23 March 2020
It was an amazing thing when we heard that Samuel Grant Packaging had been given the accolade of a Queen’s Award for Innovation in honour of the Samson Nano.
The award organisers are extremely strict when it comes to communicating anything about the award process, so even when we knew we had won, it was three weeks before we were able to tell all the staff. The awards were officially announced on the 21st April, the Queen’s birthday, and as soon as we could, we were shouting from the rooftops!
The process of entering the awards, being shortlisted and supplying all the necessary documentation had in fact started in July 2017 – almost a year before we actually won. We were warned at the start of the process that the time it would take to enter the awards would be estimated at fifty-man hours. And they weren’t far off! Still, only a handful of companies nationwide receive the award, which is considered the highest accolade that can be awarded to UK businesses, and is an internationally recognised badge of honour.
No wonder then, that we wanted to shout about it!
The best thing about receiving the award, is not that Andrew Grant and Julia Allen get to go to Buckingham Palace and meet Prince Charles (more on that later), but the pride of our team in the company.
We asked our staff to feed back on their own thoughts, and were delighted to get their responses, some of which we have included below. They speak for themselves. We are so pleased at Grant’s to consider our staff and team members as a family. We are a family business and their pride in their work, and in the wider company, is something that we are always grateful for.
Simon Charlesworth, Warehouse, Sheffield – “I class working for Samuel Grant Packaging as my extended family and that makes me proud. I am part of this achievement along with my colleagues, not many people can get this sort of recognition, and that fills me with pride… It just goes to show that hard work does pay off.”
Graham Law, Finance – “Samuel Grant Packaging have the formula right, making their employees feel engaged in the process. I am proud of being part of that. I am a small cog in the Samuel Grant Packaging wheel and I hope that my contribution has made it possible for the company to win this prestigious award.”
Lauren Davies, Group H&S – “The Queen’s Award is another display that the company are continuously moving forward and excelling.”
Michael Ellis, Internal Sales – “Having been involved with the Nano project since the early days, it’s good to know that the excellence of the scheme has been recognised by an outside body. The recognition that this award brings from both inside and outside the company further cements our reputation as an industry leader. It gives customers the confidence that they are dealing with an innovative company.”
Sarah Clarke, Sales Office – “We are a quality company with an excellent reputation, I love being part of it. It’s satisfying and reassuring to know that all of our efforts and commitment has put the company in a position to gain this recognition... The sky is the limit for Samson Nano!”
