Entrepreneurs and business owners across Ealing have attended the last meeting of 2024 (5 December 2024) of the Ealing Business Club which saw guest speaker, Richard Kornicki CBE DL, Deputy Lieutenant for the borough of Ealing, talk about his role and encouraged more local businesses to take part in the King’s Awards for Enterprise.
More than 100 people attended the event which took place at Doubletree by Hilton in Ealing Common and was sponsored by British Land.
Mr Kornicki explained what his voluntary role involves. He said: “Most of the time the effort is spent actually on encouraging and supporting the voluntary sector and business sector where we can help in any way at all, keep an eye open on people who need to be put forward or encouraged or supported with some sort of recognition and playing a part in encouraging and particularly certain specific royal awards.
“A lot of my time has gone on supporting the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, and I have to say that Ealing is one of the most outstanding boroughs in London for winning them. This year Ealing won 40% of the awards given in London.
Mr Korniciki revealed more about the King’s Award for Enterprise to the audience and encouraged more businesses in Ealing to take part. He said: “It began in 1965 and it’s the highest award available to companies as such. There have been some 7000 winners over the years. And in 2024 there were 257 winners nationally, 43 of them in London. And who gets these prestigious awards? Are they fast companies? No. 91% of them go to small and medium sized enterprises. So this is you and what’s in it for you? You may have seen the emblem on some people’s marketing showing an E with wings on it and a crown above it.
“And that’s a fantastic shorthand for many people looking at a company for the first time, seeing that logo means their due diligence has already been done for them. The company has been checked out. It’s had a little run over it, and it’s definitely of the best, so you don’t need to look too much further to inquire into them. Very handy for marketing. It can improve your turnover so I’m told. It’s great for your staff to see all their hard work recognised by a public award of that sort. And you get to go to a reception at the palace with His Majesty, the King.”
He explained more: “In the last year, there are 26 awards in Greater London for international trade. Next largest category is, I think, the most interesting one, innovation people, and this always will be very small companies who come up with a new idea, a good idea, something which they can bring to market and do something with 10 of those in Greater London. Six awards for sustainable development. Very much on everyone’s agenda these days.
“So how do you get one? Well, uniquely in the honours system, the King’s Award for Enterprise is self nominating. You can just fill it in yourself. And you’re in business, the application round runs from September, so you’ve got plenty of time, and you go online and there’s an online application process. It’s as simple as that, though they will want some paperwork, like accounts and so on. Although applications for the current round are closed, you can register so that you’ll be notified when the next application round begins. So it gives you five or six months to get your house in order and make sure everything is as you would want it to be.”
To find out more and join the Ealing Business Club, click here.
