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SANTA BARBARA, CA—August 12, 2026—Great Place To Work® and PEOPLE magazine have honored Cottage Health as one of the 2026 PEOPLE® Companies that Care. The recognition places Cottage Health among organizations nationwide recognized for their workplace culture and commitment to employees and communities.
The Companies that Care list is highly competitive and is based largely on employee surveys about their workplace experience. Honorees were selected based on their ability to care for employees, families, and the communities where they operate.
Shared Governance is the foundation of Cottage’s workplace culture: employees are engaged in sharing their experiences, ideas and solutions to help strengthen the organization and the care it provides. Cottage Health also offers a range of programs and resources designed to support employees and their families, including initiatives focused on homeownership and access to child care.
“This recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the experiences of those who make Cottage Health such a special place to work,” said Cara Williams, Chief Human Resources Officer at Cottage Health. “We are proud of the culture our teams help shape at Cottage Health, and learning from employee feedback is an important part of how we continue to strengthen it.”
The PEOPLE Companies that Care list is based on over 1.3 million employee survey responses and data from companies representing the experience of more than 7.3 million employees in the U.S. Of those surveys, nearly 970,000 responses came from employees at companies eligible for this year’s list, and these rankings are based on that feedback.
Companies also submit essays that are validated by employee survey data to give a complete picture of the way an organization cares for its employees, its community, and the planet. To be considered for the list, companies must be Great Place To Work Certified™ and have at least 10 U.S. employees.
“Employees are under immense pressure, and the best workplaces are finding ways to support them in the ways they need,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “When employees feel that sense of care, they do incredible things — delivering the crucial results that grow businesses and build new markets.”
“We’re proud to celebrate companies that lead with purpose by supporting their employees, strengthening their communities, and driving positive change. Their commitment to positive impact reflects PEOPLE’s longstanding mission to celebrate stories of inspiring people whose actions create lasting impact,” said Charlotte Triggs, PEOPLE Editor in Chief.
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,833 inpatient admissions, 93,281 emergency department visits and 1,971 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center and Cottage Center for Orthopedics. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.
About the PEOPLE Companies That Care List
Great Place To Work selected the 2026 PEOPLE Companies that Care List by gathering and analyzing over 1.3 million confidential survey responses from companies representing more than 7.3 million U.S. employees at Great Place To Work Certified organizations. Of those, nearly 970,000 responses came from employees at companies eligible for the list and these rankings are based on that feedback. Company rankings are derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place To Work Trust Index™ Survey and essays submitted by participating companies. Read the full methodology.
About Great Place To Work
As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work, a UKG company, brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Its proprietary platform and Great Place To Work Model help companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified and receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces list.
About PEOPLE
PEOPLE delivers the most trustworthy celebrity news and captivating human interest stories, connecting you to the pulse of American culture. Since our first issue hit stands in 1974, we have been striving to tell compelling stories about the people behind the issues, as opposed to just the issues themselves. We are your everyday escape, taking you inside the lives of intriguing stars, newsmakers, up-and-comers, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. We serve and delight you by providing ideas about beauty, food, and style through the lens of the people influencing the trends. And we are a force for good by telling stories of hope, optimism, and kindness that drive conversation and inspire action.
