The Queen's Awards Magazine 2021

The Queen's Awards Magazine 2021

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Promoting Opportunity (Through Social Mobility)

Innovation

Sustainable Development

International Trade

Award Holders 2017-2020

We tender the loyal greetings of all Queen’s Awards winners to Her Majesty The Queen

Proud recipients of the Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2021.

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04 Letters of acknowledgement for the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 08 About the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 09 A breakdown of Queen’s Awards winners 11 The benefits of winning an award 12 Past winner tips 14 Duke of Edinburgh tribute 16 Lord Lieutenant feature 19 Meet the judges behind the awards 34 Dartington Crystal Interview 37 International Trade category award winners 71 Innovation category award winners 85 Promoting Opportunity

It’s our pleasure to bring you this very special publication, which showcases the winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2021

We are delighted to extend our warm congratulations to every company that has received the honour of winning a 2021 Queen’s Award. You have demonstrated excellence in the fields of international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting social mobility – on a global stage – and we salute your incredible achievements. Since their inception in the 1960s, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise have become the most prestigious formof recognition a British company can receive. There is, quite simply, no greater honour, and this year’s Awards are extra special, demonstrating as they do Britain’s resilience and ingenuity in the face of a worldwide crisis. The Awards are proof that today’s UK businesses are increasingly visionary, striving tomeet customers’ global needs while leading the world in the development of new environmentally friendly, sustainable practices. In addition to this, many Award-winning businesses this year have illustrated how vital social mobility opportunities are to the growth of both individuals and teams as a whole. The breadth and diversity of 2021’s winning companies is staggering. From those on amission to protect delicate ecosystems and economies to pathfinders who’ve developed world-leading biosecurity products, this year’s winners have pushed boundaries and proved themselves truly innovative. We at the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Magazine are honoured to be able to showcase and celebrate their achievements, and hugely proud to fly the flag for British business. This year’s magazine is also a chance to reveal what goes on behind the scenes as we meet the judging panel and gain an insight into what elevates a company to Queen’s Awards level. In this year’s magazine we also pay tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who was instrumental in helping to create the Awards, and who continued to show great interest in the growth and innovation of British industry, and in the role the Awards play in driving awareness and celebrating achievements across all sectors.

(Through Social Mobility) category award winners 97 Sustainable Development category award winners 107 Award holders 2017-2020 124 Index of contributors

As always, we extend our warm regards to this year’s winners and wish all of the companies involved continued success through 2021 and beyond.

Richard Stoppard Chief Executive Officer Nexus Business Media Limited

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The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Magazine would like to thank The Queen’s Awards Office and all of the 2021 Award winners, who have kindly given their assistance in the preparation of this magazine.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be photocopied, recorded or otherwise stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any electronic means without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of the book, Nexus Media Events bears no responsibility for any errors or consequences thereof, or for damage or loss of material submitted to the magazine. The publishers do not necessarily endorse or support facts and opinions expressed within this magazine, individual editorials and images having been supplied direct by The Queen’s Award winners who have chosen to be included in the publication.

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The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Magazine® is published annually by Nexus Media Events Ltd 208 Canalot Studios, 222 Kensal Road, London, W10 5BN

Queen’s Awards Magazine 2021

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On the occasion of the publication of the 2021 edition of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Magazine, I send my warm good wishes to all concerned.

I was interested to learn that the Magazine acts as a unique record for the recipients of the awards.

I much appreciate your thoughtfulness in writing and, in return, send my congratulations to the businesses featured, together with my best wishes to all the contributors and readers of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Magazine.

Elizabeth R.

