British enterprise is praised in this year’s Queen’s Awards
BIS unveils the winners of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2014.
The first carbon neutral construction company, a 3D animation games designer, and a company that turns waste into energy are among the best of British businesses to receive a Queen’s Award for Enterprise this year (2014).
More than 160 companies have received the prestigious awards in the 3 categories of International Trade, Sustainable Development and Innovation, as the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) unveiled the 2014 winners today (21 April 2014).
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
One of Britain’s strengths is its enterprise and I think it is important that we celebrate it. That’s why I am delighted to congratulate the 162 UK companies on winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
In recognising their outstanding and innovative achievements, and their contribution to our economy, I hope other businesses and entrepreneurs will be inspired to follow their lead.
Business Secretary Vince Cable, said:
Companies that are growing, innovating and championing UK business overseas deserve the recognition that these awards bestow.
With more than 100 international trade winners this year, it is clear that Britain is emerging as a leader in selling its quality services and products throughout the world.
Included in the winning entries are:
- Willmott Dixon Holdings, who won a Sustainable Development award for contributions to environmental improvement and economic growth as the first British construction company to achieve carbon neutrality
- Axis Productions Ltd, which creates 3D computer generated animation and sequences primarily for the video games industry wins the Queen’s Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas earnings over the last 3 years
- Chinook Science Ltd, Innovation winners who develop thermal heat treatment plants for recovering recycled metal and generating renewable energy from waste
These winners represent just 3 of the 162 recipients who have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to British enterprise. Other successful businesses include large firms such as Jaguar Land Rover and Veolia Environmental Services UK plc to much smaller enterprises, including All3Media International Ltd, Frugi and Orangebox Ltd.
The announcement of this year’s winners coincides with the launch of the 50th anniversary Awards for 2015.
Winners of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are visited by a Royal representative and presented with a crystal bowl to mark their achievement. They also attend a celebratory reception at Buckingham Palace. They can use the Queen’s Award Emblem in advertising, marketing and on packaging for a period of 5 years, as a symbol of their quality and success.
The government is committed to supporting small businesses throughout the country to provide an environment that engenders growth. This commitment was outlined in Small Business: GREAT Ambition, which was published in December of last year. To ensure small firms not only survive but thrive in the future, the Business is GREAT Britain website provides information about the range of support available from government and partners.
To find out more about the 2015 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise visit www.queensawards.org.uk.
Notes to editors
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A full press book of winners, including descriptions on all 162 business Award winners and 8 recipients of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Promotion (QAEP) is a available from the BIS press office.
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Prior to 21 April 2014, media should only approach named press contacts of 2014 Award winners about their achievements provided that there is no publication or publicity before 00.01 BST on Monday 21 April 2014. These contacts are detailed in the full press book.
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The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious Awards for business success. There are 4 categories of Queen’s Awards – 3 for business success (International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development) and 1 for individual achievement in encouraging UK entrepreneurship (The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion). Companies apply for the Business Awards, but individuals must be nominated for the QAEP.
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In a survey of Queen’s Awards winners:
- 76% reported the win had brought added commercial value to their business
- 79% of winners reported improved staff morale
- 63% of winners gained extra press coverage
- 55% reported the win had delivered new business opportunities
- 69% of winners achieved increased recognition in the UK
- 49% of winners achieved increased recognition overseas
5.The government’s economic policy objective is to achieve ‘strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries’. It set 4 ambitions in the ‘Plan for Growth’:
- to create the most competitive tax system in the G20
- to make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business
- to encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy
- to create a more educated workforce that is the most flexible in Europe
Work is underway across government to achieve these ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which the government wants the economy to travel.