Appeal to Peterborough employers to compete for Royal award for enterprise
City is home to triple Royal award winner
Innovative and go ahead businesses in Peterborough are being urged to put their names forward for a Royal award.
The appeal comes from the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Julie Spence who wants to see more Peterborough businesses strive to secure a Kings Award for Enterprise.
Her call comes after Peterborough was notable for its absence from the list of winners of this year’s King’s Award for Enterprise despite the city being home to a wealth of leading companies.
Ms Spence said: “As Lord Lieutenant, I want the best in the county to get the recognition and business benefits they deserve from the highest accolade for British business in the United Kingdom.
"The King’s Award is a true hallmark of quality and excellence and one which has positive benefits for the business itself as well as our local and national economy.
She added: “It’s important that as one of the fastest growing areas for business Peterborough and its 7,600 companies are at the heart of this prestigious recognition so please apply. “
Her call follows the official opening by the Department for Business and Trade of applications for the 2026 King’s Awards for Enterprise.
A spokesman said: "These prestigious awards represent the highest accolade for UK businesses, celebrating exceptional achievements in innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility.
"Recognised globally as a mark of excellence, the King’s Awards for Enterprise offer recipients a unique Royal endorsement that sets them apart in both domestic and international markets.
He added: “Past awardees have reported significant benefits, including enhanced brand recognition, increased press coverage, improved access to investment, and the ability to attract top-tier talent.
"Some have likened The Award to receiving a knighthood for their organisation.”
The King’s Award for Enterprise honours businesses across four key categories, which are innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility)
To be eligible, businesses must be based in the United Kingdom, have a strong compliance record with HM Revenue and Customs, operate as a self-contained enterprise, employ at least two full-time UK staff (or part-time equivalents) and demonstrate robust environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices
The deadline for applications is September 9 this year with the award announcement made on May 6, 2026.
The Royal accolade has brought triple honours for 3D printing experts Photocentric of Peterborough, which won the award for innovation in 2016 and 2020 and the award for international trade in 2018.
Peterborough-based Royal Haskoning UK won a Queen's Award for International Trade in 2011.