The King's Awards for Enterprise

The King's Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen's Award for Enterprise, is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation, sustainable development or promoting opportunity (through social mobility). They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses.^[1] The scheme was established as The Queen's Award to Industry by a royal warrant of 30 November 1965, and awards are given for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.^[2]

The King's Awards for Enterprise
Award logo
Awarded for	Business innovation and performance.
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	The King, on the advice of the Prime Minister
First awarded	1966
Website	www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise

Each award is valid for five years: recipients are invited to a royal reception and are presented with the award at their company premises by one of the King's representatives, a Lord-lieutenant. Recipients are also able to fly the King's Awards flag at their main office, and use the emblem on marketing materials such as packaging and adverts.

History

Every May 6, the Anniversary of the Coronation of King Charles III, winners of the King's Awards for Enterprise are officially announced in a special Gazette supplement. The Queen's Award to Industry, the scheme's original title, was instituted by Royal Warrant in 1965. It became the Queen's Awards for Export and Technology in 1975, with Environmental Achievement added in 1992. In 1999, the scheme became the Queen's Awards for Enterprise, with International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development as the categories. In 2017, a fourth category was introduced, Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility). From 2005 individuals were also recognised with the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion; that Awards was rested in 2017. In February 2023 the Awards were renamed to The King’s Award for Enterprise.^[3]

Organisations – totals

The total numbers of winners in each class each year are shown below.^[4]

Year	International Trade (Export)	Innovation (Technology)	Export and Technology (Combined)	Sustainable Development (Environmental Achievement)	Promoting Opportunity (Through Social Mobility)	Total awards
2024	161	59		29	8	252[5]
2023	78	47		15	9	148[6]
2022	141	51		31	9	232[7]
2021	122	48		17	18	205[8]
2020	128	66		19	7	220
2019	129	61		6	5	201
2018	152[9]	72		8	6	230[9]
2017	102	57		11		170
2016	150	92		7		243[10]
2015	105	24		12		141[11]
2014	110	39		13		162
2013	116	27		9		152
2012	151	50		8		209
2011	103	44		10		157
2010	95	38		10		143
2009	135	49		10		194
2008	85	42		12		139
2007	71	40		8		119
2006	90	48		7		145
2005	88	41		8		137
2004	66	39		7		112
2003	62	51		10		123
2002	85	37		9		131
2001	76	42		15		133
2000	77	32		7		116
1999	82	14		5		101
1998	115	14		4		133
1997	110	16		8		134
1996	107	16		6		129
1995	140	17		6		163
1994	139	18		8		165
1993	118	25		12		155
1992	127	38				165
1991	118	40				158
1990	126	49				175
1989	116	40				156
1988	102	43				145
1987	120	34				154
1986	114	27				141
1985	90	29				119
1984	88	23				111
1983	90	20				110
1982	91	19				110
1981	92	17				109
1980	87	17				104
1979	102	19				121
1978	107	17				124
1977	106	19				125
1976	95	20				115
1975	76	17	2			95
1974	59	19	-			78
1973	66	15	2			83
1972	72	17	1			90
1971	93	13	4			110
1970	74	25	5			104
1969	69	24	6			99
1968	60	17	8			85
1967	48	28	9			85
1966	86	11	18			115
TOTAL	4,585	1,357	55	179		6,176

Recipients – individuals

Further information: Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion

The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion was awarded to individuals. Unlike the Queen's Award for Enterprise, nomination must be by a third party. As of 2017, this individual award had been rested.

See also

• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (1980)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2006)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2007)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2008)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2009)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2010)
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2011)

References

1. "The Queen's Awards for Enterprise". The Gazette. UK. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
2. "The Queen's Awards for Enterprise". GOV.UK. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
3. "King Charles III continues Queen Elizabeth's legacy by giving His Majesty's name to prestigious awards". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
4. "Queen's Awards for Enterprise: Background_Note Annex B" (PDF). Business Link. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2010.
5. "British business excellence celebrated in second year of The King's Awards for Enterprise". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
6. "Best of British business celebrated as the first King's Awards for Enterprise Recipients revealed". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
7. "More than 200 British businesses celebrated as Queen's Awards for Enterprise winners revealed". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
8. "Best of British business celebrated as Queen's Awards for Enterprise winners revealed". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
9. "Queen's Award for Enterprise puts focus on international trade". FT. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
10. "Queen's Award 2017 deadline brought forward!". Awards Intelligence. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
11. "The Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2015", Awards Intelligence, London, 22 April 2015. Retrieved on 22 May 2015.

External links

• Official website
• London Gazette page
• Queen's Awards Magazine
• Lists of winners
• The 2018 Queen's Awards Magazine