The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of: innovation international trade sustainable development promoting opportunity through social mobility Find out if your business is eligible . What happens if your organisation gets an award If you get an award you’ll be: invited to a Royal reception presented with the award at your company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant able to fly The King’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials (for example, on your packaging, advertisements, stationery and website) given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy The awards are valid for 5 years. Organisations that got an award have reported benefiting from: worldwide recognition increased commercial value greater press coverage a boost to staff morale Find out when the award recipients are announced . Previous award recipients Read about previous award recipients .

To apply for the King’s Award for Enterprise your organisation must: be based in the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) have a good compliance record with HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) - for example, showing you pay the right amount of tax on time be a self-contained enterprise under its own management and complete its own accounts have at least 2 full-time UK employees or part-time equivalents demonstrate strong environmental, social and governance practices Your organisation can be a business, non-profit or in the public sector. Each of the award categories has additional entry criteria. International Trade To apply for the International Trade award, you must also: have made a minimum of £100,000 in overseas sales in the first year of your entry and show year-on-year growth prove that your organisation has achieved outstanding growth in overseas earnings relative to your business size and sector prove steep year-on-year growth (without dips) in overseas sales over 3 years - or substantial year-on-year growth (without dips) over 6 years Innovation To apply for the Innovation award, you must also: have an innovation that has not been sold before have had your innovation available on the market for at least 2 years have recovered all the investments made in your innovation or show that the innovation will recover its full costs in future show outstanding commercial success as a result of innovation between 2 to 5 years Your innovation should be in one of the following categories: invention, design or production of goods performance of services marketing and distribution after-sale support of goods or services Sustainable Development To apply for the Sustainable Development award, you must also: show how you’ve achieved outstanding commitment to sustainability for more than 2 years show how your organisation has built sustainability into its vision and strategy show the impact or positive outcomes of your actions or interventions You can include examples, such as showing how you’ve: developed an innovative product, service or process that has environmental benefits made sustainability an essential part of your organisation, supply chain or community Read the United Nations sustainable development goals to identify which goals are relevant to your work. Promoting Opportunity through social mobility To apply for this award, your organisation must have a programme that supports people from disadvantaged backgrounds in improving their job skills and their chances of finding work. This includes doing one or more of the following, for at least 2 years: providing work experience or careers advice mentoring offering interview and job-related training making sure your recruitment process is open to everyone You’ll need to prove the benefits for: the people you’ve supported your organisation your employees the wider community You cannot apply if social mobility is the main focus of your organisation. If you’re a training provider or educational organisation, you can only apply if you do one of the following: apply with a business have a social mobility initiative for your employees

Applications for the 2026 awards are now closed. You can create an account to get notified when applications reopen. If you have an account you can sign in here . King’s Awards Helpline Contact the King’s Awards Helpline if you need help. Telephone: 020 4551 0081 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Find out about call charges kingsawards@businessandtrade.gov.uk

2026 awards Time Step 22 October 2025 Shortlisted and unsuccessful organisations are notified 12 November 2025 Deadline for shortlisted organisations to upload commercial figures (you’ll need to get these verified by an accountant outside your organisation, who may charge you) End of March / early April 2026 Successful organisations are notified End of March / early April 2026 Unsuccessful organisations receive feedback on their applications 6 May 2026 Successful organisations are announced on the London Gazette website Summer 2026 Royal reception held for award recipients

The King's Awards for Enterprise

About the awards

The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:

innovation
international trade
sustainable development
promoting opportunity through social mobility

Find out if your business is eligible.

What happens if your organisation gets an award

If you get an award you’ll be:

invited to a Royal reception
presented with the award at your company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant
able to fly The King’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials (for example, on your packaging, advertisements, stationery and website)
given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy

The awards are valid for 5 years.

Organisations that got an award have reported benefiting from:

worldwide recognition
increased commercial value
greater press coverage
a boost to staff morale

Find out when the award recipients are announced.

Previous award recipients

Read about previous award recipients.

View a printable version of the whole guide

The King's Awards for Enterprise

About the awards

What happens if your organisation gets an award

Previous award recipients

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The King's Awards for Enterprise

About the awards

What happens if your organisation gets an award

Previous award recipients

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Help us improve GOV.UK