JUDGE’S NAME Jon Saltmarsh
A King's Award is probably the highest accolade a business can receive - it shows customers that they are dealing with an outstanding organisation
CATEGORY Sustainable Development
AREA OF INTEREST Innovation that helps deliver net zero
Jon Saltmarsh is Chief Technology Officer at Energy Systems Catapult, an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence that bridges the gap between government, academia and research. ‘The Catapult’ was set up to accelerate the transformation of the energy system to net zero, and to help companies associated with it to innovate and grow. Mr Saltmarsh has spent over 30 years identifying and exploiting opportunities for new technologies to deliver transformational change, working within both the public and private sectors in the energy and defence sectors. He is currently responsible for identifying and pursuing key innovations where The Catapult can have the greatest impact. These innovations are generally focused around decarbonising homes, sites and local areas; developing future energy networks; and digitising the whole system.
their clothing. At the same time, it delivers cost savings to retailers and outstanding benefits for sustainable development.
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO BE A JUDGE FOR THE KING’S AWARDS? Originally, I was asked to be a judge as part of my role in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, to ensure that their interests were fully considered in the judging process. Having become involved, and seen so many truly exceptional innovative companies, I was keen to continue as a judge after the original reason for my appointment ended. WHY DO THE KING’S AWARDS MATTER TO BUSINESS? A key challenge for all businesses is to continue to evolve - to raise the bar and to deliver a better experience year on year for their customers, their staff, and their community. Awards of all kinds help businesses to benchmark where they stand relative to their peers. But when it comes to awards, the King's Awards are the gold standard, providing a robust comparison, not just with immediate peers, but with the best businesses of all types across the whole UK. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A KING’S AWARD JUDGE? Working to deliver decarbonisation can sometimes be quite demoralising, because there is so much to be done in such a relatively short period of time and progress seems so slow. Seeing the passion, energy and ingenuity behind many of the shortlisted applications, and the results this achieved, is hugely uplifting and helps restore my belief that, as a civilisation, we can overcome the challenges of delivering net zero. WHAT SPARKS YOUR INTEREST ACROSS KING’S AWARD APPLICANTS THIS YEAR? This year we saw a lot more applicants seeking to take advantage of the circular economy, reusing or upcycling waste products. One application that stood out for me in this regard was Advanced Clothing Solutions Limited. The clothing industry Is notoriously unsustainable, but ACS has developed a business managing returns, rental and resale of fashion garments that has the potential to revolutionise the way people buy
WHAT’S YOUR TOP TIP FOR A COMPANY THAT IS THINKING OF APPLYING FOR A KING’S AWARD? Be honest with yourself when assessing your business. [Remember] the King's Awards are for "outstanding achievement." Assure yourself at the outset that you can provide the evidence needed to demonstrate your achievements are truly outstanding. DESCRIBE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A KING’S AWARDS WINNER, AS YOU SEE IT A King's Award is probably the highest accolade a business can receive. It's a recognition of exceptional leadership, it's something for staff to rally round and celebrate, and it shows customers that they are dealing with an outstanding organisation. Assured leadership, high workforce morale, and customer confidence, go together to enable a King’s Award winner to go from strength to strength.
DESCRIBE A FEW FEATURES YOU BELIEVE MAKE BRITISH BUSINESSES SUCH A GLOBAL SUCCESS
Success is always a combination of factors. Here in the UK, we are blessed with a stable legal framework, permissive regulations, an educated workforce, world class university research and excellent support structures - such as The Catapult - which all combine to provide a fantastic environment to start and grow a business. ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? If you think your business could win a King's Award, then get on and apply. But more importantly, if you don't think your business is there yet, get on and address the areas you need to improve - it can only strengthen your business's performance.
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