Business Secretary Greg Clark today named over 170 businesses from across the UK as winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 91st birthday.

Recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity, this year’s winners include UK businesses leading the way in a broad range of industries, with 11 winners of the sustainable business award, 57 winners of the innovation award, 102 winners for the international trade award, and six winners for the new promoting opportunity award.

“The Queen’s Awards for enterprise highlights everything that’s great about UK business today. We have some of the best entrepreneurs and innovative minds in the world who are at the heart of small start-ups providing excellent customer service to larger businesses developing global solutions,” Business Secretary Greg Clark said.

This year’s winners: a heat map

Over one million new businesses have been created since 2010, all playing a vital role in creating jobs and driving growth across the UK. Research by the University of Strathclyde, 73 per cent of International Trade winners between 2012 to 2015 directly attributed increased international sales to the awards.

“I’m extremely proud to see such a wealth of businesses being recognised today. Through our Industrial Strategy we will be building on the successes of these award winning businesses, helping to build a stronger, more outward looking and prosperous global Britain,” Clark said.

Six businesses have been named winners of the new Promoting Opportunity category, which was introduced to recognise the important work of social mobility initiatives and programmes that specifically reach out and support people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Winners include Allen & Overy LLP, its Smart Start programme has supported over 770 young people in gaining high quality work experience and Procurement Plus Holdings Ltd which has helped 354 people into employment.

Winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are visited by a Royal representative and are presented with a commemorative trophy as a mark of their achievement. They are also invited to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace in July 2017.