New certification standards revealed at the second annual World Cannabis Congress will encourage and validate actions by members of the global cannabis industry to advance environmental stewardship, social responsibility and good governance.

The certification process was developed by EY for the 45-member organisations of the Global Cannabis Partnership (GCP) for government-sanctioned production of cannabis, and all have agreed to adhere to a new framework and standard.

"We're building an industry for the future," said the GCP's executive director Kim Wilson. "It's one thing to have a legal license to operate; earning and keeping a social license is another story. We have a long road ahead of us, but today's announcement is an important step in the right direction."

Using best practices from within and outside the industry, the Responsible Cannabis Framework (RCF) goes beyond minimum compliance with all relevant and applicable laws, articulating expectations of members for evaluating, developing, implementing, measuring and disclosing their environmental, social and governance initiatives.

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