Hackensack Meridian Health Proudly Recognized For Environmental Excellence, and as A Great Place To Work for New Graduates

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is celebrating a wave of recent recognitions highlighting its commitment to environmental sustainability and its positive, inclusive work environment. HMH has received accolades from Practice Greenhealth for its system-wide environmental excellence, and from Forbes for being one of America’s Best Employers for New Grads 2025.

Environmental Leadership with Practice Greenhealth:

HMH is the most featured health system in Practice Greenhealth's Top 25 overall category and has hospitals represented in every Circle of Excellence award category. Three HMH hospitals – Bayshore Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, and Jersey Shore University Medical Center – earned the prestigious Top 25 Environmental Excellence Award, Practice Greenhealth’s highest honor. Hackensack University Medical Center stands out as the only hospital nationwide to receive this top award 11 times.

“Hackensack Meridian Health is committed to serving as a leader of positive change in our communities,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of HMH. “I am grateful to our dedicated team members for everything they do to advance initiatives that protect our environment and our patients.”

Numerous other HMH hospitals were recognized within Practice Greenhealth's Circles of Excellence:

• Leadership Circle: Bayshore, Hackensack University, Jersey Shore, JFK University, Ocean University, Palisades, Riverview, and Southern Ocean medical centers.
• Greenhealth Emerald Award: JFK University, Ocean University, Palisades, Old Bridge, Raritan Bay, Riverview, and Southern Ocean medical centers.
• Food Circle: Hackensack University and Jersey Shore University medical centers.
• Chemicals Circle: Jersey Shore University and Ocean University medical centers.

"Sustainability is fundamental to both a healthy environment and healthy people," says Kyle Tafuri, vice president of sustainability at Hackensack Meridian Health. "Our commitment to sustainability reinforces our leadership in both environmental stewardship and the delivery of world-class patient care."

Hackensack Meridian Health’s Practice Greenhealth recognitions closely follow the network’s latest sustainability honor, with four Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals — Hackensack University Medical Center, Bayshore Medical Center, Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Ocean University Medical Center — becoming first in the nation to earn the Joint Commission’s Sustainable Healthcare Certification (SHC).

Forbes Top Employer for New Grads:

HMH was also named to the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers for New Grads 2025, ranking as the highest health care organization in New Jersey. This award, presented in collaboration with Statista, recognizes HMH's dedication to fostering a thriving workplace for young professionals entering the healthcare industry. The selection process involved a survey of over 100,000 U.S. young professionals, heavily weighing personal evaluations from employees.

“This recognition reflects HMH’s culture, which embraces innovation, education, and a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Our recent graduates represent the future of healthcare, and we are committed to a positive, inclusive work environment,” Garrett said. HMH's efforts have led to measurable progress in increasing representation, creating inclusive policies, and implementing training programs that empower all employees.

HMH was also recently recognized as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2025, one of Fortune’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare and Fortune’s Best Workplaces for Women in 2024, and has been a Certified Great Place to Work for nine consecutive years.

To view the Practice Greenhealth awards, click here.
To view the Forbes list, click here.