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This year, British businesses of all shapes and sizes have shown us all that necessity really is the mother of invention. Over and again I have seen amazing examples of innovation, creativity and dedication from companies of all shapes and sizes as entrepreneurs like yourself responded at dizzying speed to the challenges of the pandemic. But while this has been absolutely inspiring to see I confess it did not come as an enormous surprise. Because anyone who has been paying attention to the Queen’s Award for Enterprise this past half century will already know that such qualities are an indelible part of British business, the very DNA fromwhich our economy is spun. And so we see again with the latest crop of winners, doing everything from providing employment opportunities for young ex-offenders to creating solar-powered garden furniture that charges your phone while you doze in the sunshine. They speak not only to the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our nation but also to the astounding breadth and depth of our private sector - excelling in every industry, every comer of the economy, every part of the United Kingdom. And that is why, for all the challenges the past year has brought us, I know for sure that better days do lie ahead, that we can and will build back better, and that our brilliant, innovative, enterprising entrepreneurs will be leading the way as we do.

Congratulations to you all.

The Prime Minister

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I would like to congratulate all the businesses awarded this year’s Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. It is an important recognition of the contribution businesses like yours make to the UK economy.

In any ordinary year, this contribution is remarkable. However this has been no ordinary year. The Covid pandemic and the economic shock it unleashed caused the sharpest fall in UK GDP for over three centuries. The fallout has been incredibly challenging for businesses and their workforces up and down the country.

In response, the Bank of England acted decisively, putting in place a package of measures to keep firms in business and people in jobs, and limit the long-term damage to the economy.

Whilst this support has helped many viable businesses survive long periods of economic interruption, the fact that so many have found a way to operate despite these unprecedented challenges is a testament to their ingenuity, as well as the fundamental value of their products. It is these attributes, as well as many others, that these awards recognise. As such, I’d like to warmly congratulate this year’s winners for your valuable contributions to the UK economy, and wish you every success in the period to come.

Andrew Bailey Governor of the Bank of England

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners of this inspiring award.

It’s very exciting to see the talent and achievement of enterprises across the UK over the past year in the face of the difficult challenges they have confronted. I am really encouraged by all the hard work of the business community that has contributed so positively to society and will be vital to the reopening of the economy.

Enterprise is at the heart of the work of the Institute of Directors, and we celebrate the work that the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise does in promoting this.

The accomplishments of this year’s winners show the innovative thinking that businesses have used to create new ideas and opportunities, providing optimism for the months ahead.

It is so important, especially in times like these, to celebrate these wonderful achievements. I warmly congratulate all the deserved winners, and look forward to their continuing growth and success in their unique and remarkable endeavours.

Patrick Macdonald Chair, Institute of Directors

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The Queen’s Awards FOR ENTERPRISE

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are considered the UK’s most prestigious business awards, designed to acknowledge and encourage outstanding achievements demonstrated by UK businesses. Instituted by Royal Warrant in 1965 and first awarded in 1966, their format has evolved to now encompass four categories: International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility). In the past, individuals have been recognised within the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise but, as of 2017, this individual award was rested. Her Majesty The Queen makes the awards on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is assisted by an advisory committee including representatives of Government, industry and commerce, and the trade unions. The award winners are announced annually on April 21, The Queen’s birthday. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are free to enter and you may apply for more than one award. Organisations of any size operating regularly as a business unit in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and which meet the criteria may enter. The awards are made to businesses as a whole rather than to individuals. Applicants that are unsuccessful receive feedback about their strengths and are offered guidance about how to improve their entry for future. Presentation ceremonies are conducted at each winner’s premises, usually by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, who is the designated representative of Her Majesty The Queen. The awards consist of a Grant of Appointment and a

commemorative crystal bowl. Successful organisations may fly the Queen’s Award flag at their principal premises and are entitled to use the emblem on marketing materials – such as on packaging, advertisements, stationery and website. This information was correct at the time of going to press. For the latest information visit www.gov.uk/queens-awards- for-enterprise THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE: ELIGIBILITY To apply for the Queen’s Award for Enterprise your organisation must meet the following minimum criteria: Be based in the UK (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man); File its Company Tax Returns with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC); Be a self-contained enterprise that markets its own products or services and is under its own management; Have at least two full-time UK employees or part-time equivalents; and Demonstrate strong corporate social responsibility. Your organisation may be business or non-profit. Each award has additional entry criteria, which can be found at the start of each relevant section in this magazine as well as on the website https://www.gov. uk/queensawards-for-enterprise/eligibility

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ABOUT THE AWARDS

Queen’s Awards winners 2021: a breakdown

STATISTICS 2021 Awards by category

(Note: five companies received double awards) The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2021 include: 122 awards for International Trade 48 awards for Innovation

Entries for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise come from all corners of the UK including the outlying islands. The companies’ activities, however, are international with many businesses exporting and negotiating with countless countries around the world.

