The King’s Awards for Enterprise, formerly known as the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, are the most prestigious awards for UK business, designed to recognise and encourage outstanding achievements.
Covid-19 update – despite the many uncontrollable circumstances in recent months successful businesses are still encouraged to apply for Awards. Although the eligibility criteria remains the same there have been some changes to the application system to enable businesses to manually input their financial years. This means that applicants could wind back a year if their last financial year has been affected by Covid-19, storms or flooding. The Queen’s Awards team are happy to help with queries and advice, please see below for contact details.
The Award
The scheme was instituted by Royal Warrant in 1965 and the first Awards were made in 1966. Each year some 200 or so companies across the UK are successful, and each year produces a good crop of outstanding winners in Cambridgeshire. The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:
How to apply
Full details of the King’s Award for Enterprise, including how to apply may be found at www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise. The Awards are free to enter and applications are submitted online.
The process
Applications are rigorously and thoroughly vetted by a panel of experts. A shortlist of potential winners is notified during October, who are then required to provide independently verified commercial figures corresponding to those stated in the application. Winners are notified in confidence in March, and an official announcement is made in the London Gazette on 21st April, The Queen’s Birthday. Companies may apply in more than one category, and each year there are a very small number that are successful in two categories and so become holders of two King’s Awards for Enterprise.
Winners
Successful applicants are:
Winners have reported benefiting from worldwide recognition, increased commercial activity, greater press coverage and a boost to staff morale. There are also potential opportunities to work with government on developing and testing policies and initiatives.
The awards are valid for 5 years.
Help and advice
The Queen’s Award team are there to help, on 020 7215 6880 or email [email protected]
In addition, the Lieutenancy has run seminars from time to time for companies interested in applying. It may also be possible to put you in touch with other companies from the County that have successfully applied. For further information please contact the Lieutenancy Office