Royal accolades for enterprising businesses... and individuals

On her 80th birthday, Her Majesty The Queen announced the 2006 winners of The Queen's Awards for Enterprise, the UK's leading accolade for business success. There are 15 Awards, the highest total for 11 years.

This is the second year of The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion, an Award for individuals who have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting the growth of enterprise and/or entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in others.

The Queen's Awards for business honour outstanding UK companies froma firm with only three employees to an international giant employing nearly 30,000. Winners include a company that has installed over a million square metres of safety surfacing in playgrounds; a jewellery manufacturer who doubled overseas earnings;a fim whose anti-fraud software has saved over £1 billion; and a firm who helped with the restoration of Windsor Castle.

Products and services from winners in the International Trade category range from breakfast cereals, vacuum cleaners and diamond jewellery to gold mining, crop sprayers and a nappy disposal system.

Awards in the Innovation category recognise a broad spectrum of outstanding achievement. Products include a CCTV system that reduces vehicle theft and vandalism on trains; cholesterol-reducing cheese; and allergy-friendly foods.

Winners in this year's Sustainable Development category include a company that designs buildings that generate their own energy, harvest their own water and recycle waste; and a 300-year old brewery that applies advanced environmental techniques to traditional brewing methods.

If someone has made a truly outstanding contribution, over 10 years or more, they can be considered for a Lifetime Achievement Award.

There are up to 10 Awards each year and the recipients will be presented with an engraved crystal glass commemorative item and a Grant of Apporintment and will be invited to an evening Reception at Buckingham Palace.

Application/nomonation forms for the 2007 Awards will be available from 21 April 2006 by downloading an electronic copy form The Queen's Awards website.