Interview with DAVID McCORKELL
First of all, can you give us an overview of what the Lord Lieutenant’s role is within The King’s Award scheme exactly? The Lord-Lieutenant’s role is to promote the Award to businesses and business organisations in order to raise awareness and increase the number of applicants year on year. The Lord-Lieutenant will then present the Award on behalf of His Majesty to local winners within their county. The King’s Award has been around since 1966. Do you remember when you personally first became aware of the scheme? I became aware of the Queen’s Award for Industry, as they were known then, in the late 1970s. My late father was Lord-Lieutenant of County Londonderry during ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland and I remember being very moved to hear from him about some of the stories of the recipients despite the turbulent landscape they worked in. The Awards themselves have changed and evolved over the years. Do you think there is anything that remains integral to them, some common values perhaps? Without doubt, the support of the monarch is integral to the Award as it adds huge prestige and acts as a huge mark of distinction, not just throughout the United Kingdom, but on the global stage, highlighting the extent of the interest of the Crown and the impact it has. And on the flip side, what would you say is the biggest difference between the Britain of 1966 and the Britain of 2024? Would you say that the landscape of the UK, as a place to work in, has changed drastically over the past 50+ years?
This year has seen King Charles III publicly share his cancer diagnosis. Do you think the continued dedication and dignity which The King has displayed throughout this difficult period is characteristic of the Awards themselves? Yes, I definitely agree with this. I think the leadership and example shown by His Majesty during this incredibly difficult and unsettling time has been nothing but inspiring. Business is not always plain sailing and changing economic cycles always bring fresh and sometimes unforeseen challenges. I would hope that the resilience shown by His Majesty will inspire companies to carry on and create an even deeper bond with the Award. And finally, how do you see the King’s Award developing in the future? The Award is open to any employer of two or more employees but I think there needs to be an interim award for SMEs with less rigorous criteria to encourage them to apply at an early stage and then progress up through the Awards. Also, coming from Northern Ireland - a devolved administration - I would like to see the Award become more inclusive and representative of all parts of the United Kingdom, not just the big employment zones like London and Manchester. I also expect sustainability and employee wellness to become an even bigger part of the award criteria going forward. So, do you think the scheme will still be going strong when Prince George ascends to the throne? I would be disappointed if it was not even bigger, more prestigious and more inclusive!
service-based, which has led to a very different workforce. Technological advances are much quicker now than they were in the 60s, which makes the pace of change in the business sector much quicker and more able to adapt to challenges. Sustainability is also now a key driver in business decision-making and I expect that trend to only continue over the next 50 years. In 1966, people wouldn’t have even known what ‘ESG’ meant, now it is an integral part of most companies' mission statements. Lastly, our relationship with Europe and the Commonwealth has changed hugely and that has had a material impact on how and who we do business with. Many of the companies that win an Award consider it the most prestigious accolade a business can receive. Do you think this has always been the case or have the Awards become more important over time? I think the Award is as important now as it was in 1966. Any company that receives the Award will tell you it benefits their business no matter which category they have won it in and what their field of business is. How do you think the King’s Award is regarded overseas? Do you think having an Award gives a company more clout when trading internationally? The Award is still highly regarded overseas. Many of the winners receive the award for International Trade and having the KAE emblem on their notepaper opens many doors in overseas countries.
In 1966, Britain still had a large manufacturing economy whereas the 2024 economy is more
King’s Awards Magazine 2024
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