His Majesty, pictured here in 2022, has hosted the annual Royal Reception for Award recipients on behalf of HM Queen Elizabeth II since 2018
A brief history of the Awards
• 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 led to the scheme becoming the Queen's Awards for Export and Technology, with separate Awards for outstanding achievement in each field. • 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.
• A new category, Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility) was introduced in 2016, and the first winners were announced in 2017. • In 2020, the award for Sustainable Development was refocused to align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and to inspire and recognise those who place sustainability at the heart of their organisation. • Since the Award’s inception, more than 7,000 companies have been honoured.
Throughout Her Late Majesty’s 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II was committed to recognising outstanding efforts made by British businesses across the UK
King’s Awards Magazine 2023
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