About Ethical Growth Consulting

Who we are and Why we do what we do

Our Story

E.G. was founded in 2022 by Owen Smith, whose work as a legal cannabis advocate culminated in a victory at the Supreme Court of Canada that legalized edibles, extracts and oils in 2015. Owen took his wealth of experience to one of the largest legal global cannabis enterprises where he met Social Responsibility professional and all round great guy, Steven Fish.  Together they worked to promote safe consumption of edibles and extracts, helped gain funding for environmental restoration projects and CannabisAmnesty.ca, developed a vape recycling program, and helped reduce cannabis company operational costs. 

 

As the large cannabis companies changed leadership they shifted focus away from social and environmental impact. Even with a practically unlimited budget for marketing their popularity continues to decline. 

Owen and Steve packed their bags and went back to the drawing board.

Together we have conspired to create Ethical Growth Consulting as we each believe that for a company to grow under the searchlights of an increasingly scrutinizing public, they have to grow ethically. 

 

Supported by Steven Fish, Owen Smith and Ethical Growth Consulting offer a diversity of unique experience and highly-developed subject matter expertise to help cannabis companies define their strategies and hit their targets for impact.

Meet the Team

Owen Smith

In his over two decades in the Canadian cannabis industry, Owen Smith has developed a wide range of subject matter expertise, holding various positions within compassion clubs, dispensaries, producers, processors, software companies and within the Corporate Social Responsibility department at one of Canada’s largest producers.

 

As one of Canada’s longest active cannabis advocates, Owen has written over 100 articles, produced multiple video archives and interviewed dozens of cannabis advocates for internet radio.

 

In 2009, Owen raised a constitutional challenge within the Supreme Court of Canada, RvSmith, that remains the most successful cannabis case in Canadian history, monumental in legalizing cannabis extracts, edibles, and oils for medical patients.

 

Owen holds an Associate of Arts in Sociology, a certificate in Sustainable Agriculture Design, and recently completed the Marketing Cannabis to Retail program from Mount Royal University. Owen is a multi-media artist, videographer, writer, and musician.

Steven Fish

Steven has been at the forefront of ethical business development for two decades – through his own ventures, non-profit advocacy, external advisory, and in-house leadership.

In 2017, Steven joined a publicly traded cannabis producer to help develop their global corporate social responsibility strategy.  He conducted one of the first environmental, social, governance (ESG) materiality assessments of a cannabis producer, developed board of directors’ oversight on ESG, piloted a national retail recycling program with competitors, and launched impactful environmental and social justice partnerships.

Previously Steven had served as the Executive Director of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR).  There he gained valuable insights working alongside some of the largest Canadian companies as they addressed the risks and value creation opportunities related to their social and environmental impacts.

Steven continues to serve as an Education Council Member to the Graduate Diploma in Social Responsibility & Sustainability at St Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.