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New category in the prestigious business awards to celebrate firms which have an inclusive culture.

The government has launched a new ‘Promoting opportunity through social mobility’ category in the prestigious Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, recognising businesses that promote a sustainable and inclusive culture.

UK businesses are being urged to join more than 7,000 winners of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in applying for the new award category.

The award recognises those who are playing a role in creating an inclusive and compassionate society by supporting socially disadvantaged individuals to develop their skills and chances of finding work.

There are 4 award categories and winners are announced each year in April on Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday. The categories are:

• Innovation
• International trade
• Promoting opportunity (through social mobility)
• Sustainable development

Small Business Minister Paul Scully yesterday said:

Creating opportunities through education, work and training is at the heart of our ambition to level up all parts of the UK economy, enabling people from all walks of life to reach their full potential.

Businesses not only provide jobs and skills but can also be a force for creating lasting social change, and we want to recognise that in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious enterprise awards and offer local and global recognition for businesses. They are most likely to be the only business awards in motion this year due to the disruption caused by coronavirus and winners tell us that the awards are now more important to their business than ever.

The emblem is a royal seal of approval which helps businesses to compete on the world stage with much larger companies. It offers businesses an opportunity to connect with other winners and offer help and assistance to the wider business community.

The refocus of the Promoting opportunity (through social mobility) category gives applicants a better understanding of the application process. It will enable those whose organisations’ core aim is to provide opportunities for others, and employers with a social mobility intervention or programme, to be recognised and celebrated.

It also it easier for organisations to demonstrate how they have supported socially disadvantaged individuals in improving their job skills and their chances of finding work and provide evidence on the impacts and benefits of their interventions.

Winning business are presented with the award by one of the Queen’s personal representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant. They then have the right to fly the Queen’s Award flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing materials for 5 years. They are also given a Grant of Appointment and a commemorative crystal trophy.

Apply for the Queen’s Awards.

Notes to Editors

Applications for the Promoting opportunity (through social mobility) category open on 20 July 2020. They are free to enter, and it is a self-nominating process.

To apply for the promoting opportunity award, organisations must:

• show how your organisation has supported people from disadvantaged backgrounds in improving their job skills and their chances of finding work

This includes doing at least one of the following, for at least a 2-year period:

• providing work experience or careers advice
• mentoring
• offering interview and job-related training
• making sure your recruitment process is open to everyone

Applicants will need to prove the benefits for:

• the people they have supported
• their organisation
• their employees
• the wider community