The purpose of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee (PMAC) is to review final recommendations from the Chairs of the Judging Panels for each Award category. PMAC is charged with maintaining the integrity and standards of the Awards and recommends potential changes to the administration of the Awards for subsequent years. PMAC makes its recommendations, covering all four Award categories, to the Prime Minister, who conveys the list to His Majesty The King for final approval.
PMAC meets once a year in February. Members are required to attend the annual meeting and would serve an initial term of three years, potentially renewable for up to a further three years.
In addition to their role on the panel, PMAC members can play a vital role in championing and promoting the awards within their networks and more widely.
This is a voluntary role which requires up to 26 hours of time from early- mid February each year. This includes reading papers about the potential successful applicants and any proposed amendments to the Awards administration as well as attendance at the PMAC meeting itself. As a guide, in 2023 there were 149 approx. successful companies that would have been described in the PMAC papers. Committee members will also be invited to involve themselves in the promotion of the awards to the public/business community and in continuous improvement processes which ensure the awards remain relevant and prestigious.
PMAC is comprised of well respected, senior leaders from the private, public and third sectors with experience in a range of industries, reflecting the diverse pool of applicants considered for a King’s Award.
The Awards are well respected and sought after and recipients explain that part of the appeal is the validation of their business’ performance from high calibre leaders beyond their own sector and from across the UK. Previous PMAC members include Chairs of sector bodies, international financial institutions and global UK retailers. Forty per cent of applicants are currently from the Manufacturing sector (everything from food and drink to engineering) and there are increasing numbers of applicants from the following sectors: AI, Technology, Retail, Energy, Life Sciences, Defence, Services as well as Construction, Wholesale and Retail Trade, Education, the Arts, Entertainment, and recreation. We would welcome applicants from any of these sectors or from sectors which are currently under-represented in Award applications.
Committee members must observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity, and objectivity in their decision making and conduct as PMAC members.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious awards for UK businesses and are a globally recognised royal seal of approval for UK companies. Applications from businesses and organisations are considered annually, in one of four categories: International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development, and Promoting Opportunity (through social mobility).
Recipients are announced to coincide with His Majesty The King’s coronation anniversary - 6th May. Successful businesses are entitled to use The King’s Awards Emblem for five years. They are awarded a certificate and trophy by one of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants, locally, and are invited to a celebratory event at a Royal palace. Feedback from previous recipients suggests that achieving a King’s Award for Enterprise can benefit businesses, with excellent marketing opportunities and press coverage, worldwide recognition as an outstanding British company, increased turnover and international trade, and a boost to the morale of staff, partners, and stakeholders. Recipients also state that they are better able to attract skilled talent to their organisations.
International Trade - recipients will have demonstrated that their business has achieved substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success (for their business size and sector) through either outstanding growth over three years or continuous growth over six years.
Innovation – this category recognises outstanding commercial success of a product, service or approach over two years or continuous commercial success over five years.
Sustainable Development – recipients will have demonstrated commercially successful sustainable development practices, products or services or a combination of all three. Sustainable interventions over two or five years are assessed.
Promoting Opportunity (for social mobility) - this category recognises businesses and organisations lined to enterprise that are providing high quality social mobility initiatives and programmes that specifically reach out and support people from disadvantaged backgrounds in addition to their primary activities. The programmes include work experience, careers advice or mentoring for young people; offering non-graduate routes such as traineeships or changing recruitment practices; and giving equal support and progression opportunities to all employees.
For further information on The King’s Awards for Enterprise please take a look at our social media and website.