London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in recognition of its ‘groundbreaking’ approach to early years education and care operating as a social enterprise and ensuring settings are sustainable.
LEYF is one of 197 organisations nationally to receive the award which recognises outstanding UK businesses. Now in its 59th year, organisations that win an award can display the King’s Awards Emblem for five years.
Community Playthings, which makes solid wood furniture and play equipment, has also been honoured with an award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, as has Cosy Direct.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:
- innovation
- international trade
- sustainable development
- promoting opportunity through social mobility
LEYF says that they fully embed sustainability into every aspect of nursery life -from operating as a social enterprise, designing seasonal menus and using green energy across sites, to designing a pedagogy that gives children a voice and nurtures their love for nature and their role as future ‘changemakers’.
This approach is driven by LEYF’s research and training hub, the London Institute of Early Years, and its Action for Sustainability in Education, community od Practice, a network focused on embedding three pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental sustainability into daily practice.
LEYF believes it was the first in the UK to create an 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. The nursery group is currently working towards achieving net-zero by 2030.
A total of 68 learners have completed its ‘sector-first’ Level 4 qualification in Sustainability in Early Years.
Founded in 1903, LEYF is the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise in Early Years education, employing over 1,000 staff over 43 nurseries across 13 London boroughs.
June O’Sullivan, chief executive of LEYF, said, ‘We are thrilled to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. This is a powerful endorsement of our belief that Early Years Education and Care must be a force for social justice and environmental good. At LEYF, sustainability runs through everything we do – from how we run our nurseries, to how we teach and support our children, families and staff. From evidence-based pedagogy to sustainable practice, and from apprenticeships to leadership pathways, everything we do is about creating real, lasting impact. We hope this recognition inspires others across the sector to embed sustainable thinking from the ground up.”
Nick Corlett, sustainability manager at LEYF, added, ‘We are honoured to receive the King’s Award and proud that our deep-rooted commitment to sustainability has been recognised at this level. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, energy, and teamwork of everyone across LEYF. We hope it sparks a wider ambition to reimagine early years education and care, where sustainability is a force for social good, builds community resilience, and a fairer future for every child.’
Community Playthings
Community Playthings has been designing and manufacturing wooden furniture and play equipment for schools and nurseries since 1961.
Sam Hochstetler, sustainability lead at Community Playthings, said, ‘At Community Playthings, we believe children deserve the very best start in life. 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. We feel fortunate to do work that helps both forests and children grow well.’
Cosy
Employing 107 people, Cosy Direct was founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team, Peter and Amanda Ellse. Cosy promotes a natural, engaged and active childhood.
Since it was established 14 years ago, Cosy has developed over 30,000 product ideas for early years’ settings, 95 per cent of which are manufactured in the UK and Europe. A total of 10 per cent of Cosy’s profits are donated to the Cosy Foundation, which supports charities across the globe.
David Hook, Cosy managing director, said, 'Our whole team have worked so hard for this award. 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 15th year to sit alongside our Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development is a tremendous achievement and we are honoured with this recognition.'
