LIMERICK, Ireland 
– Cook Medical has won the Best Employer Award: People & Culture Excellence, at the Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards, which were held at the Limerick Strand Hotel, on Friday November 14, 2025.
The People & Culture Excellence Award recognises businesses that excel in employee well-being and development, taking into consideration work-life balance, employee health programmes, career development, employee engagement, and continuous improvement in employee benefits.
Commenting on the award, Carla DiBenedetto, HR director EMEA at Cook Medical, said, “Our people are our greatest asset and we put them at the centre of everything we do. We are proud of our workplace culture built on integrity, respect, and inclusion, where every employee feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. To have this recognised by The Limerick Chamber, for the Best Employer Award: People & Culture Excellence, is incredibly rewarding for all of us.”
Cook Medical fosters a people-focused workplace culture. We are determined to create an inclusive and supportive environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential within Cook.
We provide resources and benefits to help our employees achieve their personal and professional goals while actively working to remove any barriers that stand in their way.
More about our programs
What makes Cook Medical a best employer in Limerick?
- Retention & Culture: Employees join and stay because of our supportive culture and career growth initiatives like My Cook Pathway, which connects people to education, wellbeing, and advancement resources.
- Flexibility: Hybrid work, adjustable start times, and policies that promote work-life balance.
- Recognition: Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Companies in Ireland 2025 for career growth and supportive culture.
- Unique Atmosphere: Visitors notice warmth, camaraderie, and belonging—built on respect and shared purpose.
How does Cook create a positive experience for your team?
- Core Values: Integrity, transparency, respect, and community guide decisions and interactions. Celebrated through Values Awards.
- Inclusive Culture: 94% say diverse people work well together; 89% feel respected (surveys). Inclusion is strategy-driven, not a side initiative.
- Employee Voice: 300+ feedback actions since 2022; annual My Cook Voice survey shapes improvements.
- Engagement: Monthly activities, festive events, and service milestone celebrations.
- Leadership: Leaders model inclusion, listen actively, and prioritize wellbeing. Open dialogue via Let’s Talk Cook sessions and open-door policy.
How does Cook support employees’ wellbeing and personal needs?
- Hybrid Model: Up to 4 remote days weekly, 4 fully remote weeks annually, plus various leave types.
- Right to Disconnect: Encourages healthy boundaries.
- Mental Health Support: 40 trained Mental Health First Aiders, resilience training, and awareness events.
- Wellness Resources: On-site gym, subsidized classes, annual Health & Wellness Week, and year-round sessions on menopause, nutrition, and financial planning.
How does Cook support employee growth and development?
- Structured Development: Comprehensive induction and My Cook Pathway for career planning.
- Training & Education: External courses, Tuition Assistance for accredited programs (192 qualifications since 2018), and thousands of free online courses via Cook Learn.
- Career Clarity: Job architecture framework and Individual Development Plans (IDPs).
- Continuous Improvement: CI Academy, mentoring, Buddy Program
What’s working at Cook Medical to improve impact and innovation for employees?
- Retention: 96.29% retention rate; nearly half have 10+ years of service.
- Engagement: 84% feel engaged; 85% intend to stay. Feedback drives communication and improvements.
- Recognition: 873 peer acknowledgments in 2024; awards for improvements and milestones.
- Safety & Sustainability: Good Catch, Great Save program, BBS training, and initiatives like Cook Style Swap.
- Connection & Innovation: Summer Series activities and departmental expos for cross-functional learning.
How does Cook ensure employees are treated fairly and respectfully?
- Policies & Standards: Global Labour Standards, Equal Opportunities, and Dignity at Work policies.
- Bias Training: Annual unconscious bias and hiring bias training for managers.
- Transparency: Internal recruitment and multiple feedback channels.
- Ethics & Compliance: Anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and privacy practices. Quarterly ethics training and 24-hour helpline for anonymous concerns.
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About Cook Medical
At Cook Medical, we are passionate about making unique, quality medical devices and connecting with people to improve lives. Founded on inventing, manufacturing, and delivering medical devices, we provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to help their patients return to living.
Our commitment to innovation involves bringing new products to market and keeping existing products relevant to a changing healthcare landscape. We believe in using our business to help people and communities thrive by creating inclusive, supportive, and healthy environments.
We are proud of our history of innovative firsts and the impact we have on patients and communities. With headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, and manufacturing facilities and offices in various global locations, we challenge ourselves to maintain a global perspective while focusing on local impact.
Follow Cook Medical at CookMedical.eu and on LinkedIn.
About Cook Limerick
Cook Medical has been in Limerick since 1996, starting out with labelling and distribution and steadily growing and evolving to include manufacturing, centralisedcustomer support, and collaborative product development in the Innovation Centre. The Ireland location is our European headquarters and houses our EMEA Support Centre. This location currently employs nearly 1,000 people and manufactures 10% of Cook’s products for global markets.