in Our Favor: The Fossil Fuel Divestment/Renewable Investment Model," The Huffington Post, July 12, 2015

• Author, "Climate Change and the True Wealth of Nature and Prosperity," The Huffington Post, May 18, 2015

• Co-author, "New Coal Ash Disposal Rules: EPA's Missed Opportunity," The Huffington Post, April 7, 2015

• Author, "Overpopulation: The Environmental Movement's Third Rail," The Huffington Post, January 26, 2015

• Author, "Bridging the Energy vs. Environment Divide: Colorado's Roan Plateau Case Study," The Huffington Post, December 2, 2014

• Author, "The Climate Change Game: A Two-Minute Warming," The Huffington Post, November 9, 2014

• Author, "An Argument for 'Sane' Fracking, The Huffington Post," September 17, 2014

• Author, "Bridging the Gap: Baby Boomers and Millennials Working Together for Social Change," The Huffington Post, August 28, 2014

• Author, "Where Profits Aren't Enough," The Huffington Post, May 28, 2014

• Author, "Living in a Plastic World," The Huffington Post, April 9, 2014

• Author, "Paradise Lost: Why Our Desire to Protect U.S. Wilderness Should Not Cease," The Huffington Post, February 24, 2014

• Author, "Rock the Earth: The Drumbeat for Change," The Huffington Post, January 20, 2014 

• Author, "No Smooth Sailing in Taking on Cruise Industry," The Huffington Post, January 6, 2014 

• Co-author, "The Admissibility of Scientific Evidence in Pennsylvania Environmental Litigation," 1 Dick J. Envtl. L. & Pol’Y. 140,1992

• Author, "Environmental Warfare and the Persian Gulf War: Possible Remedies to Combat Intentional Destruction of the Environment," 10 Dick J. Int’l. L. 515, 1992

Events

• Speaker, NCIA CannaVest West, "ESG, Social Equity & Justice, Sustainability Practices & Inclusion/Diversity,” San Francisco, December 17, 2021
• Speaker, Cannabis Sustainability Symposium, "The C-Suite’s ESG Perspective,” Denver, November 18, 2021
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "EHS in the Cannabis Industry: What Happens When the E stands for Enforcement?,” Webinar, November 16, 2021
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "EHS in the Cannabis Industry: What Happens When the E stands for Enforcement?,” Webinar, November 16, 2021
• Speaker, ABA The Global Business of Cannabis Conference, "The Environmental Impact of Cannabis Cultivation: Does Legalization Make a Difference?,” Denver, November 12, 2021
• Speaker, Legal ESG Summit, "One Size does not fit all: A look at ESG programs and practices from across the legal profession,” Online, October 26, 2021
• Speaker, Business of Cannabis: New York, "Socially Focused - The Framework for Dynamic New Legislation,” Online, September 29, 2021
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "Growing Greener: Navigating Environmental Laws,” Webinar, September 22, 2021
• Speaker, NECANN Boston, "E is for Environment: Exploring Environment-Related Responsibilities and Opportunities in ESG for Cannabis,” Boston, September 11, 2021
• Speaker, Vicente Sederberg LLP, "From CEP to SIP: Social Impact Plans and Annual Reports for Denver Cannabis Businesses,” Webinar, July 07, 2021