Closing the Gender Gap as a WBE Certified Woman-Owned Business
True Labs for Cannabis (TLC) is proud to be an analytical laboratory fully equipped from the ground-up to serve the needs of the legal cannabis industry in New Jersey. And we’re thrilled to be the first woman-owned laboratory in the Garden State solely dedicated to cannabis!
TLC has received Certified Woman Owned Business status, an accreditation awarded by the state of New Jersey that recognizes our company as a WBE owned and controlled company.
Women mean business in cannabis
Cannabis is often viewed as unique in that an entire industry is being built from the ground-up around it. These businesses, processes, and trends often take cues from other industries that have done them well, especially important in laboratory testing, where product safety protocol can be regarded as a model for a developing consumer product.
Equally important to building an industry is an opportunity to include women in C-suite positions. A 2019 survey found that close to 37% of cannabis industry executives were women. At the time of that survey, the national average in other industries was around 21%.
However, that encouraging growth in CEO positions and other C-suite offices has shifted dramatically in just two years. A 2021 survey by MJBizDaily covering minority and women leadership in the cannabis industry found that women overall held fewer C-suite positions in 2021 than they did in 2019. Another survey conducted that year by the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) and the Arcview Group found that just 8% of CEO positions in the cannabis industry were held by women.
In light of this leadership shift, it is more important than ever that women in executive leadership positions are recognized and celebrated for their skills and contributions. That is why True Labs for Cannabis is especially proud to be in a position to advance social equity in the cannabis industry as a certified woman-owned business.
About our CEO
As an experienced executive, True Labs for Cannabis CEO Sarah Ahrens brings integrity, care, and dedication to the cannabis laboratory testing space. Ahrens, who has lived in New Jersey for more than 20 years, started TLC on a mission to provide consumers with the transparency they need to feel confident about the quality of the cannabis products they are buying. It is no coincidence that TLC also commonly stands for “tender loving care.” Sarah brings her passion for safe, clean, and organic agricultural products to the cannabis realm out of her love for health and wellness.
As CEO, Sarah is fiercely dedicated to the health and safety of customers in New Jersey’s nascent cannabis industry. Fascinated by the science behind cannabis and the innovations propelling the industry forward, it’s Sarah’s mission to ensure customers can access verified, reliable, and safe legal cannabis.
“All belong here” in the cannabis industry
True Labs for Cannabis is focused on creating a cannabis industry that is representative of the diverse range of people who built it together. As members of the legal cannabis industry, True Labs embraces the fact that different life experiences bring new perspectives to the table and uplift the entire industry. That’s why True Labs for Cannabis feels strongly that “all belong here.”
Receiving WBE certification not only backs TLC’s goals as an equal opportunity employer, but further reaffirms our commitment to quality and excellence as a whole. Learn more on our Mission and Values page.