17 awards for Sustainable Development 18 awards for Promoting Opportunity

Five businesses were double award winners: Apption Labs Limited – winners of Innovation and International Trade Awards Cobalt Aerospace – winners of Innovation and International Trade Awards

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2021 Total number of award winners across the UK: 90 % of 2021winners are SMEs The graphic shows the distribution of these 2021 Award winners across the United Kingdom. 205

InSight Analytics Solutions Limited trading as ONYX InSight – winners of Innovation and International Trade Awards Process Instruments (UK) Ltd – winners of Innovation and International Trade Awards

SCOTLAND Winners 13

The Skill Mill Limited – winners of Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity Awards

NORTHERN IRELAND Winners 5

NORTH EAST Winners 11

NORTH WEST Winners 17

YORKSHIRE & THE HUMBER Winners 16

WEST MIDLANDS Winners 17

EAST Winners 26

WALES Winners 6

EAST MIDLANDS Winners 154

SOUTH EAST Winners 22

LONDON Winners 38

SOUTH WEST Winners 19

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PRESENTATIONS & CELEBRATIONS

Innovation 2019: Optos

Optos is pleased to be the recipient of the Queen’s Award for a second time. We are proud to build a lasting legacy in the medical sector for the only ultra- widefield retinal imaging device that helps eye care professionals save sight and save lives.

Sustainable Development 2019: Harrison Spinks L-R Managing Director Simon Spinks, chairman Peter Spinks and Lord Lieutenant Mr Ed Anderson.

Promoting Opportunity 2019: Tier 1 The UK’s leading IT asset management business, Tier 1 Asset Management Ltd, receiving their award in the category of promoting opportunity through social mobility from the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Paul Griffiths DL.

International Trade 2019: Tangerine

Design consultancy Tangerine was thrilled to win a Queen's Award in Export: International Trade in the year that it celebrated its 30th year anniversary. Over 80% of the company’s business comes from outside of the UK.

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The benefits of winning... A QUEEN’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE

Why the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise really matter What motivates a company to enter the Queen’s Awards? The answers to this question are many and varied, but one thing is certain: companies have everything to gain by entering, and nothing to lose. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are widely considered the highest accolade to be bestowed upon a UK business, celebrating the British companies that have showed outstanding achievement in trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. Put simply, winning an award puts British companies on a pedestal; it celebrates their achievements, in a multitude of sectors, and showcases their innovations, ideas and achievements to a global audience. The Queen’s Awards are hugely respected, both at home and overseas, andwinning has been proven to give companies a winning edge over their competitors, in addition to offering the ideal introduction to new customers. Becoming an elite Queen’s Awards winner also provides unlimitedmarketing potential across digital and print platforms, both at local and national level. But it’s not all about winning. Simply entering and becoming a part of the Queen’s Awards journey is hugely valuable. If success doesn’t happen on the first attempt, lessons will have been learned during the application process, new targets set and additional focus given to how the company can come back even bigger and better the following year, on a quest to become a worthy future winner – and one

of the best British companies in its field. Over the past 55 years, since the awards’ launch in 1965, entrants have come fromall around the UK, fromcity-based centres of commerce to remote locations in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Themajority of winning companies have fewer than 250 employees, but larger companies have also clinched thismost prestigious of accolades.

Entering the Queen’s Awards:

In order to enter, your company must have at least two full-time employees. There is a straightforward online entry process. How long this takes to complete will understandably vary according to the type of company and its products, and how readily available the required >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128

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