Britain’s most innovative
businesses and enterprising individuals receive recognition from The Queen
Britain’s most
enterprising individuals and businesses will today attend an
evening reception at Buckingham Palace after they were announced
as this year’s winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2011.
The 156 winners, who have already received their awards, will
have the opportunity to meet Her Majesty The Queen and other
members of the Royal Family: the ultimate recognition of their
commitment to enterprise and innovation.
Before the reception, Business Secretary Vince Cable will present
some of Britain’s most enterprising individuals with the Queen’s
Award for Enterprise Promotion.
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion rewards people who
have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting the
growth of business enterprise and entrepreneurial skills and
attitudes in others – for example amongst young people or those in
disadvantaged groups.
The Government wants to promote a culture of enterprise and
entrepreneurship, to make sure Britain’s businesses are able to
drive forward the economic recovery.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“It’s wonderful to see that even with a difficult economic
climate, individuals continue to find enterprising ways of working
and helping others to establish their businesses.
“The people receiving awards today are an inspiration and I
congratulate them on their hard work and their achievement. The
opportunity for them to join the business winners and to go to the
Palace to celebrate their hard work is well deserved and I hope
they have a wonderful time.
“It’s important we create the right conditions for Britain’s new
and up- and-coming entrepreneurs to succeed and I strongly
encourage businesses to start thinking about nominations for next year.”
Anyone who has helped individuals to develop entrepreneurial
approaches and achievements with a view to starting or building a
business can be nominated for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Promotion. These activities can be both at national or local level.
Recipients will receive an engraved chalice and a Grant of
Appointment. Business Secretary Vince Cable will present these
before he, the recipients and their nominators make their way to
Buckingham Palace for a reception given by Her Majesty The Queen.
Representatives from each winning business will also be attending
the reception.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to
Ronald Batty, former Chief Executive at CDC Enterprise Agency in
Durham. Mr Batty will receive the award for his work in
establishing an enterprise culture in an area of social,
commercial and economic disadvantage. Mr Batty was chief executive
for 25 years and in that time saw over 3000 new businesses
established with a 70 per cent first year survival rate. He
organises and mentors the Durham Future Business Magnates and
organises the Durham Retail Business Awards.
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion is one of four awards
under the umbrella title of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.
There are three awards for outstanding achievement by businesses
in the categories of Innovation, International Trade and
Sustainable Development.
The awards are made annually by Her Majesty The Queen and are
only given for the highest levels of excellence demonstrated in
each category. They are judged to a demanding level and winners
receive a number of benefits and worldwide recognition.
Previous winners of the Innovation, International Trade and
Sustainable Development awards have come from a diverse selection
of business sectors, including large and small businesses.
The application/nomination period for The Queen’s Awards for
Enterprise 2012 is now open and closes on October 31. Entry is
free and forms can be completed and submitted online at www.businesslink.gov.uk/queensawards.
Winners will be announced on April 21 2012.
Notes to Editors
1. Photography: Photographs of individual winners being presented
their Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion by Vince Cable will
be available from COI News & PR on Friday 15 July on the
number below. For photographs from the Reception contact the Press
Association picture desk, or (main switchboard) 0207 963 7000.
2. The application guide explains why businesses and individuals
should apply for an award. It describes the three business
categories and individual award category, and gives information on
eligibility, criteria and how to apply. It also gives details of
the benefits of applying for and winning an award, as well as
explaining the judging processes.
3. There are three categories that businesses can enter for The
Queen's Awards for Enterprise. These categories are:
International Trade Innovation Sustainable Development
4. There is also an individual award category – The
Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion. Each
Queen's Awards category has different application
criteria that must be met before application.
5. To be able to apply for any of The Queen's Awards
categories, businesses must:
Be based in the UK – Including the Channel Islands and the Isle
of Man Operate as a business unit of the UK economy Have at least
two full-time employees or part-time equivalents Be able to
demonstrate commercial success
6. Businesses can apply for more than one category as long as
they meet the criteria for each category they want to apply for.
7. A list of this year’s winners is available from the BIS press office.
8. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Joanna Fletcher
Phone: 020 7215 5951
Joanna.Fletcher@bis.gsi.gov.uk