Publicizing Your Award

Winning an H2E award provides an incredible opportunity to get good publicity both within your facility and within your community for your environmental efforts. Often winners report that their award provided them with the visibility and high-level support they needed to take their programs to the next level. Putting in even minimal effort to spread the word can have high returns. Don't miss this easy opportunity to get positive attention!

H2E is here to help. We've developed sample press releases for you to customize and use, tips on getting the word out to help you get started, and sample results of award winner outreach to demonstrate what's possible. Take advantage of these great resources by clicking on the links below.

• Sample press releases:
• H2E Environmental Leadership Award
• H2E Making Medicine Mercury Free Award
• H2E Partners for Change Award
• H2E Partner Recognition
• H2E Champions for Change Award
• Tips on getting the word out:
• For Health Care Facility Partners
• For Organizational Partners
• Sample results of H2E Award Media Outreach:
  • Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in the Oakland Tribune
  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in the New Hampshire Union Leader
  • St. Vincent Regional Medial Center in the Santa Fe New Mexican

Some easy ways to generate positive attention for winning an H2E award:

• First, envision a goal. Where would you ideally like to see (or hear) a story about your award? On the nightly local news? On the front page of your newspaper? Based on this, develop a targeted plan for achieving your goal.
• Take a few minutes to talk to your Public Relations department about your award. Tell them about what winning your award means and the work you did to earn it. Enlist their help in contacting your local newspaper, television, and radio outlets.
• Send an internal e-mail congratulating your staff on a job well done.
• Display your award plaque in a prominent location within your facility.
• Share information about your award on your hospital’s website.
• Write a story about your award for your internal newsletters.
• Host a reception for the staff who make this work happen. Even small recognition efforts are appreciated, and can motivate further action! Invite your administration, state hospital association and department of health and the environment to your event. Take pictures and post them in your department.
• Call your local newspaper to find a reporter who writes about community health. Sharing news of your award is a great way to emphasize what your facility is doing to make your community safer and healthier for everyone.
• Take advantage of upcoming events - Earth Day and the H2E awards ceremony make excellent news "hooks" for your story.
• Has your state set recycling goals? If so, that’s also a great news hook. Tell the story of how your hospital is helping to meet them. Contact the state and your local news outlets to let them know.
• Call your local broadcast news and radio stations and let them know that winning this award would make a great story about how your organization is giving back to the community.

Be creative! Getting good press can be fun, and has high returns. Feel free to contact us for help.