October 29, 2013 — When Keltic Seafare received a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade earlier this year, it marked 21 years of effort by founders Lawrence and Marion Watkins and their staff, to grow the company into Scotland’s No. 1 Live Shellfish Supplier, with a turnover in excess of GBP 5 million (USD 8 million, EUR 5.8 million) last year.
The Queen’s Awards are the U.K.’s most prestigious business awards, designed to recognize and encourage achievements in three categories: innovation, international trade and sustainable development. The selection process is tough and exacting.
For the international trade award, Keltic Seafare needed to show that the business had achieved substantial growth in their overseas earnings and that they were commercially successful for their size and sector.
In addition, the company had to provide assurances of responsible conduct in managing their impact on society and the environment, in the selection and control of suppliers, management of the production process and excellence in human resources and customer service.