Practice Greenhealth announces 2026 Environmental Excellence Award recipients
The Environmental Excellence Awards are the nation’s premier recognition program for environmental performance in the health care sector.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Practice Greenhealth Announces 2026 Environmental Excellence Award Recipients
Top Hospitals Recognized for Sustainability Leadership as Healthcare Organizations Report Approximately $235 Million in Annual Savings
June 3, 2026 – Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm's hospitals and health systems membership and networking organization for sustainable healthcare across the United States and Canada, today announced the recipients of its 2026 Environmental Excellence Awards, the nation’s highest recognition for healthcare organizations demonstrating leadership in sustainability, environmental stewardship, and climate resilience.
This year, 430 partner organizations submitted sustainability data representing more than 700 healthcare facilities across the United States and Canada, making it the largest awards cycle in the program's history. In total, Practice Greenhealth is recognizing 430 healthcare organizations with 538 awards across 11 areas of sustainability.
Key preliminary findings from participating organizations:
• Participating organizations reported approximately $235 million in combined savings from environmental programs in 2025.
• Projects focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated median annual savings of more than $77,000 per organization.
• Pharmaceutical stewardship initiatives generated median annual savings of more than $75,000 per organization, while organizations working to reduce plastic use reported median annual savings of $61,000.
• Medical device reprocessing and energy efficiency projects each generated median annual savings of approximately $48,000 per organization.
• 99% of participating organizations reported having an executive sponsor for sustainability initiatives.
• 99% have a dedicated sustainability professional at the hospital or health system level.
• 73% have developed and published a strategic sustainability plan.
• 97% have established sustainability targets and track progress through goals or key performance indicators.
• 66% have set public sustainability goals.
• 37% have strategic plans that explicitly include reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“The organizations recognized this year are proving that sustainability is a strategic imperative for healthcare,” said Gwyneth Jones, Senior Director at Practice Greenhealth, Health Care Without Harm. “By reducing emissions, cutting waste, strengthening resilience, and generating millions in savings, they are showing that the future of high-quality healthcare is one that protects people, communities, and the planet at the same time,” she added.
A special acknowledgment goes to this year's inaugural Top Health System honorees, Providence and Mount Sinai, recognized among the top 5% of highest-scoring and highest-performing health systems.
The Environmental Excellence Awards recognize healthcare organizations that are reducing their environmental footprint while improving resilience, operational efficiency, and community health. Notably, 16 of the top 20 hospitals ranked by U.S. News & World Report participate in the Practice Greenhealth awards program.
2026 Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award Honorees:
Advocate Christ Medical Center and Advocate Children's Hospital – Oak Lawn
Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center
Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center
Boston Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Ocean University Medical Center
HealthPartners Methodist Hospital
HealthPartners Regions Hospital
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford
Providence St. Patrick Hospital
Providence Swedish Medical Center – Ballard
Providence Swedish Medical Center – Cherry Hill
Providence Swedish Medical Center – First Hill
Providence Swedish Medical Center – Issaquah
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center
Stanford Health Care
Stony Brook University Hospital
The University of Vermont Medical Center
UC Davis Health
UCI Health
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
University of Michigan Health – Michigan Medicine
These organizations stand out for exemplary performance and innovation in sustainability, demonstrating that growing healthcare demand does not need to result in a growing burden on the climate.
Access the full list
About Health Care Without Harm
Health Care Without Harm is an international organization dedicated to providing resources, knowledge, and inspiration for the healthcare sector to help reduce its environmental impact. For the past three decades, we have been advocating for the environment and our health.
Learn more at noharm.org
About Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the leading membership and networking organization for sustainable healthcare, delivering environmental solutions to hospitals and health systems across the United States and Canada.
Learn more at practicegreenhealth.org
Media contact
Mariana Abdalla
mabdalla@hcwh.org
+55 21 99823 5563
Join Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals.
Who We Are
Practice Greenhealth is the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,500 hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada. Partnership opportunities include hospitals, health systems, community health organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, government, academic institutions, and the health care value chain.