Six Suffolk businesses, from towns including Sudbury, Ipswich, Newmarket, Woodbridge and Mildenhall, recognised in King’s Awards for Enterprise
Six Suffolk businesses have been recognised in The King’s Awards for Enterprise.
The recipients of the awards, which celebrate the achievements of leading businesses from across the UK and Channel Islands, were announced today.
This year, 197 businesses representing a range of sectors have been recognised by His Majesty The King as among the best in the country.
The awards are designed to highlight the ambition, ingenuity and success of the diverse UK business community.
Suffolk businesses recognised are:
Capture Green Limited, Ipswich – innovation
Chorus Intelligence, Woodbridge – innovation
Wonde Limited Newmarket – innovation
Vertas Group, Ipswich – sustainable development
Sudbury Silk Mills, Sudbury – sustainable development
UTM Limited, Mildenhall – international trade
Overall, 116 businesses have been recognised for international trade, 46 for innovation, 27 for sustainable development and 10 for promoting opportunity through social mobility.
The awards highlight businesses playing a key role in the Government’s mission to go ‘further and faster’ for economic growth and to put ‘more money in more working people’s pockets’ – as part of its Plan for Change.
Of the 197 winning businesses 176 (88 per cent) are SMEs and, of those, 27 (14 per cent) are micro-businesses with 10 employees or fewer.
Sudbury Silk Mills – a family-run business which has operated in the town since 1840 – is celebrated for sustainable development.
This means the company, which weaves exclusively for Stephen Walters, David Walters and Humphries Weaving, will now display the prestigious King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.
It comes after Sudbury Silk Mills became the first weaving business in the UK to achieve sustainable textile production (STeP) certification from industry body Oeko-Tex.
Julius Walters, managing director at Sudbury Silk Mills, said: “It is a great privilege to be recognised with this award, representing excellence and demonstrating the outstanding achievements of our team.
“Sustainable development helps to future-proof the business. Such practices often lead to greater efficiency and resilience and drive innovation in products, services and operations.
“Our approach towards environmental and social responsibility is increasingly valued by our clients and wider communities.
“Such a prestigious honour instills a strong sense of pride and a shared sense of achievement across the organisation.
“This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our team, confirming their efforts have made a real, tangible and positive impact.
“Providing us with motivation for the future, to continue striving for excellence and innovation.”
Smaller businesses are described as ‘the beating heart’ of the Government's growth mission.
Providing them with the right support to overcome barriers and reach their full potential is a priority, it says.
A new board of trade has been launched to boost small businesses exports and more than 200 new banking hub locations, on top of the existing 100 already open, have been announced.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise were previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and were renamed two years ago to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses.
Chorus Intelligence Suite, Woodbridge, was recognised for its Chorus Intelligence Suite (CIS).
Chorus Intelligence is a global provider of data search, analysis, cleansing, enrichment and evidential reporting tools for law enforcement, government agencies and financial institutions.
CIS is a secure, web-based, all-in-one platform designed to streamline every stage of a digital investigation through a single, intuitive dashboard.
Founded in 2011, Chorus was previously honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its pioneering data cleansing and analysis software, which revolutionised how law enforcement agencies manage investigative data.
HM’s Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston said: “I am absolutely delighted to hear of Chorus Intelligence’s King’s Award for Innovation.
“It is a remarkable achievement to receive the award for a second time – quite outstanding.
“We are so very proud of Chorus, a Suffolk business, who are leaders in their field and continue to innovate and advance their excellent world-class digital intelligence and investigation product.
Neil Chivers, chief executive of Chorus Intelligence said: "We are incredibly proud.
“This recognition is testament to the unwavering dedication of our team and our mission to empower those conducting digital investigations with the tools they need to stay ahead of ever-evolving threats and conspiracies.
“The CIS is the result of years of investment, innovation, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the challenges our customers face.
“Since its launch in 2021, the platform’s capabilities have expanded significantly and it is now used by organisations across the globe.”
The King’s Award programme, now in its 59th year, has awarded over 8,000 companies since its inception in 1965.
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants – The King’s representatives in each county – will be presenting the awards to businesses locally throughout the year.
One representative from each winning business will also be invited to a special royal reception event.
Gareth Thomas, minister for services, small businesses and exports said: “Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise, who all demonstrate the very best of British business talent.
“I wish them every success as they continue to grow, innovate and prosper, and commend the invaluable contributions they have already made to communities at home and abroad, helping to boost the UK economy.”
Applications for next year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise, which will mark the initiative’s 60th anniversary, open today.
