Boost your business with a Queen's Award for Enterprise
Celebrate your success and boost confidence by entering the Queen's Awards for Enterprise (QAE), the most prestigious award for UK businesses, recognising and celebrating business excellence across the UK.
Now in its 55th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise allow winning businesses to use the prestigious Queen’s Award emblem for five years. There are four categories to choose from – International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility).
Her Majesty The Queen personally approves the winners and The Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, the Queen’s local representative, presents the awards to the winners. It is hoped that 2022 will see the return of the customary Royal Reception at Buckingham Palace for the winners (subject to government guidelines).
The closing date for award entries is looming, so don’t delay. The deadline is September 8 and all the relevant information, including the entry form, is available online.
Applications are free, and the online process is thorough but simple.
Sir Peter Field, Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, said:
“It has been wonderful to see local businesses win The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise over the last couple of years, but the awards do not have a high-enough profile. I would encourage businesses to shake off the shackles of lockdown and celebrate their achievements by entering these incredible awards. This is a chance to be rewarded through the highest accolade in the UK.”
To enter, go onto the official GOV.UK website
Previous Winners from East Sussex
Cheeky Wipes
Newhaven-based Cheeky Baby Products Ltd won a QAE in the category of Sustainable Development earlier this year. The company manufactures reusable baby, beauty and hygiene products.
Helen Rankin set up the business in 2011 and now employs a 16-strong team. The company has sustainability principles at the heart of its products, each providing a reusable alternative to single use baby wipes, make-up removing wipes and absorbent underwear and pads for period and incontinence use.
Its championing and support for education and charitable programmes is particularly positive, as is its high expectations and support for supply chain partners. Sustainability is at the core of the business operational and investment model, and its future strategic priorities.
“At Cheeky Wipes, we’re all about integrity and authenticity, which is what appealed to us about the QAE, rather than media awards,” Helen explained. “The application process is demanding, but manageable. We were definitely put through our paces, but I would encourage all businesses to take a look and see if there’s a category that suits them. We were over the moon to win the Sustainable Development category, it underscores everything we do and it was lovely to have this recognised with such a fantastic award.”
Cheeky Wipes is one of 205 organisations to be recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year and was selected as one of the 17 winners for its excellence in Sustainable Development.
Identity Group
Identity Group, the Eastbourne-based international events agency won the QAE in International Trade in 2020.
Identity was responsible for delivering the biggest and most high profile events in the UK including the NATO Leaders’ Meeting, the Global Conference for Media Freedom, the Get Ready for Brexit campaign; the largest deployment of personnel ever for a UK campaign and winning the Norwegian participation in Expo 2020 – the largest event ever held in the UAE.
“I am delighted that Identity has been deemed a worthy recipient of this prestigious award. It is widely considered to be the highest accolade to be bestowed upon a UK business.” said Michael Gietzen, director of Identity. “It is truly an honour and I want to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the entire team at Identity, our suppliers and our clients who have made this possible.”
SourceBMX
A major contributor to the local economy, Source BMX has gone from being a tiny little shop on the high street in Bexhill-on-Sea to the world’s largest BMX store and Europe’s biggest underground skatepark under the seafront in Hastings.
Source BMX employs over 40 people (not including the new Courtyard that is now open), with millions of sales internationally, and their international impact meant that they were able to win QAE for International Trade 2018.
“It is a huge honour to receive the most prestigious business award in the country and very gratifying to be recognised by the Queen,’ Rich Moore, co-founder, said, “It is a great reflection of all of the hard work from our team in growing the business over the past 15 years and we intend to go from strength to strength.”
Co-founder Marc Moore added: “All our staff should be really proud of this award. It amazes us every day what a small team working in the same direction can achieve.”
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