Employees
Company Culture
At 22nd Century Group, Inc., we have a long-standing tradition of maximizing competitive advantages in plant technology and intellectual property. The ingenuity and talent of our employees serve as a testament to our dynamic and flexible culture, drive by commitment, innovation, and stability.
These core principles have propelled us into new markets and territories, most recently demonstrated by our acquisition of the two foremost organizations in the world of hemp, GVB Biopharma and RX Pharmatech. With employees and associates based in North America, South America, and now, Europe, we represent a diverse group of highly skilled and experienced individuals and ideas. Our scientists, engineers, sales and marketing teams, operations specialists, accountants, legal professionals, and managers are deeply committed to our health-based mission and the shared vision of improving lives, reducing preventable deaths, and combating nicotine addiction. Indeed, without our talented team, we would be unable to develop our game-changing intellectual property, product science, and manufacturing capabilities. The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors ensures the oversight of human capital management, fostering diversity and empowering our employees to reach their highest potential.
Employee Standards
We are committed to maximizing professional opportunities for all employees, especially as we transition into a more operationally-focused organization. Our Employee Handbook and Code of Business Conduct and Corporate Ethics outline our expectations and ethos of creating a respectful and inclusive work environment. These policies cover topics such as conflicts of interest, confidentiality, protection of company assets, reporting ethical concerns, and compliance with ethical standards. We have established channels for employees to raise concerns and address matters appropriately, including an anonymous third-party reporting hotline.
Talent Attraction, Retention, Development
As part of our human capital management strategy, we prioritize investments in recruitment efforts. Through the acquisition and integration of GVB, all employees gain access to comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, retirement contributions, disability and life insurance, flexible time off policies, employee assistance programs, pre-tax savings accounts, mental health and telehealth services, and employee stock brokerage accounts.
We value the perspectives of our employees and actively seek their feedback through surveys and skill assessments. As we transition from a research and development era to a revenue-oriented model, our leaders are committed to employee development and curating opportunities for personal and professional growth. We provide reimbursement for external professional development opportunities and host training sessions, workshops, and mentorship programs internally. We also offer generous paid time off to honor scheduling needs and preferences, promoting a healthy work-life balance and increasing job satisfaction.
Health & Safety
We collaborate with industry and regulatory bodies to establish best practices for health and safety. Regular safety trainings, meetings, and audits ensure compliance with third-party certification standards.
Daily pre-shift meetings in the tobacco and hemp divisions promote safety awareness, and ongoing trainings address topics such as control of hazardous energy, hazard communication, personal protective equipment, machine guarding, and powered industrial truck safety. By incorporating employee feedback and involving our teams in audits, we continuously improve safety procedures.
