THE PRINCE OF WALES WILL HOST A RECEPTION FOR WINNERS OF THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE AT WINDSOR CASTLE
WEDNESDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2021
The Prince of Wales will host a reception for recipients of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise at Windsor Castle. The reception will also be attended by The Princess Royal, The Countess of Wessex, The Duke of Kent, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra.
The Prince of Wales will meet with a range of diverse winners from across the UK in the fields of international trade, innovation, sustainable development and social mobility. The reception will host winners from 2020 and 2021.
Now in its 56th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winners recognised as being among the best in the country and able to use the Queen’s Awards emblem for the next 5 years. A total of 205 businesses this year and 220 businesses last year were recognised for their contribution in 4 categories:
- international trade
- innovation
- sustainable development
- promoting opportunity (through social mobility)
Winners include businesses leading the way in a broad range of industries – from agricultural technology and sustainable goods production, to innovative software and healthcare.
History of the Award
Instituted by Royal Warrant in 1965, the Queen’s Awards to Industry scheme was recommended by a committee chaired by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and the first Awards were made in 1966.
In 1975, recommendations of a review which The Duke also chaired led to the scheme becoming the Queen’s Awards for Export and Technology, with separate Awards for outstanding achievement in each field. An Environmental Achievement Award was created in 1992.
Following a review in 1999, led by HRH The Prince of Wales, the scheme became the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, creating three of the four categories that still exist today: Innovation, International Trade, and Sustainable Development.
In 2005, the Enterprise Promotion Award was created to recognise individuals who played an outstanding role in promoting entrepreneurial skills and attitudes.
A new category, Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility) was introduced in 2016 and the first winners were announced in 2017.
