A total of 194 Queen’s Awards have been announced this year, representing the largest number awarded in 44 years of the scheme. Previously, the record number of Awards made in a single year was 175, back in 1990.
Among this year’s winners from the safety and security sectors are:
Security companies play their part
Overall, 135 companies have won Awards for International Trade, 49 for Innovation and ten for Sustainable Development. In addition, 11 individuals have received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion (QAEP) for their inspiring efforts to encourage UK entrepreneurship.
The full list of winners can be found on the Queen’s Awards web site. Click the link provided on the right hand panel of this page.
As ever with The Queen’s Awards, winning firms cover a vast range of business sectors including architecture and design, building and construction, motoring and transport, electronics and technology, manufacturing and engineering, law and finance, tourism and leisure, medical and pharmaceuticals, food and drink, oil and gas, media and marketing, metals, plastics and packaging, safety and surveillance, printing, recycling, logistics, utlities and many more besides.
Those companies range from enterprising small businesses with as few as two employees to a firm employing 20,000 people.
The view from Government
Speaking about this year’s scheme, business minister Lord Mandelson commented: “I heartily congratulate all today’s winners of The Queen’s Awards. These inspirational firms have proven that they’re among Britain’s very best businesses. They are flying the flag for British enterprise, innovation and corporate responsibility, both here and abroad.”
Lord Mandelson added: “They have achieved the UK’s most prestigious standard of business excellence, and set the standard for other businesses to follow as they help lead Britain out of this recession.”
The view from The Royal Family
The UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, His Royal Highness The Duke of York, said: “I’m delighted to see so many companies applying for, and winning, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year. Over the years, I’ve visited many Queen’s Award winning firms, and have seen first hand just what a boost this Award brings to their business and their employees.”
His Royal Highness concluded: “My sincere congratulations to this year’s record haul of winners, and the individual recipients of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion, for their exceptional achievement in gaining this prestigious Award.”
The view from Trade and Investment
Adding his words of encouragement and congratulations, Minister for Trade and Investment, Lord Davies of Abersoch, stated: “A Queen’s Award for Enterprise is an internationally-recognised symbol of business success. It’s a standard to which I believe all good businesses should aspire. Past International Trade winners consistently tell us how their Award has helped open new doors for their company overseas. The fact that more firms than ever are now applying for The Queen’s Award shows what a remarkably valuable endorsement this Award continues to be around the world.”
Winners of The Queen’s Awards enjoy widespread publicity, a company visit by a Royal representative during the year to present a crystal bowl and a special reception at Buckingham Palace in July. They’re also entitled to use The Queen’s Award emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for a period of five years as a symbol of their quality and success.
If you know your history…
The Queen’s Awards were originally established in 1966, when they were known as The Queen’s Awards to Industry. In 1976, they were replaced by two separate Awards – ‘The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement’ and ‘The Queen’s Award for Technological Achievement’. A third Award was added in 1993 – ‘The Queen’s Award for Environmental Achievement’.
In 2000, the Awards were renamed The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the three categories changed to International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion was added in 2004.
