King’s Awards for Enterprise

Also known as the King’s Award for Export, this category is reserved for companies who have succeeded in growing their sales overseas, in one or more countries. In addition to including both products and services, the category requires that the organisation can demonstrate export sales of at least £100,000 in their first year of entry into an international market.

Entries must be made in one of the following sub-categories:

• Outstanding Achievement (with steep growth over 3 years)
• Continuous Achievement (with steady growth maintained over 6 years)

Criteria for Winning a King’s Award for International Trade

Can you demonstrate how your organisation is excelling in your marketplace overseas? Have you identified your new markets clearly and created a clear path to delivery of your products or services outside of the UK? And have you maintained and upheld the highest principles of social, economic and environmental activity whilst growing your market? If so, you could be a strong contender for the King’s Award for International Trade.

This category is ideal for businesses that have achieved year-on-year growth in sales, turnover, and profit, with international trade as a key driver of their success.

Get in touch with a member of the team to learn how we may support your entry to the King’s Award for Enterprise.

This category encourages innovation in organisations, specifically in relation to a product or service that is driving growth for the company as a whole. Entries must be made in one of the following sub-categories:

• Outstanding Achievement (growth sustained over 2 years)
• Continuous Achievement (growth sustained over 5 years).

Criteria for Winning a King’s Award for Innovation

Potential winners must have had their innovative product or service on the market for at least 2 years and show how this is contributing to the overall success of the business. The innovation can be disruptive in that it has never been done or created before, or it can be continuous in that it changes, builds on and improves an existing product or business model.

For example, if you manufacture a product that is readily available in your industry, but you have enhanced its design, functionality, or production process in a way that has driven higher sales, profitability, and market demand, then you have a clear case for innovation. This could include using a new material, introducing automation, or creating a unique feature that sets your product apart.

However, if you offer the same service as your competitors, but you think you do it better and you are leading the market, can you think of an innovation that you have created that has specifically led to this success? For example, have you created a bespoke software platform that is now the backbone of your organisation, or a new method of service delivery that is unique to your team? Setting best practices is not a strong enough argument alone to win a King’s Award for Innovation – you must be able to prove and substantiate how your product or service is innovative.

Ultimately, to be considered ‘innovative’ you should think about how your product, service or approach is new and unique. If other organisations are doing the same as you, then demonstrate how your product or service is truly innovative and how it has directly driven your business’s commercial success.

Get in touch with a member of the team to learn how we may support your entry to the King’s Award for Enterprise.

To succeed in this category, the company should promote social mobility programmes that aim to benefit people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Organisations should consider how they can demonstrate that their programme increases commercial success over a minimum of 2 years, including professional reputation or savings in the business.

Crucially, this award is for companies who support social mobility as a discretionary activity, rather than for companies where social mobility initiatives and programmes are their core activity.

Criteria for Winning a King’s Award for Promoting Opportunity (Through Social Mobility)

Winners must demonstrate that they have had a social mobility programme running for at least 2 years, showing clear improvement in one of the following areas:

• Work experience, career advice or mentoring for young people
• Offering non-graduate routes such as traineeships or changing recruitment practice
• Giving equal support and progression opportunities to all employees

You should be able to substantiate that the programme has improved your reputation or led to measurable business savings. By demonstrating a measurable impact on social mobility, your organisation could be recognised as a leader in creating meaningful opportunities through the King’s Award for Promoting Opportunity.

Get in touch with a member of the team to learn how we may support your entry to the King’s Award for Enterprise.

The Sustainable Development category is aimed at companies that develop products and services that have a major positive impact on the environment, society and the economy. Organisations are required to demonstrate that their financial growth has been maintained for 3 years, showing how sustainable actions or interventions can be both financially beneficial and provide a positive effect on wider society.

Criteria for Winning a King’s Award for Sustainable Development 

Winners will be able to demonstrate that with sustainability at the heart of their organisation, they have created a commercially successful business model that grows in turnover and profit, and has a strong, long-term strategy.

You might be able to demonstrate that the effective use of materials, your approach to social development, or your contribution to society has led to your business success, and in turn, demonstrates your commitment to sustainable practices. There are around 18 winners in this category each year, which is far fewer than for other categories, reflecting the relative number of entries.

Get in touch with a member of the team to learn how we may support your entry to the King’s Award for Enterprise.