Early years providers and suppliers, including the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), Community Playthings and Cosy, have been recognised in the King’s Awards for Enterprise.

LEYF received a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, recognising its commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable early years education and care that prioritises access, inclusion, community and environmental impact.

LEYF created the UK’s first Early Years Sustainability Strategy, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It was also the first childcare organisation to achieve ISO 14001 certification and ongoing carbon footprint measurement and reduction through Planet Mark. Its sector-first Level 4 Qualification in Sustainability in Early Years has already empowered 68 professionals, with many more set to follow.

June O’Sullivan, LEYF chief executive, said: “This is a powerful endorsement of our belief that early years education and care must be a force for social justice and environmental good.”

Community Playthings also received a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, recognising the company’s commitment to creating high-quality, environmentally responsible products that support early childhood education.

“At Community Playthings, we believe children deserve the very best start in life,” said Sam Hochstetler, sustainability lead at Community Playthings. “That begins with safe, well-designed environments that are created with care for the natural world. Every piece of wood we handle comes from a tree harvested at maturity and replaced with seedlings to continue the cycle of nature.”

Cosy Direct, which works with nursery groups and schools across the UK to design and build the ideal learning space for their children, received a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. Cosy promotes a natural, engaged and active childhood and is continually innovating and developing its product range with teacher-led research and play in mind.

David Hook, Cosy managing director, said: “It is a testament to the quality of our resources, service from our colleagues, and to our wonderful customers in the UK and overseas who have supported us through this journey.  With a brand new team and offices and staff in the Netherlands, our export group is one of our four stellar growth divisions. To achieve a King’s Award for Enterprise as we approach our 15^th year to sit alongside our Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development is a tremendous achievement and we are honoured with this recognition.”

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty the King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. Successful organisations are able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.