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What are the King’s Awards for Enterprise?

  • The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the highest accolade a UK business can receive.
  • They are also the only awards in the UK Honours System that you can nominate yourself for.
  • They recognise outstanding achievements in International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development, and Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility).
  • There’s no cap on the number of winners each year, and you’re not competing against other applicants. If you can show that your organisation has outperformed expectations in your sector, you have a strong chance of success.
  • The awards are administered by the Department for Business and Trade, with entries judged by industry experts, academics, voluntary sector leaders and senior Whitehall officials.

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For ambitious businesses, the King’s Award is a game changer

Winners across GM report:

  • Increased credibility with global customers
  • Stronger investor and partner confidence
  • Higher staff pride and improved talent attraction
  • Major PR, profile and export opportunities

Whether you’re a scale‑up or a sector leader, the King’s Awards for Enterprise can amplify your success and open doors worldwide. And with the official emblem for five years, you can showcase your achievement wherever your story is told.  

The application process helps you reflect, set new targets and focus future growth. Even if you don’t win first time, you’ll gain useful insights and constructive feedback to guide your next steps. 

Hear from previous King’s Award winners

Brett Mendell MBE, Managing Director, Thomas Kneale

Delivering continuous, meaningful change which enabled us to achieve the Sustainable Development Award has motivated our people to deliver more through fair pay and ethical trade, saved us money with the many environmental activities we have put in place, and helped us win new business. It has been a win‑win in every sense.

Paul H Jones, Managing Director, Anarcada

Winning the King’s Award enhanced our credibility with customers, and I suspect helped open doors — particularly in the US. I licence technology and explain legislative issues so it aided personal and brand positioning, differentiating us from our competitors.

FAQ

Yes. The King’s Award is open to businesses and organisations of all sizes and value.

There are no restrictions on a business' turnover or the sector of activity. But businesses must operate and pay tax in the UK and have at least 2 full time employees. 

As long as you meet the core eligibility criteria and can evidence strong impact in your chosen category, you can apply with confidence. Past winners have even included businesses employing only 2.5 FTE staff members. The King’s Award is not about size; it’s about substance. 

Take your time and review all four categories and think about where your organisation can demonstrate the strongest, most measurable impact.

It’s worth thinking creatively about the breadth of your activity. For example, even if social mobility isn’t your organisation's primary purpose you may still be a strong candidate for the Promoting Opportunity award if you’ve supported disadvantaged people into employment through work experience, mentoring, careers guidance, training opportunities, or inclusive recruitment practices. This category often flies under the radar, so organisations that deliver meaningful social value alongside their core work should consider whether their efforts align. Please note that organisations whose central mission is social mobility are not eligible to apply for this category.  

Don’t forget that you can enter your business in more than one category.

Absolutely. Your achievements to date will already meet many of the award criteria, so it’s great that you’re putting yourself forward. And remember, you don’t have to do this alone.

If you complete the form below, we’ll send helpful resources to support you as you begin your King’s Award journey. 

We’ve also allocated trusted advisers to each award category who can help explain the process and answer questions. If you need direct support from the King’s Awards Office you can contact them on 020 4551 0081 (charges apply). 

Mapping King’s Award success across Greater Manchester (2020–2025)

Dr Vikas Shah MBE (Deputy Lieutenant, Greater Manchester Lieutenancy)

If every borough in Greater Manchester had more businesses achieving the King’s Award for Enterprise, it would be hugely significant for our city-region. It would showcase the depth of talent across our communities and cement Greater Manchester’s reputation as the UK’s place to do business.

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Manchester has global ambitions but when it comes to the King’s Awards, our city‑region hasn’t always received the level of recognition it deserves.

We’re on a mission to change that. And with your help, we can. By supporting more local organisations to apply and succeed, Greater Manchester can lift the North West to become the highest‑ranking UK region outside London and the South East.

Every award won strengthens Greater Manchester’s position as a growing economic powerhouse and shines a light on our incredible people, businesses and communities.

The King’s Awards are within your reach

You don’t need to be a large employer to win. Businesses with as few as 2.5 full‑time employees have received King’s Awards. 

Most winners are growth‑driven SMEs, typically with around 38 employees, but collectively supporting thousands of local jobs. 

Large mission‑driven organisations benefit too. The Co‑operative Group won for Sustainable Development in 2022. Timpson Group, also headquartered in Greater Manchester, has won Promoting Opportunity twice for its work supporting ex‑offenders into employment. 

Get support with your application

Janine Smith (Director, Business Growth Hub)

We want every business in Greater Manchester to see the King’s Award as within their reach. With the Growth Hub’s support, we can make sure our region’s talent is recognised nationally and internationally

Who is eligible?

You are eligible to apply if you: 

  • are a self-contained enterprise based in the UK
  • have at least 2 full-time employees or part-time equivalents
  • have a good compliance record with HMRC
  • can demonstrate strong environmental, social and governance practices

You can apply for multiple categories, and the Growth Hub can help you identify which one best showcases your achievements. We’ve also created a set of practical guides for each category, complete with real‑world examples. By filling in the form below, you’ll unlock access to these exclusive resources, along with direct support from our King’s Award Ambassadors to strengthen your application. 

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Key dates

The application cycle for the King’s Awards for Enterprise runs the year before the awards are announced. The 2027 timeline is expected to follow the pattern of previous years

Resources

Explore the latest insights, advice and data – all filterable, so that you can keep on top of the issues and emerging trends relevant to your business.

Growth

Top tips for preparing a winning King’s Awards application: Introduction & Understanding the Awards

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Growth

Top tips for preparing a winning King’s Awards application: Writing the Application

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Growth

Top tips for preparing a winning King’s Awards application: Preparation & Process

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